Parshat Vayigash 5770 -Plan Interrupted

Parshat Vayigash 5770

Rabbi Ari Kahn

Plan Interrupted

Ever since the sale of Yosef, the tension has been building. As the preceding chapters detail Yosef's astounding, meteoric transformation from imprisoned slave to regal viceroy, through the scene in which Yosef and his brothers meet, we know there will have to be a resolution. The “game” of Yosef’s hiding will come to end and he will reveal his identity. What we are less sure of is the atmosphere that will prevail: As we inch toward the moment of resolution, the tension is heightened as we wonder whether Yosef will reveal himself in vengeance, in anger, in violence – or if there will finally be reconciliation. As we reach the crescendo, at the moment the narrative reaches its climax, the verses seem to tell us that the end of the story is somewhat premature.

ספר בראשית פרק מה, א

וְלֹא יָכֹל יוֹסֵף לְהִתְאַפֵּק לְכֹל הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו וַיִּקְרָא הוֹצִיאוּ כָל אִישׁ מֵעָלָי וְלֹא עָמַד אִישׁ אִתּוֹ בְּהִתְוַדַּע יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו:

Then Yosef could not contain himself before all those who stood by him; and he cried, "Cause every man to go out from me." And there stood no man with him, while Yosef made himself known to his brothers. Bereishit 45:1

Yosef, we are told, could contain himself no longer. By implication, we understand that in fact Yosef wanted to continue the charade. He was not completely ready to reveal his identity to his brothers at this point, but was "forced" to do so. What caused Yosef to show himself at this juncture, and what was it that made him want to wait? What did Yosef hope to accomplish by his actions, and what was it that he felt still remained unaccomplished?

Can we say that perhaps Yosef had no master plan, that he was caught up in the charade and did not know how or when to end it? This seems highly uncharacteristic: Yosef is nothing if not a planner. After hearing no more than two of Paroh's dreams, Yosef created a business plan which would dictate the course of the Egyptian economy for the better part of the next two decades. It seems equally clear that in his dealings with his brothers, Yosef had a very carefully constructed plan, and his behavior was very calculated. All of his words and actions, from the moment his brothers appeared in Egypt, seem to be tactics in the greater strategy. Every step leading up to this moment seems as carefully considered as the moves of a chess grandmaster. While the brothers are unaware that there is a match being played, Yosef seems to have plotted his course many steps in advance. The brothers plod along, oblivious to the fact that they are being watched and tested. What is it that Yosef hopes to accomplish?

We know, then, that Yosef was unable to continue his well-conceived and well-executed plan, but we do not know the goal of his plan, nor what brought Yosef to abruptly abandon it. What caused Yosef to reveal himself to his brothers when he did? What caused Yosef to break down?

This is not the first time Yosef breaks down. Along the way Yosef pauses to regain his composure a number of times in the narrative: first, when the brothers connect their present dilemma with their guilt in selling Yosef, their admission brings tears to Yosef's eyes:

ספר בראשית פרק מב

 (כא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים אֲנַחְנוּ עַל אָחִינוּ אֲשֶׁר רָאִינוּ צָרַת נַפְשׁוֹ בְּהִתְחַנֲנוֹ אֵלֵינוּ וְלֹא שָׁמָעְנוּ עַל כֵּן בָּאָה אֵלֵינוּ הַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת: (כב) וַיַּעַן רְאוּבֵן אֹתָם לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם לֵאמֹר אַל תֶּחֶטְאוּ בַיֶּלֶד וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וְגַם דָּמוֹ הִנֵּה נִדְרָשׁ: (כג) וְהֵם לֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ יוֹסֵף כִּי הַמֵּלִיץ בֵּינֹתָם: (כד) וַיִּסֹּב מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיֵּבְךְּ וַיָּשָׁב אֲלֵהֶם וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם וַיִּקַּח מֵאִתָּם אֶת שִׁמְעוֹן וַיֶּאֱסֹר אֹתוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם:

And they said one to another, 'We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.' And Reuven answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the child'; and you would not hear? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required." And they knew not that Yosef understood them; for he spoke to them by an interpreter. And he turned himself away from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and talked with them, and took from them Shimon, and bound him before their eyes. Bereishit 42:21-24

At a later juncture, Yosef again needs to regain composure:

ספר בראשית פרק מג,ל

וַיְמַהֵר יוֹסֵף כִּי נִכְמְרוּ רַחֲמָיו אֶל אָחִיו וַיְבַקֵּשׁ לִבְכּוֹת וַיָּבֹא הַחַדְרָה וַיֵּבְךְּ שָׁמָּה:  (לא) וַיִּרְחַץ פָּנָיו וַיֵּצֵא וַיִּתְאַפַּק וַיֹּאמֶר שִׂימוּ לָחֶם:

And Yosef made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother; and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. And he washed his face, and went out, and controlled himself, and said, Set on bread. Bereishit 43:3-,31

On more than one occasion, Yosef proceeds despite feelings of compassion, despite almost being overwhelmed by his brothers’ vulnerability.

Returning to the verse, we should note that additional information is supplied: The text does not simply state that Yosef could not control or contain himself, but that he could not contain himself “before all those who stood by him.” What does this additional clause mean? To whom does it refer, and what did these "significant others" have to do with Yosef's discomfort? Perhaps, as Rashi suggests, Yosef could no longer bear his brothers' humiliation, and he ordered all of the attending members of court to leave the room.[1] Perhaps, as the Rambam suggests, Yosef's motives were less compassionate: He wanted to keep the story of their treachery quiet, either out of concern for their reputation – or for fear of how their shared history might reflect upon him.[2] Yet the very next verse seems to contradict these suggestions, for in what seems to be an outburst of emotion Yosef cried out, and his cries were heard by all of Egypt.

ספר בראשית פרק מה, ב

וַיִּתֵּן אֶת קֹלוֹ בִּבְכִי וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם וַיִּשְׁמַע בֵּית פַּרְעֹה:

And he wept aloud; and the Egyptians and the house of Paroh heard. Bereishit 45:2

Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk offers an explanation that is both simple and chilling: Yosef had one only thing in mind; he pursued one goal, and that is why he overcame his compassion time after time. His ultimate goal was to bring about the fruition of the dreams of which he spoke to his brothers and his father. This would require that his father be brought before him to pay obeisance to the viceroy of Egypt.[3] This approach paints Yosef as remarkably self-serving, claiming that Yosef was motivated by a single-minded, self- centered desire to bring about the fulfillment of his own dreams.

