Miketz תרל”ט 5
וכתיב וישכרו עמו כו’.
“And it is written: ‘And they drank with him…’”
The Sefat Emet opens by noting the Torah’s emphasis on the brothers drinking with Joseph.
אמרו חז”ל עד עתה לא שתו כו’.
“Our sages said: Until now they had not drunk…”
Chazal teach that the brothers had refrained from drinking wine up to this point.
ולמה עתה שתו.
“And why did they drink now?”
The question arises: what changed that now allowed them to drink?
משמע שהרגישו שנתקנו בשלימות הראוי בישיבתם עתה לפני יוסף כמ”ש ויתמהו כו’.
“It implies that they sensed they had now achieved the proper completeness in sitting before Joseph, as it is written: ‘And they were astonished…’”
Their astonishment reflected an inner awareness that their spiritual repair had reached a new stage.
וענין האבות הוא תיקון הראשון בלי שום חטא.
“The matter of the Patriarchs is the first phase of rectification, without any sin.”
The Sefat Emet contrasts the pristine, foundational perfection of the Avot.
ותיקון השבטים הוא אחר החטא.
“And the rectification of the Tribes is after sin.”
The shevatim represent a later, more complex rectification emerging after failure.
כמו שהי’ חנוכת המזבח אחר חטא הידוע כמ”ש מזה לעיל.
“Just as the dedication of the altar came after the well‑known sin, as explained earlier.”
Sanctification after sin mirrors the dynamic of the tribes’ spiritual process.
ומצינו שכתבו חז”ל בכ”מ שכ’ יין עושה רושם.
“And we find that our sages wrote in many places that wine leaves an impression.”
Wine is understood to reveal or imprint inner states.
וכאן כתיב וישכרו עמו כו’ ולא מצינו רושם.
“But here it is written ‘and they drank with him,’ yet we find no impression.”
Despite their drinking, no spiritual imprint is recorded; this requires explanation.
והתירוץ הוא הואיל והיה השתי’ שלא בכוונה ובדעת שלימה כי בהכרח שתו.
“And the answer is that since the drinking was not intentional, nor with complete awareness—because they drank out of necessity—”
The lack of deliberate engagement prevented the wine from producing its usual effect.
ואמינא לפי רמז המפרשים טבח והכן הוא חנוכה.
“And I would say, according to the commentators’ hints, that ‘slaughter and prepare’ alludes to Chanukah.”
The Sefat Emet ties the verse to Chanukah through remez.
אף אנו נאמר וישכרו הוא מרומז על פורים.
“So too we may say that ‘and they drank’ alludes to Purim.”
The drinking hints to the spiritual dynamic of Purim.
כי חנוכה ופורים הם נסים האחרונים סמוכין לסוף תיקון הכולל שיהי’ נגמר במהרה בימינו בעת ביאת הגואל.
“For Chanukah and Purim are the final miracles, close to the completion of the universal rectification that will be finished speedily in our days with the coming of the redeemer.”
Both festivals mark the closing movement of history’s tikkun.
ופנימיות אלה הדברים יובנו למשכיל בכוונת חייב לבסומי בפוריא עד דלא ידע כו’.
“And the inner meaning of these matters will be understood by the insightful one through the intention of ‘one must become intoxicated on Purim until he does not know…’”
The Purim command reveals a mystical level of unknowing through which deeper repair unfolds.
Summary: The Sefat Emet reads the brothers’ drinking as signaling a stage of post‑sin rectification, linked symbolically to Chanukah and Purim, festivals representing the final phases of cosmic tikkun.
