Let us learn a posuk with Rashi

After Yosef identifies himself to his brothers, he insists that he does not feel any animosity towards them. Yosef explains that his coming to Egypt was the result of Providence. In his current position, he can save nations from the famine and especially provide for his own people, the families of his father and brothers.

Enthusiastically, Yosef directs his brothers return to Yaakov (45: 9): "Hurry – and go up to my father and say to him…"

The verb "ale—go up" in this context of returning to eretz yisrael attracts our notice. However, at first glance, it cannot be considered extraordinary. Last week's parasha also used the term in a similar context:

"… And as for you, go [ascend] in peace to your father" (44:17). 

At this previous verse (44:17), Rashi makes no comment. Only by our pasuk (45:9), does Rashi choose to tell us that "the land of Israel is the highest of all the lands." The geography here is not in question, but it is not clear why Rashi now felt that he needed to provide this fact. 

On one other occasion in his commentary, Rashi mentions "aliyah-- going up" in a geographic sense. In Devarim (17:8), the verse says: "…you shall rise and go up to the place that Hashem shall choose". 

The reference is to a difficult matter that has to be adjudicated. The judges will go up to the place of the Sanhedrin, the higher court, to receive new information and determine the law. Rashi notes: "this teaches us that the Temple is higher than all other places".

In this case, Rashi follows a Gemara (Kiddushin 69a) which says that the fact that the Temple is the highest place in Yisrael is derived from this verse. However, the Gemara there also says that we learn the fact that the land of Israel is higher than other places from another verse in Yirmiyahu (23:8).

"Days are coming….they shall no more say…..Hashem who brought the children of Yisrael out of Mizrayim…but who brought up….(Hebrew he-ela)…." This verse the Gemara says teaches that the land of Yisrael is the highest in the world.

Rashi in Yirmiyahu does not mention this medrash, but there is no doubt that he was aware of the Gemara in kiddushin. 

It seems odd that Rashi quotes this understanding in our verse for which there is no direct source in chazal and does not quote it in its proper place in Yirmiyahu.

Rashi felt that there must have been a hidden message in what Yosef was sharing with his brothers. Yes, he felt no animosity towards them, and naturally it was for their good that they come to live in Egypt. However, the brothers, convinced that Yosef meant them no harm, and that it was the practical thing to do to come to live in Egypt knew that their father would not give up his dream of living in Yisrael. 

Yaakov had fought with Esau's angel and spent years in the house of Lavan in order to stay in Yisrael. All the former exiles of the Avot were of limited duration and ended in time for to return to Yisrael. Avraham and perhaps even Yizhak also left for brief periods. Yaakov had left for a longer time. However, the suggestion that they all now move to Mizrayim was fraught with danger for the expanded family. How would they maintain the dream of establishing the greater family as a nation in Yisrael?

Yosef reassures the brothers with the word "ale," indicating his priorities have not changed. "I know that Eretz Yisrael is the highest of the lands," is the subtle implication of our verse.

Gut Shabbos
Chaim Brovender