This approach is not alone in ascribing Yosef's behavior to his dreams: When the brothers admit their guilt, Yosef hides his tears, regains his composure, and throws Shimon into prison. The Ramban reasons that had Yosef been hoping to extract from his brothers an admission of guilt, this should have been the time to end the charade: The brothers' veneer of self-righteousness had been shattered. Clearly, Yosef was seeking something more: The Ramban explains that Yosef’s goal was to make the dreams come true.[4] At the point Shimon is seized and incarcerated, Yosef's first dream had been realized nearly completely; ten of his eleven brothers had bowed to him, and only Binyamin was missing. Yosef sets out to bring Binyamin to Egypt in order to complete his first dream. After Binyamin is brought before him, Yosef sets out to fulfill the second dream, in which Yaakov plays a part. The master plan is tailored to the fulfillment of these dreams, and this is what lies at the bottom of Yosef's "failure" to contact his father throughout the years that had elapsed: Had the brothers or Yaakov known that he was alive, had they known the true identity of the viceroy of Egypt before whom they stood, they would not have bowed to him, nor would Yosef's dreams have come true.[5]

Other commentaries are not comfortable with this approach and take issue with the Ramban. [6] Still others examine the narrative from the perspective of the brothers: How did they read the situation? What did they understand, what motivation did they ascribe to the Prince of Egypt who had suddenly turned their lives upside down? As Yosef manipulates them, step after step, forcing them in a particular direction, do the brothers discern any master plan? As the verses clearly tell us, they feel guilt, and seem to sense that this turn of events is the start of their well-deserved punishment for the way they treated Yosef.[7] Do they have any other thoughts about the Egyptian viceroy other than the understanding that he is the vehicle chosen by Heaven to mete out their punishment?

Yosef is very difficult for them to read. On the one hand, he represents the Egyptian Empire and all it stands for. On the other hand, his words to them speak of God, and of justice – concepts foreign, if not anathema, to an Egyptian mind:

בראשית פרק מב

(יח) וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי זֹאת עֲשׂוּ וִחְיוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲנִי יָרֵא:

And Yosef said to them the third day, 'This do, and live; for I fear God.' Bereishit 42:18

בראשית פרק מג

(כג) וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁלוֹם לָכֶם אַל תִּירָאוּ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבִיכֶם נָתַן לָכֶם מַטְמוֹן בְּאַמְתְּחֹתֵיכֶם כַּסְפְּכֶם בָּא אֵלָי וַיּוֹצֵא אֲלֵהֶם אֶת שִׁמְעוֹן:

And he said, 'Peace be to you, fear not; your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.' And he brought Shimon out to them. Bereishit 43:23

בראשית פרק מג

(כט) וַיִּשָּׂא עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת בִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו בֶּן אִמּוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר הֲזֶה אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן אֲשֶׁר אֲמַרְתֶּם אֵלָי וַיֹּאמַר אֱלֹהִים יָחְנְךָ בְּנִי:

And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Binyamin, his mother’s son, and said, 'Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke to me?' And he said, 'God be gracious to you, my son.' Bereishit 43: 29.

בראשית פרק מד, יז

וַיֹּאמֶר חָלִילָה לִּי מֵעֲשׂוֹת זֹאת הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּיָדוֹ הוּא יִהְיֶה לִּי עָבֶד וְאַתֶּם עֲלוּ לְשָׁלוֹם אֶל אֲבִיכֶם:

And he said, 'God forbid that I should do so; but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, go up in peace to your father.' Bereishit 44: 17.

Despite Yosef's repeated references to God, and his invocation of a system of justice that is familiar to them, the brothers seem to interpret Yosef's actions in a completely opposite direction, a far more sordid direction. According to the Midrash, the brothers suspect that this despot has designs on Binyamin. Presumably, Benyamin was very handsome, as the text attests regarding his mother and brother. The brothers are suspicious that Yosef manipulated them to bring their younger brother to Egypt, and, once there, Yosef had the damning evidence planted in Binyamin's pouch in order to take him as his personal slave:

מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה צג פסקה ו

כי כמוך כפרעה מה פרעה גוזר ואינו מקיים אף את גוזר ואינך מקיים מה פרעה להוט אחר הזכרים אף אתה כן...

“Just as Pharaoh decrees [promises] and does not fulfill his decree, so do you decree and not fulfill. As Pharaoh lusts for males, so do you.” Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 93:6

מדרש תנחומא ויגש פרק ה

ד"א ויגש אליו יהודה שנגש בתוכחות בי אדוני אל תעבור עלינו מדת הדין ידבר נא עבדך דבר באזני אדוני ראוי היה לומר לפני אדוני אלא מלמד שהיה מדבר אחת קשה ואחת רכה כי כמוך כפרעה כשם שפרעה רבך אוהב נשים ומחמדן כך אתה ראית לבנימן שהוא יפה תואר ואתה מחמדו להיות לך לעבד

"Yehuda approached him": he approached with rebuke '…You are like Paroh: just as he likes women and lusts after them, likewise when you saw Binyamin and how handsome he is, you lusted after him, and [plotted] to make him your slave.' Midrash Tanchuma Vayigash chapter 5

Yosef’s behavior was suspicious: If, indeed, he wanted a slave, any of the older brothers would have been a better choice than the younger, weaker Binyamin. The brothers were convinced that it was Binyamin’s beauty that had attracted Yosef. This is not a new theme regarding Egyptian aristocracy: The Targum (Pseudo) Yonatan accuses Potifar of having homosexual designs on Yosef, a fact which exacerbated his wife’s forlorn state.[8] Egypt was a hotbed of immorality,[9] and infamous for homosexuality and pedophilia.

