Parashat Miketz tells of the famine that struck the region of Canaan and Egypt, and the enormous stockpiles of grain that Egypt had stored during the previous seven years under Yosef's capable leadership. Peoples from around Egypt were forced to go to Egypt to purchase grain, and Yaakov, too, sent his sons from Canaan to bring grain from Egypt to help the family survive the drought. The Torah writes that Yaakov told his sons, "…redu shama ve-shivru lanu mi-sham" – "Go down to there and purchase for us from there" (42:2).
Rashi, commenting on this verse, notes that Yaakov specifically chose to employ the word redu – "go down" – rather than the more common term lekhu – "go." Citing the Midrash (Bereishit Rabba 91), Rashi claims that the word redu serves as a subtle allusion to the two hundred and ten years that Yaakov's children and later descendants would spend in Egypt, as the numerical value of redu equals two hundred and ten (200+4+6). A prophetic spark within Yaakov prompted him to employ an unusual word that foreshadowed the historical process that began to unfold with his children's visit to Egypt to purchase grain.
Rav Eliyahu Mizrachi, in his work on Rashi's commentary, raises the question of why Rashi found the term redu to be an unusual word. On a number of occasions in Tanakh we find the verb y.r.d. ("descend") used in reference to leaving the Land of Israel, just as the verb a.l.h. ("ascend") denotes moving to Eretz Yisrael. In fact, under very similar circumstances, Avraham leaves Canaan to escape a drought and resides in Egypt, and the Torah describes his relocation with the word va-yered – "descended" (Bereishit 12:10; see also the formulation used in Bereishit 26:2, with regard to Yitzchak). Why, then, did Rashi find it necessary to resort to a Midrashic reading of the word redu?
The Maharal, in his Gur Aryeh, suggests distinguishing between the Biblical narrative and Yaakov's own words. While the narrative indeed speaks of leaving Eretz Yisrael in terms of "descent," Rashi felt that Yaakov would not normally employ this somewhat unrefined terminology, which has a negative, pessimistic association.
This approach appears as well in the lesser-known work Tzofnat Panei'ach by Rav Tzemach Ha'kohen of Jarba (published in Jerusalem, 2004), who cites in this context the Talmud's famous remark, "Al yiftach adam piv le-Satan" ("A person should not open his mouth for the Satan" – Berakhot 19a). It is improper for a person to speak discouragingly of possible misfortunes, and thus we would not have expected Yaakov to describe his sons' journey to Egypt in pessimistic terms. Rashi therefore felt compelled to enlist the Midrashic reading of this word, whereby Yaakov made this comment through some level of prophecy, foreshadowing the exile that was beginning to unfold.
Considering the context in which Yaakov's comment was made could perhaps enhance our understanding of the Maharal's approach. Yaakov and his family faced a grave crisis, and Yaakov, as family leader, bore the responsibility of lifting the family's spirits and offering encouragement and support. As he summoned his children and bid them to purchase grain in Egypt, he presumably did so in an upbeat, positive manner, such as, "Thank goodness, we have the opportunity to purchase large amounts of grain from Egypt; this is a great opportunity – let's take advantage of it!" In this sense, the term redu is indeed out of place. Specifically at a time of anxiety and uncertainty, it would be inappropriate for Yaakov to speak in such negative terms.
We should note, however, that there seems to be a far simpler answer to the question raised by Rav Eliyahu Mizrachi. While it is true that the verb y.r.d. appears elsewhere in reference to leaving Eretz Yisrael, it always refers to relocation, rather than a brief visit. Avraham, for example, left Israel to reside temporarily in Egypt, and the Torah thus describes his relocation with the verb y.r.d.
Yaakov, however, did not ask his sons to reside in Egypt, not even temporarily. He asked rather that they go simply to purchase food and then return to Canaan as quickly as possible to feed the rest of the family. For this reason, it would seem, Rashi was troubled by the term redu, which implies that Yaakov asked his sons to settle in Egypt. Rashi thus explained – based on the Midrash – that Yaakov's words were spoken with a certain degree of prophetic foresight, predicting that his family was, indeed, on its way to residing in Egypt for an extended period.