בראשית, פרק מ״ה, פסוק כ״ד

Following his dramatic revelation, Joseph equips his brothers with the finest goods of Egypt and sends them back to Canaan to reunite with their father. His farewell, however, is not a simple dismissal. He personally escorts them out of the city, a gesture meant to protect them from the immediate dangers of the road [רשב״ם, חזקוני, אלשיך]. The departure of all the brothers together, with Benjamin safely among them, serves as a clear testament that Judah had kept his word, thereby lifting the self-imposed excommunication he had accepted [אור החיים, רבנו בחיי].

As they prepare to leave, Joseph offers them essential guidance, warning them against any agitation, fear, or emotional turbulence on their journey. The primary approach among commentators is that Joseph, possessing a deep understanding of his brothers' psychology, anticipated the aftermath of their initial shock. He feared that as they traveled, they would begin pointing fingers and blaming one another for selling him into slavery. To prevent this, he urges them to leave the past behind and avoid any quarrels along the way [רש״י, אבן עזרא, רד״ק, שד״ל, רלב״ג, תולדות יצחק, ביאור שטיינזלץ ועוד].

This warning against agitation is also understood as a reassurance against fear. The brothers were leaving Egypt heavily burdened with grain, silver, and vast wealth right in the middle of a severe regional famine. This made the threat of highway bandits incredibly real. Joseph calms their anxieties by assuring them that his formidable reputation as the ruler of Egypt casts a shadow of dread over the entire region, guaranteeing that no one will dare harm them [רמב״ן, רשב״ם, דעת זקנים, חזקוני, טור הארוך, בכור שור, ביאור יש״ר ועוד].

Another perspective views Joseph’s advice as a warning against distraction and dangerous haste. He cautions his brothers not to engage in complex religious or legal debates while traveling. While simple, fluent study was acceptable and even protective, intense intellectual arguments could cause them to lose their sense of direction, experience delays, or become easily frustrated [כלי יקר, רבנו בחיי, שפתי חכמים, דברי דוד]. This specific guidance came from Joseph now, rather than from Jacob earlier, because the brothers were carrying miraculous news. The immediate commandment to honor their father by rushing to revive his spirit took absolute precedence over deep study on the road [חנוכת התורה, פרדס יוסף].

Driven by their overwhelming enthusiasm to reach Jacob, there was also a physical danger that they would push themselves recklessly. Joseph worried they might take massive, hurried strides that could exhaust them, harm their health, or damage their eyesight. Furthermore, their eagerness might tempt them to continue walking into the perilous darkness of the night. He therefore instructs them to maintain a moderate, reasonable pace and to ensure they always safely enter a settlement to rest while the sun is still shining [רש״י, כלי יקר, מזרחי, ריב״א, ברטנורא, תורה תמימה].