The brothers' suspicion that Yosef’s intentions were less than honorable should come as no surprise; they do not entertain even the faintest notion, even in their wildest dreams, that this inscrutable, immoral monarch is actually their long-lost brother, a man who was not only sold, but was physically excised, cut out of the family. They do not dream that this man is Yosef, and that he has remained chaste – even at the price of being imprisoned.  They do not see a Yosef HaTzaddik, nor do they see Yosef, grown to manhood and power. They see a lustful, powerful pervert. The only master plan they perceived was one engineered to satisfy Zafnat Paneach's (Yosef’s Egyptian name) sexual appetite.

As readers of the text, the brothers' perspective is not helpful, for we know Yosef's identity - both his familial and personal history, and his moral fiber. What we still do not know is - what was Yosef thinking? His words, and the fact that he aborts his plan, indicate that his motives were not self-serving. He seems to be after more than the satisfaction of bringing his personal dreams to fruition at his family's expense.  Yosef's words and actions are no more and no less than educational tools. Yosef is not seeking revenge, nor is he seeking vindication. Everything he says to his brothers and everything he does from the moment they stand before him is geared toward bringing the brothers to recognize him, to see him – and, as a result, to see his dreams – for what they really are. It is toward that end that Yosef pushes them, but they do not seem to understand. They don’t understand that it is Yosef that he wants them to seek; they don’t understand that it is Yosef he wants them to accept; they don’t understand that it is Yosef who is in the room with them.

The brothers’ failure to recognize Yosef is more than ironic, more than a personal insult, more than tragic. The fact is that everyone else who came into contact with Yosef throughout his life, including Potifar and his wife, the chief baker and the chief wine steward, the chief officer of Paroh’s prison, and Paroh himself, immediately saw Yosef’s greatness. Yosef rose to the top in every situation – save one: Only his brothers could not or would not recognize his leadership qualities, his innate talent, his God-given gifts. This is the essence of sinat hinam, the quintessential example of baseless hatred: The brothers’ hatred blinded them to Yosef’s greatness. Even when Yosef stands before them, having overcome every possible obstacle in his personal rise to power, even when he practically begs them to open their eyes and see the man behind robes of royalty, they refuse to see. They seem to prefer their jealousy and hatred over acceptance of Yosef as their rightful leader.

It is in this context that many Midrashim interpret the exchange between Yosef and Yehuda:

מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה צג פסקה ח

אדוני שאל את עבדיו וגו' אמר לו מתחלה באת עלינו בעלילה כמה מדינות ירדו למצרים לשבר אוכל ולא שאלת אחד מהם שמא בתך באנו ליקח או אתה סבור לישא את אחותנו אף על פי כן לא כסינו ממך אמר לו אני רואה בך שפטיט אתה יש באחיך פטיט כמותך אמר לו כל זאת שאתה רואה אני ערבתי אותו א"ל מפני מה לא עשית כן את אחיך כשמכרת אותו לישמעאלים בעשרים כסף וציערת את אביך הזקן ואמרת לו (בראשית לז) טרוף טורף יוסף כיון ששמע יהודה כך צעק ובכה בקול גדול אמר כי איך אעלה אל אבי אמר יהודה לנפתלי לך וראה כמה שווקים במצרים קפץ וחזר אמר לו שנים עשר אמר יהודה לאחיו אני אחריב מהם שלשה וטלו כל אחד ואחד אחד אחד ולא נשאיר בהם איש אמרו לו אחיו יהודה מצרים אינה כשכם אם אתה מחריב את מצרים תחריב את כל העולם באותה שעה ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק כיון שראה יוסף שהסכימה דעתם להחריב את מצרים אמר יוסף בלבו מוטב שאתודע להם ואל יחריבו את מצרים אמר להם יוסף לא כך אמרתם שאחיו של זה מת אני אקראנו ויבא אצלכם והיה קורא יוסף בן יעקב בוא אצלי יוסף בן יעקב בוא אצלי והיו מסתכלין בארבע פינות הבית אמר להם מה אתם רואים אני יוסף אחיכם מיד פרחה נשמתן שנאמר ולא יכלו אחיו וגו' ולא האמינו לו עד שפרע עצמו והראה להם המילה:

Another interpretation of "My lord asked": Yehuda said to him: 'Behold the proof that you came with a pretext against us. How many countries came down to buy food! Did you ask them questions as you asked us? Did we want to marry your daughter, or did you ask to marry our sister? Nevertheless, we hid nothing from you.' 'Why so?' 'Because I have become surety for him,' he replied. 'Why didn’t you act in that fashion when you sold your brother to the Yishmaelim for twenty pieces of silver and caused your elderly father pain when you said “Yosef is torn to pieces”?' When Yehuda heard this he cried and screamed with a great voice and said 'How can I go back to my father?' Yehuda said to Naftali, 'Go and see how many market places there are in Egypt.' He said, 'Twelve.' Yehuda said, 'I will destroy three, the rest of you destroy one each.' They said, 'Egypt is not like Shechem; if you destroy Egypt you will destroy the entire world.'

When Yosef saw that they had all agreed to destroy Egypt he said, 'It is better that I reveal myself than Egypt be destroyed.' Yosef then asked, 'Where is your brother whom you said to be dead?' He demanded; 'Where is he? Is it certain that he is dead?' 'Yes,' they replied. 'Why do you speak falsely?', he upbraided them. ‘Did you not sell him to me, and I bought him from your hands? I will call him and he will answer me. Yosef the son of Yaakov, Yosef the son of Yaakov!', he cried out, while they looked in the four corners of the house. ‘What do you see? said he. 'I am Yosef your brother' (ib. 45, 4), but they did not believe him until he uncovered himself and showed that he was circumcised. Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 93:8

The Midrash tells us why Yosef abandoned his plan: When he sees the benevolent, protective behavior directed toward Benyamin, he pushes them. He forces them to think about their behavior in his own case. At that point Yehuda threatens to destroy all of Egypt, and Yosef concludes that he must abort his plan. He tells them that Yosef is in the room, the final clue in his game plan to open their eyes to his identity. Tragically, the brothers are willing to look everywhere else, anywhere else, rather than look their brother in the eye and see him for who he truly is.

