Joseph's Message to Jacob

(27) And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them; and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived.

(1) .(פג ALL THE WORDS OF JOSEPH — As evidence that it was Joseph who was sending this message he had informed them of the religious subject he had been studying with his father at the time when he left him, viz., the section of the Heifer (עגלה) that had its neck broken (Deuteronomy 21:6). It is to this that Scripture refers in the words “And he saw (i.e comprehended the meaning of) the עגלות (here to be taken in sense of Heifer) which Joseph had sent — and it does not state “which Pharaoh had sent” (as one would expect if עגלות meant wagons) (Genesis Rabbah 94).

Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan the son of Shaul: Joseph said to them: 'If Yaakov doesn't believe you, tell him the at the time that Joseph left you, were you not learning the laws of the Egla Arufa?! (Devarim 21)" This is what is meant when it says, "And Jacob saw the wagons"

Rashi's explanation is very difficult. For is it customary for Rashi to take a cerse completely out of its context? Rather, one must say that the word agala still means wagons. But when it says that Joseph sent the wagons, it means that Joseph escorted the wagons