Parshas Vayeshev 5777

Who Spoke to Joseph in Shechem?

The Torah writes (Genesis 37:14-17):

And he said to him, “Go and see how your brothers are and how the flocks are faring, and bring me back word.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron. When he reached Shechem, a man came upon him wandering in the fields. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?” He answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Could you tell me where they are pasturing?” The man said, “They have gone from here, for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothan.” So Joseph followed his brothers and found them at Dothan.

Rashi (ibid) explains based on a Midrash:

AND A MAN FOUND HIM — This was the angel Gabriel (Genesis Rabbah 84:14) as it is said, (Daniel 10:21) and the man (והאיש) Gabriel” (Midrash Tanchuma 1:4:22).

Sefer Mekasei Atik cites Baalei Tosfos al haTorah that this was the angel Rephoel

However, the Midrash cited by Rashi (Genesis Rabba 84.14) has another opinion:

Rabbi Yannai said - three angels appeared to him as it says "and the men found him", and "he asked the man", and "the man said"

(this is similar to what Rashi writes regarding Hagar earlier by the well)

HaEmek Davar (ibid) implies this was a prophet:

My brothers. And from where would he know who he [Joseph] was and who his brothers were? And furthermore, what is this question "tell me please where they are pasturing"? From where would he know? Rather, [it must be] one of the two these possibilities: Either he was a well-known man to them in his importance, or, he recognized him as an angel or prophet that knew everything to do with his brothers. And in truth, the Torah should have said "and he [Joseph] found a man", for it was Joseph that was wandering alone searching and found the man, not the man whow as walking on his way. Rather, the text comes to teach that the man was a messanger from Heaven, to encounter Joseph and bring him to such, and the man went and found him in that place.

Ibn Ezra (ibid) disagrees:

The simple explanation is that this was a random traveller

Additional notes:

• The Rosh (ibid) discusses why Jacob send Joseph to the brothers if he knew that they hated him, and answers that it wasn't for sure that they would harm him but being in a dangerous place like Shechem was more of a concern
• Some commentators explains that the field they went to was the field Jacob bought from Chamor, others (Rosh) say it was a random field