Another Midrash questions Yosef's wisdom in asking all others to leave the room, leaving him unprotected.[10] These are, after all, dangerous men; the massacre of Shechem would attest to their violent tendencies (which make Yosef's "proof" – his circumcision - all the more interesting). Yet Yosef seems to sense – correctly - that the brothers have indeed changed. He knows that he can render them speechless, and he does.

Why does Yehuda's threat to destroy Egypt shake Yosef's resolve and cause him to change his plan? Why was it so important to him to save Egypt from his brothers' anger? Was he afraid that he would be out of a job? Perhaps he knows that the survival of Egypt and the storehouses of grain is the only thing that can save the entire region. There may, however, be something else on his mind, something that is discussed by commentaries seeking a more plausible, more far-reaching understanding of Yosef's behavior and motives:  Yosef knows that the vision of Avraham, which includes exile and slavery, will lead the Children of Israel to Egypt. It is for this reason that he cannot allow his brothers to destroy Egypt. Yosef's behavior, then, may be attributed to a heightened sense of responsibility for the future.

Yosef was, from a very early stage in his life, able to understand the future through dreams. He understood that the dreams of his youth were a window to the future – not only his own personal fate, but the future of his family and of the entire Jewish People.[11] He understood the other dreams that he came across later in life in similar fashion. Because of this insight, Yosef was uniquely sensitive to the ramifications of the terrible sin the brothers had committed by selling him – ramifications that extended and reverberated throughout Jewish history for millennia:[12] With the sale of Yosef, sinat chinam was unleashed and the Jewish People has never quite managed to correct this schism.[13]

The sale of Yosef, then, was seen by Yosef on a different plane than it was by the brothers. Yosef saw the sale in terms of Jewish history, and it is on these terms that he attempts to console his brothers when he finally reveals himself to them. From the brothers' perspective, the crime itself, an act of perfidy committed against an individual, was only the superficial level of the sale. Even on this level there is another aspect to the sale. The brothers' underlying attitude is unmasked when they sell him: Yosef is not part of the family. It is surely no coincidence that Yosef is sold to “Yishmaelim” and perhaps Midianites; both of these tribes are descendents of sons of Avraham who had been rejected, dispossessed from the Covenant. In some warped way, the brothers, for their part, may have seen this as Divine Providence.

When the brothers are first maligned by Yosef and arrested they respond with remorse:

בראשית פרק מב, יז-כג

וַיֶּאֱסֹף אֹתָם אֶל מִשְׁמָר שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי זֹאת עֲשׂוּ וִחְיוּ אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲנִי יָרֵא: אִם כֵּנִים אַתֶּם אֲחִיכֶם אֶחָד יֵאָסֵר בְּבֵית מִשְׁמַרְכֶם וְאַתֶּם לְכוּ הָבִיאוּ שֶׁבֶר רַעֲבוֹן בָּתֵּיכֶם: וְאֶת אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן תָּבִיאוּ אֵלַי וְיֵאָמְנוּ דִבְרֵיכֶם וְלֹא תָמוּתוּ וַיַּעֲשׂוּ כֵן:  וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל אָחִיו אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים אֲנַחְנוּ עַל אָחִינוּ אֲשֶׁר רָאִינוּ צָרַת נַפְשׁוֹ בְּהִתְחַנְנוֹ אֵלֵינוּ וְלֹא שָׁמָעְנוּ עַל כֵּן בָּאָה אֵלֵינוּ הַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת:  וַיַּעַן רְאוּבֵן אֹתָם לֵאמֹר הֲלוֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם לֵאמֹר אַל תֶּחֶטְאוּ בַיֶּלֶד וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם וְגַם דָּמוֹ הִנֵּה נִדְרָשׁ: וְהֵם לֹא יָדְעוּ כִּי שֹׁמֵעַ יוֹסֵף כִּי הַמֵּלִיץ בֵּינֹתָם: וַיִּסֹּב מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיֵּבְךְּ וַיָּשָׁב אֲלֵהֶם וַיְדַבֵּר אֲלֵהֶם וַיִּקַּח מֵאִתָּם אֶת שִׁמְעוֹן וַיֶּאֱסֹר אֹתוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם:

And he put them all together under guard for three days. And Yosef said to them the third day, 'This do, and live; (for) I fear God. If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in the house of your prison; you go, carry grain for the famine of your houses. But bring your youngest brother to me; so shall your words be verified, and you shall not die.' And they did so. And they said one to another, 'We are truly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.' And Reuven answered them, saying, 'Did I not speak to you, saying, "Do not sin against the child"; and you would not hear? Therefore, behold, also his blood is required.' And they knew not that Yosef understood them; for he spoke to them by an interpreter. And he turned himself away from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and talked with them, and took from them Shimon, and bound him before their eyes. Bereishit 42:17-24

As we have already seen, Yosef invoked God, and broke down in tears. He needed to regain his composure. The brothers admit their guilt, coming to realize their personal responsibility for the atrocity they committed against their younger brother. But this did not satisfy Yosef. He sought to correct a deeper stratum, a more profound aspect of the sin. Whereas the brothers had begun to see their guilt on a personal level, they had not yet come to understand the sin in national terms. They had "gotten rid of" their annoying brother, and they now regretted it. But they did not yet understand that they had disrupted the foundations of the Jewish People, of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Yosef's goal was to bring them to this level of understanding, and his purpose was two-fold: Not only did Yosef aim to solidify the foundations of the unity of the nation, he hoped to expedite the realization of God's Covenant with Avraham.

