ד"א ויגש אליו יהודה. זש"ה אחד באחד יגשו ורוח לא יבא ביניהם (איוב מא ח), זה יהודה ויוסף, שכל מה שנתגאה יוסף בא יהודה ונצח אותו, שנאמר ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק (בראשית מה א), למה היו דומין, לשור שהיה יוצא והיו כל החיות בורחות מפניו, והיה בועט לזה ומנגח לזה, ובא האריה ולא עמד לפניו, אלא נראה הארי ובקשו לשור ולא נמצא, כך יוסף נמשל בשור, שנאמר בכור שורו הדר לו (דברים לג יז), והשבטים נמשלו לחיות, והיה יוסף מתגאה עליהם ומבעט אותם, ויתנכר אליהם, ומנגח לזה, ויקח מאתם את שמעון, לא עשה, אלא כיון שיצא הארי, גור איה יהודה (בראשית מט ט), בקשו לשור ולא נמצא, אלא ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק, למה, ליש גבור בבהמה ולא ישוב מפני כל (משלי ל ל), אפילו מפני שכתיב בו ויכלכל. אף לעתיד לבא משוח מלחמה עתיד לעמוד מיוסף, ומשוח העומד מיהודה קשה ממנו, שנאמר וגברתי את בית יהודה [ואת בית יוסף אושיע] (זכריה י ו).
Another interpretation (of Gen. 44:18): THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM. This text is related (to Job 41:8 [16]): ONE IS SO NEAR TO THE OTHER THAT NO AIR CAN COME BETWEEN THEM. This refers to Judah and Joseph, for in whatever Joseph prided himself, Judah came and vanquished, as stated (in Gen. 45:1): JOSEPH COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF. To what were they comparable?9Tanh., Gen. 11:3. To a bull that went out; and, when all the beasts fled from him, he kicked (rt.: B'T) at one and gored at another. Then came the lion, but he did not stand up to him. Rather, when the lion appeared and sought out the bull, he was not to be found. So Joseph is likened to the bull, as stated (in Deut. 33:17): LIKE A FIRSTLING BULL HE HAS MAJESTY. The tribes also have been likened to beasts, and Joseph was priding himself as being over them and despising (rt.: B'T) them. (According to Gen. 42:7) HE BECAME A STRANGER TO THEM. Then goring at a particular one, (according to Gen. 42:24) HE TOOK SIMON FROM THEM. He acted so only until the lion came, < for > (according to Gen. 49:24) JUDAH IS A LION'S WHELP. He sought him out as the bull, but he was not to be found. Rather (according to Gen. 45:1): JOSEPH COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF. Why? (Prov. 30:30:) THE LION IS THE MIGHTIEST AMONG THE BEASTS, AND RETREATS BEFORE NONE, even because it is written of him (in Gen. 47:12): AND < JOSEPH > SUSTAINED < HIS FATHER AND HIS BROTHERS >.10One would expect some saying about Judah. Buber’s note here suggests that SUSTAINED be read as two words, apart from the biblical context, and interpreted as “All in all,” i.e., the lion is “all in all” in the world of beasts. Cf. Tanh., Gen. 11:3: “Who has stood facing a bull? The lion, as stated (Gen. 44:18): THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM.” Also in the world to come a fighting Messiah is going to arise from Joseph, but a Messiah who is to arise from Judah will be stronger than he, as stated (in Zech. 10:6): I WILL STRENGTHEN THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, < BUT THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH I WILL SAVE >.
ד"א ויגש אליו יהודה. זש"ה אחד באחד יגשו ורוח לא יבא ביניהם (איוב מא ח), זה יהודה ויוסף, שכל מה שנתגאה יוסף בא יהודה ונצח אותו, שנאמר ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק (בראשית מה א), למה היו דומין, לשור שהיה יוצא והיו כל החיות בורחות מפניו, והיה בועט לזה ומנגח לזה, ובא האריה ולא עמד לפניו, אלא נראה הארי ובקשו לשור ולא נמצא, כך יוסף נמשל בשור, שנאמר בכור שורו הדר לו (דברים לג יז), והשבטים נמשלו לחיות, והיה יוסף מתגאה עליהם ומבעט אותם, ויתנכר אליהם, ומנגח לזה, ויקח מאתם את שמעון, לא עשה, אלא כיון שיצא הארי, גור איה יהודה (בראשית מט ט), בקשו לשור ולא נמצא, אלא ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק, למה, ליש גבור בבהמה ולא ישוב מפני כל (משלי ל ל), אפילו מפני שכתיב בו ויכלכל. אף לעתיד לבא משוח מלחמה עתיד לעמוד מיוסף, ומשוח העומד מיהודה קשה ממנו, שנאמר וגברתי את בית יהודה [ואת בית יוסף אושיע] (זכריה י ו).
Another interpretation (of Gen. 44:18): THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM. This text is related (to Job 41:8 [16]): ONE IS SO NEAR TO THE OTHER THAT NO AIR CAN COME BETWEEN THEM. This refers to Judah and Joseph, for in whatever Joseph prided himself, Judah came and vanquished, as stated (in Gen. 45:1): JOSEPH COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF. To what were they comparable?9Tanh., Gen. 11:3. To a bull that went out; and, when all the beasts fled from him, he kicked (rt.: B'T) at one and gored at another. Then came the lion, but he did not stand up to him. Rather, when the lion appeared and sought out the bull, he was not to be found. So Joseph is likened to the bull, as stated (in Deut. 33:17): LIKE A FIRSTLING BULL HE HAS MAJESTY. The tribes also have been likened to beasts, and Joseph was priding himself as being over them and despising (rt.: B'T) them. (According to Gen. 42:7) HE BECAME A STRANGER TO THEM. Then goring at a particular one, (according to Gen. 42:24) HE TOOK SIMON FROM THEM. He acted so only until the lion came, < for > (according to Gen. 49:24) JUDAH IS A LION'S WHELP. He sought him out as the bull, but he was not to be found. Rather (according to Gen. 45:1): JOSEPH COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF. Why? (Prov. 30:30:) THE LION IS THE MIGHTIEST AMONG THE BEASTS, AND RETREATS BEFORE NONE, even because it is written of him (in Gen. 47:12): AND < JOSEPH > SUSTAINED < HIS FATHER AND HIS BROTHERS >.10One would expect some saying about Judah. Buber’s note here suggests that SUSTAINED be read as two words, apart from the biblical context, and interpreted as “All in all,” i.e., the lion is “all in all” in the world of beasts. Cf. Tanh., Gen. 11:3: “Who has stood facing a bull? The lion, as stated (Gen. 44:18): THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM.” Also in the world to come a fighting Messiah is going to arise from Joseph, but a Messiah who is to arise from Judah will be stronger than he, as stated (in Zech. 10:6): I WILL STRENGTHEN THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, < BUT THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH I WILL SAVE >.