Yosef and the Mask

42:8- וַיַּכֵּר יוֹסֵף, אֶת-אֶחָיו; וְהֵם, לֹא הִכִּרֻהוּ

The big difficulty here is the fact that none of the brothers recognized Joseph. Rashi, quoting our sages, comments that he had left them without a beard, but many of the commentators find this insufficient. While many suggestions have been offered, all seem to fall a little bit short, because there were ten of them, and could not even one of them discerned the truth?

Perhaps Joseph was wearing a mask, something the Egyptian Pharaohs were known to have worn. While Joseph was only the Prime Minister to the monarch, he may have worn one also. A bit fanciful, perhaps, but nevertheless a possibility.


The Ramban's words are: "...U'k'she'ba Yosef B'Mirkeves Hamishneh, V'Al Panav Hamitznefes K'Derech Malchei Mitzrayim, lo haya nikar l'echav v'gam echav lo hikiruhu..."

I thought mitznefes meant Hat. But I can see how it would mean mask in this context.

Another proof for this suggestion is that immediately after the revelation, the verse says “ the brothers could not speak, because they wers astonished at his face”. ( nivhalo miponov). It suggest that only now they saw his face.

Hat Tip to David Farkas