We may say that Yosef did, indeed, engineer the master plan in order to bring about the fulfillment of his dreams. However, the level at which this is true is not the level of personal satisfaction or vindication: Yosef understood his dreams as visions of the future of the entire nation. He saw his dreams as the continuation of Avraham's vision[14], and of the Covenant with God. Yosef hoped that through his enslavement, the slavery and exile foretold in the Covenant with Avraham had begun, but he knew that this could only be so if his own personal suffering was understood by his brothers as their own. Yosef's goal was to open their eyes to the larger picture, to make them aware that they all were a part of something much greater than themselves. If they had been able to identify with Yosef's suffering, if they had made his suffering their own, this would have been the start of the realization of God's words to Avraham. If they did not, they would suffer – and only when they managed to become united in their suffering would the process of redemption begin.[15]

Yosef understood that only when the brothers accepted him as part of the family could the rift be truly healed. Only if the brothers accepted and embraced him, only when they understand his suffering as their own, could the course of Jewish history continue to its culmination. Only when the brothers see Yosef's suffering and imprisonment as their own can the years he, and later, they, spent in Egypt be considered part of the fulfillment of the promises made to Avraham. And so, he continues to hide his identity, engineering the arrival of the entire family in Egypt – engineering the beginning of the fruition of Avraham's vision. Each time he sends his brothers away, he sends them with “great wealth”; will they recognize the reference? If so, they will have begun to see themselves as agents of Jewish history, and they will be able to rise above their petty jealousies. But if they cannot recognize him, if they cannot read the signs and move to a higher level of understanding, Yosef is to remain estranged from the brothers, outside of the family. They may regret what they did to their brother – as they apparently do – but if they do not feel it, identify with it, take responsibility for it, then Yosef alone has taken responsibility for the future of the Jewish People, and his suffering remains his own. The years of his incarceration and isolation will have been for naught, and the Children of Israel will have to endure their own taste of slavery. If the brothers reject Yosef, then his slavery is irrelevant, and will need to be repeated; if they accept him, Yosef's personal slavery will be counted toward the national slavery which would soon follow.

As the Midrash (and the verses, less explicitly) indicate, Yosef fails: the brothers cannot recognize him. In their narrative, he is gone – dead, part of their past but not part of their future. His slavery is not the beginning of their slavery; it remains an independent, tragic chapter in Jewish history, whose reverberations are still felt today, every time one Jew mistreats another. Conversely, when we feel mutual responsibility, when we take care of one another, we imbue all of Jewish history, all Jewish suffering, with meaning and purpose, and we bring the redemption[16] that much closer.[17]

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[1] Rashi Bereishit 45:1

רש"י על בראשית פרק מה פסוק א

ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק לכל הנצבים - לא היה יכול לסבול שיהיו מצרים נצבים עליו ושומעין שאחיו מתביישין בהודעו להם:

[2] Ramban Bereishit 45:1

רמב"ן על בראשית פרק מה פסוק א

וטעם בהוצאה, שהוציאם משם כדי שלא ישמעו בהזכירו להם המכירה, כי תהיה להם (לחרפה) וגם אליו למכשול, שיאמרו עבדי פרעה ומצרים עליהם, אלו אנשי בוגדות, לא יגורו בארצנו ולא ידרכו בארמנותינו, בגדו באחיהם, גם באביהם בגדו, מה יעשו במלך ובעמו, וגם ביוסף לא יאמינו עוד:

[3] Meshech Chochma Bereishit 45:1

משך חכמה על בראשית פרק מה פסוק א

ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק לכל הנצבים - ר"ל כי רצה להתאפק ולהביא את יעקב לקיים השמש והירח כו' משתחווים לי, ולא היה לו לרחם עליהם כאשר לא שמעו בהתחננו אליהם. אך שלא היה נאות לפני האנשים הנצבים שלא ידעו כל המאורע והיה נראה כאכזר וכלב בליעל בלתי חונן ולא היה יכול להתאפק בסיבת כל הנצבים עליו.

[4] Ramban Bereishit 42:9

רמב"ן על בראשית פרק מב פסוק ט

ויזכר יוסף את החלומות אשר חלם להם עליהם, וידע שנתקיימו שהרי השתחוו לו, לשון רש"י ולפי דעתי שהדבר בהפך, כי יאמר הכתוב כי בראות יוסף את אחיו משתחוים לו זכר כל החלומות אשר חלם להם וידע שלא נתקיים אחד מהם בפעם הזאת, כי יודע בפתרונם כי כל אחיו ישתחוו לו בתחילה מן החלום הראשון, והנה אנחנו מאלמים אלומים, כי "אנחנו" ירמוז לכל אחיו אחד עשר, ופעם שנית ישתחוו לו השמש והירח ואחד עשר כוכבים מן החלום השני, וכיון שלא ראה בנימן עמהם חשב זאת התחבולה שיעליל עליהם כדי שיביאו גם בנימין אחיו אליו לקיים החלום הראשון תחילה:

[5] The Rosh raises the same question as the Ramban, but states that all the brothers took a vow not to reveal anything about the sale of Yosef; Yosef also felt bound by this vow.

פירוש הרא"ש על בראשית פרק מה פסוק א

ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק. תימא יש - איך המתין כל כך יוסף להודיע לאביו שהיה שרוי בצער גדול כי הוא חי. ויש לומר בשעת החרם שתפו את יוסף עמהם שלא לגלות הדבר ואף כי היה מוכרח כיון שלא מיחה בם היה נכלל עמהם ולפיכך המתין עד שבאו כולם והתירו את החרם בהסכמת כולם דכל דבר שבמנין צריך מנין אחר להתירו. ומכאן ראייה שכל אדם שיושב בבית הכנסת ויש בדעתו להוציא עצמו מתקנת הקהל ומהחרם צריך שיוציא בשפתיו שכל דברים שבלב אינם דברים שאל"כ יהיה נאסר בכללם בחרם:

[6] I have explored this theme in greater detail in my book Explorations.

[7] The theme of their guilt was explored in last year's essay on Parshat Vayigash, “Of Spies and Thieves,”. See http://arikahn.blogspot.com/2008/12/parshat-miketz-5769.html

[8] Targum (Pseudo) Yonatan Bereishit 39:1.

כתר יונתן בראשית פרק לט פסוק א

(א) ויוסף הורד למִצרים ויקנהו פוטיפר על שראהו יפה בעבור לעשות עִמו משכב זכר ומיד נגזר עליו והִתייבשׁו אשכיו ונִסתרס והוא שרו של פרעה שר ההורגים איש מִצרי, בהתחיבות מהערבים שהורידוהו לשם:

[9] From Pharo’s taking of Sarah, to the proposition of Yosef by Mrs. Potifar, we see a pattern of immorality, later in the Torah the section of illicit sexual sins is introduces with the general law to avoid the “practices of the Land of Egypt”, Vayikra 18:3.

ויקרא פרק יח פסוק ג

כְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁבְתֶּם בָּהּ לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וּכְמַעֲשֵׂה אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי מֵבִיא אֶתְכֶם שָׁמָּה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶם לֹא תֵלֵכוּ:

[10] See Midrash Rabbah Bereishit 93:9

מדרש רבה בראשית פרשה צג פסקה ט

א"ר חייא בר אבא כל הדברים שאת קורא שדיבר יהודה ליוסף בפני אחיו עד שאת מגיע ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק היה בהם פיוס ליוסף ופיוס לאחיו ופיוס לבנימין פיוס ליוסף לומר ראו היך הוא נותן נפשו על בניה של רחל פיוס לאחיו לומר ראו היאך הוא נותן נפשו על אחיו פיוס לבנימין אמר לו כשם שנתתי נפשי עליך כך אני נותן נפשי על אחיך ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק וגו' רבי חמא בר חנינא אמר לא עשה יוסף כשורה שאלו בעטו בו אחד מהם מיד היה מת רבי שמואל בר נחמן אמר כהוגן וכשורה עשה יודע היה צדקן של אחיו אמר ח"ו אין אחי חשודים על שפיכות דמים:

THEN JOSEPH COULD NOT REFRAIN HIMSELF... AND HE CRIED: CAUSE EVERY MAN TO GO OUT FROM ME (XLV, 1). R. Hama b. R. Hanina and R. Samuel b. Nahmani discussed this. R. Hama b. R. Hanina said: Joseph did not act prudently, for had one of them kicked him, he would have died on the spot. R. Samuel b. Nahmani said: He acted rightly and prudently. He knew the righteousness of his brethren and reasoned: Heaven forfend! My brothers are not to be suspected of bloodshed.

[11] See my essay on Parshat Miketz 5770 at http://arikahn.blogspot.com/2009/12/parshat-miketz-5770-dreams.html

[12] There are those who connect the terrible sinat chinam (“groundless hatred”) which is enumerated as the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple, with the sale of Yosef. See Rav Simcha Bunim MiPishischa in his Arugat Habosem Parshat Miketz

ספר ערוגות הבושם – פרשת מקץ

טו. איתא בשפת אמת ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק, שיוסף היה צריך להתאפק ועל ידי זה היתה טובה לדורות, אולם הוא לא יכל להתאפק ולכן כתיב ויפול על צוארי בנימין אחיו ויבך, ואיתא בגמרא שבכה על שני מקדשים שעתידין ליחרב, ואיתא ב'קול שמחה' שמה שהיה רצון יוסף כל כך שירד בנימין אליו, הוא לפי שרצה לעשות יחוד השבטים לכן צווה להביא את בנימין שיהיה בזה יחוד יוסף הצדיק עילאה עם בנימין הצדיק תתאה כדאיתא בזוה"ק, זה הוא הענין שבכה על צואריו כי בית המקדש נקרא צואר המחבר עליונים ותחתונים וזה ענין יחודא תתאה. (אמרי אמת גור, ויגש תרצ"ו):

[13] Other traditions connect the sale of Yosef with the tragic and gruesome deaths of the Ten Martyrs. The version of the Midrash preserved in the Yom Kippur liturgy makes this connection. See Shem MiShmuel Parshat Vayigash 5674.

ספר שם משמואל פרשת ויגש - שנת תרע"ד

ואפשר עוד דהא כתיב ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק ומשמע דאם הי' יכול הי' עוד מתאפק, ולמה. וכבר דברנו בזה. ויש לומר עוד, דהנה איתא בזוה"ק דעשרה הרוגי מלכות היו גלגול השבטים ונידונו במיתה על חטא מכירת יוסף. ולכאורה הלא אין לך דבר שעומד בפני התשובה ומיתה ממרקת ולמה הי' עליהם עוד דין אחרי שעברו יותר מאלף וחמש מאות שנה. ..., אבל יהודה הי' דוחק את השעה, ולא הי' יכול יוסף עוד להתאפק עד שיתמרק החטא לגמרי עד התכלית, כי עדיין היתה התקוה נשקפת להם שיהודה בתחנוניו וטענתו ירכך את לבו, ולעומתו נשאר עוד רושם מהחטא שלא היתה התשובה עד התכלית ונשאר עוד שמץ מנהו שהיו צריכין לבוא בגלגול הרוגי מלכות:

... כי אותה הי' מבקש לראות שימסור נפשו על בנימין אחיו, כבמדרש כל הדברים שאתה קורא מויגש עד ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק היו פיוס ליוסף ולבנימין וכו'. אך לפי דרכנו יובן, דהנה כ"ק אבי אדומו"ר זצללה"ה הגיד הטעם מה שנתאחר כ"כ הקטרוג על ענין מכירת יוסף עד אחר חורבז בית שני, כי לפי השקפה חיצונית הי' יוסף נוטל נקמה מאחיו במה שציער אותם כ"כ, ואם הי' בעצמו נוטל נקמה מהם שוב לא הי' עליהם דין שמים, אבל באמת ח"ו לא כיוון יוסף לנקמה, אדרבה הכל הי' מחמת חמלתו עליהם שלא יהיו ענושין מחמת החטא בזה ובבא, ע"כ רצה שיתמרק החטא, וא"כ לפי האמת לא לקח יוסף נקמה מהם ועדיין נשאר הקטרוג, אך החיצונים אינם יודעין תעלומות לב, ולא ידעו שלא לקח נקמה מהם, ע"כ לא ידעו לקטרג, אך אחר חורבן בית שני שאיתא בזוה"ק שאז נמסרו רזי תורה לחיצונים, נתודעו מסוד זה, ע"כ אז הי' הקטרוג, ודפח"ח.

[14] See http://arikahn.blogspot.com/2009/12/parshat-miketz-5770-dreams.html

[15] The Ramban may be hinting at this. See Ramban 42:9, toward the end of the Ramban’s comments.

רמב"ן על בראשית פרק מב פסוק ט

אבל היה רואה כי השתחויית אחיו לו וגם אביו וכל זרעו אתו, אי אפשר להיות בארצם, והיה מקוה להיותו שם במצרים בראותו הצלחתו הגדולה שם, וכל שכן אחרי ששמע חלום פרעה שנתברר לו כי יבאו כלם שמה ויתקיימו כל חלומותיו:

 ויאמר אליהם מרגלים אתם - העלילה הזאת יצטרך להיות בה טעם או אמתלא, כי מה עשו להיות אומר להם ככה, וכל הארץ באו אליו, והם בתוך הבאים, כמו שאמר לשבור בתוך הבאים כי היה הרעב בארץ כנען:

[16] See Rav Zadok Pri Tzadik Miketz section 8.

ספר פרי צדיק פרשת מקץ - אות ח

 ובזה יובן מה שיפלא לכאורה על יוסף שאמר שאכל ושתה עמהם למה זה ציער אותם אחר כך במעשה הגביע והיה לו להתגלות לפניהם ולשלוח ולהביא את יעקב. אך לפי האמור מתחלה היה סבור שכבר עשה מחיית עמלק וכמו שהוא נתברר בשלימות במדתו כן גם כל השבטים נתבררו ועשו תשובה כשאמרו אבל אשמים אנחנו וגו', והיה סבור שעל ידי שבת יהיו נגאלין מיד ויהיה הוא כמו משיח בן יוסף. אבל אחר כך ראה שהקליפה בתקיפותה והבין מזה שעדיין לא נתבררו כל השבטים ועשה תחבולה כדי שיצטערו וישובו בתשובה שלמה ואחר כך יתודע אל אחיו. רק אחר כך ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק וגו', והיינו שמצדו רצה להתאפק עוד עד שישובו באמת ויתקנו שורש הקלקול ויהיה גמר התיקון על ידו שיהיה משיח בן יוסף אך לא יכול להתאפק וגו'. וכמו שכתב הרמב"ן, כי אנשים רבים חילו פניו שימחול לבנימין, כי נכמרו רחמיהם על תחנוני יהודה כו', וזה היה מן השמים כיון שלא היה עוד זמן משיח בן יוסף. ולכן נתן השם יתברך בלבם שיחלו פניו ולא יכול להתאפק ונתודע עליהם אף שעדיין לא תקנו הכל מצדם שיזכו להיות גמר התיקון עד עת בוא דברו ויבא משיח בן יוסף מזרעו:

[17] See Tiferet Shlomo Vayigash.

ספר תפארת שלמה על התורה - פרשת ויגש

יש להתבונן בענין טענת הערבות שטען יהודה נגד יוסף מה תועלת יצמח מזה נגד יעקב אביהם. הלא ערבא ערבא צריך. ומה יעשה כי יחזיק את יהודה בעד בנימין ומה יועיל בזה. אולם כבר בארנו במ"א בפי' הענין יעקב תיקן תפלת ערבית לרמז ענין הערבות אשר בבנ"י התחיל מיעקב אבינו. וז"ש (שה"ש ב, יד) כי קולך ערב ומראך נאוה. כי בענין התפלה בזאת יעלה לרצון למעלה אם היא בבחי' ערבות להתפלל כאו"א בעד חבירו. וזה ג"כ מעריב ערבים בחי' הערבות. לכן כאשר בא ראובן לפני אביו בראשונה בטענת (בראשית מב, לז) את שני בני תמית לא פנה אליו. אך יהודה כאשר בא בטענת הערבות (שם מג, ט) אנכי אערבנו וגו' כתיב אח"כ (שם יד) ואל שדי יתן לכם רחמים. כי אז בטח לבו כי מהר יצמח להם הישועה על ענין מכירת יוסף. וז"ש כאן כי עבדך ערב את הנער וכתיב מיד אח"כ ולא יכול יוסף להתאפק כי היה מיד התיקון נצמח על מכירת יוסף כנ"ל והוא הרמז על הגאולה העתידה ב"ב מה שפגמו בענין הערבות מה שמכרו את יוסף כמבואר באריכות במ"א. וז"ש (שם מד, לב) אם לא אביאנו אליך וחטאתי לאבי כל הימים. כי הגאולה העתידה ב"ב יהיה ג"כ ע"י האחדות בבנ"י בחי' הערבות איש את רעהו יעזורו באהבה ואחוה וריעות אמן:

Parshat Miketz 5770 - Dreams

Parshat Miketz 5770

Rabbi Ari Kahn

Dream, Dream, Dream,… Dream

The First Two Dreams

Paroh has a dream. He is frightened and agitated, yet not one of his advisors can interpret his dream:

בראשית פרק מא

וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר וַתִּפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיִּקְרָא אֶת כָּל חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם וְאֶת כָּל חֲכָמֶיהָ וַיְסַפֵּר פַּרְעֹה לָהֶם אֶת חֲלֹמוֹ וְאֵין פּוֹתֵר אוֹתָם לְפַרְעֹה:

And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men; and Paroh told them his dream; but there was none who could interpret them to Paroh. Bereishit 41:8

Why was this dream so troubling to Paroh? It seems to speak of produce and agriculture, subjects that would occupy a monarch's mind for a significant part of his working day; it should come as no surprise when these elements bubbled to the surface while he slumbered.

בראשית פרק מא

(א) וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם וְהִנֵּה עֹמֵד עַל הַיְאֹר: (ב) וְהִנֵּה מִן הַיְאֹר עֹלֹת שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת יְפוֹת מַרְאֶה וּבְרִיאֹת בָּשָׂר וַתִּרְעֶינָה בָּאָחוּ: (ג) וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע פָּרוֹת אֲחֵרוֹת עֹלוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶן מִן הַיְאֹר רָעוֹת מַרְאֶה וְדַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר וַתַּעֲמֹדְנָה אֵצֶל הַפָּרוֹת עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר: (ד) וַתֹּאכַלְנָה הַפָּרוֹת רָעוֹת הַמַּרְאֶה וְדַקֹּת הַבָּשָׂר אֵת שֶׁבַע הַפָּרוֹת יְפֹת הַמַּרְאֶה וְהַבְּרִיאֹת וַיִּיקַץ פַּרְעֹה: (ה) וַיִּישָׁן וַיַּחֲלֹם שֵׁנִית וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים עֹלוֹת בְּקָנֶה אֶחָד בְּרִיאוֹת וְטֹבוֹת: (ו) וְהִנֵּה שֶׁבַע שִׁבֳּלִים דַּקּוֹת וּשְׁדוּפֹת קָדִים צֹמְחוֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶן: (ז) וַתִּבְלַעְנָה הַשִּׁבֳּלִים הַדַּקּוֹת אֵת שֶׁבַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִים הַבְּרִיאוֹת וְהַמְּלֵאוֹת וַיִּיקַץ פַּרְעֹה וְהִנֵּה חֲלוֹם:

And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Paroh dreamed; and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up from the river seven cows sleek and fat; and they fed in the reed grass.  And, behold, seven other cows came up after them from the river, gaunt and thin; and stood by the other cows upon the brink of the river. And the gaunt and thin cows consumed the seven sleek and fat cows. And Paroh awoke. And he slept and dreamed the second time; and, behold, seven ears of grain came up as one stalk, plump and good. And, behold, seven thin ears, blasted by the east wind, sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven plump and full ears. And Paroh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. Bereishit 41:1-7

Paroh's dreams do not seem overly difficult to understand.  It seems strange that all the wise men of Egypt could not muster any suggestion or interpretation which would satisfy Paroh. In order to understand the source of their difficulty, let us consider the dreams through Egyptian eyes.

Paroh has two dreams which are similar, one focused on cows and the other on stalks of grain. To the modern reader these seem like innocuous, healthy symbols of a time and place where man was more connected to the land and nature: These are the basic symbols of the woop and warf of agricultural life, of the farmer and the shepherd. Yet the Egyptians may have viewed these symbols in a very different fashion. Yosef actually points out to the cultural divergence when, years later, he prepares his brothers for their meeting with Paroh:

ספר בראשית פרק מו, לא-לד

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו וְאֶל בֵּית אָבִיו אֶעֱלֶה וְאַגִּידָה לְפַרְעֹה וְאֹמְרָה אֵלָיו אַחַי וּבֵית אָבִי אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן בָּאוּ אֵלָי: וְהָאֲנָשִׁים רֹעֵי צֹאן כִּי אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ וְצֹאנָם וּבְקָרָם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם הֵבִיאוּ: וְהָיָה כִּי יִקְרָא לָכֶם פַּרְעֹה וְאָמַר מַה מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶם: וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ מִנְּעוּרֵינוּ וְעַד עַתָּה גַּם אֲנַחְנוּ גַּם אֲבֹתֵינוּ בַּעֲבוּר תֵּשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גּשֶׁן כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל רֹעֵה צֹאן:

And Yosef said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, 'I will go up, and explain to Paroh, and say to him, "My brothers, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade has been to raise cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have." And it shall come to pass, when Paroh shall call you, and shall say, "What is your occupation?", you shall say, "Your servants’ trade has been keeping cattle from our youth until now, both we, and also our fathers;" that you may live in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. Bereishit 46:31-34

Rashi explains that because the Egyptians regarded animals as deities, they considered it an abomination to herd, domesticate or cultivate flocks or herds.

רש"י על בראשית פרק מו פסוק לד

 כי תועבת מצרים וגו'. לפי שהם להם אלהות:

Is an abomination to the Egyptians – for they were deities for them. Rashi Bereishit 46:34

The Ibn Ezra explains that it is not dissimilar to India in his day: These people worshiped cows and would not eat their meat or drink their milk, hence those who raised cows and ate their meat and milk were shunned by the Egyptians.[1] The Riva goes even further, pointing out that practices necessary for tending flocks were abhorrent to the Egyptians, who could not bear the use of force on their deities.[2]  The B'chor Shor interprets Yosef's comment differently, reading it as a condemnation of Egyptian idolatry: the word 'abomination' refers to the Egyptian deities, and Yosef is passing a value judgment on Egyptian sensibilities and their worship of four-legged creatures.[3]

The word that Yosef uses to describe the clash between Egyptian and Jewish sensibilities is “toeva” ('abomination'), and this same word elsewhere in Yosef's story in another context: When the brothers unknowingly stand before Yosef and are invited to dine with the Prince of Egypt, the Torah describes a strange seating arrangement: the brothers are seated by themselves, Yosef by himself, and the other members of the Egyptian court by themselves:

ספר בראשית פרק מג, לא-לב

וַיִּרְחַץ פָּנָיו וַיֵּצֵא וַיִּתְאַפַּק וַיֹּאמֶר שִׂימוּ לָחֶם: וַיָּשִׂימוּ לוֹ לְבַדּוֹ וְלָהֶם לְבַדָּם וְלַמִּצְרִים הָאֹכְלִים אִתּוֹ לְבַדָּם כִּי לֹא יוּכְלוּן הַמִּצְרִים לֶאֱכֹל אֶת הָעִבְרִים לֶחֶם כִּי תוֹעֵבָה הִוא לְמִצְרָיִם:

And he washed his face, and went out, and controlled himself, and said, 'Set out bread.' And they served him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians who ate with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians would not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. Bereishit 43:31,32

Some commentaries[4] see this as an indication of the arrogance and haughtiness of the Egyptians, who were not willing to eat with “lowly” strangers, yet this would not explain Yosef's exclusion. Other commentaries refer to the Egyptians' disgust at the profession of these guests; again, this would not explain the exclusion Yosef, a highly respected member of Paroh's court. [5]  It might be possible to apply the same definition of the word toeva to this passage for a better understanding: One could posit that the word here also indicates a deity. The passage should then be interpreted along the lines suggested by the Bchor Shor: "for the Egyptians would not eat bread with the Hebrews, for this was (another) toeva, another idolatrous practice of the Egyptians." Eating bread, certainly publicly, went against Egyptian religious sensibilities.[6] This may provide us with a window into the religious world of Pharaonic Egypt: this was a slave-based society, developed not as a result of great affluence but as an outcome of a religious system that rejected all forms of physical labor. Egypt needed slaves – because the Egyptians themselves rejected the concept of physical labor. The production of bread required arduous work, and the Egyptians may have found all types of work and, by extension, those who were engaged in physical labor, an offense to their religious beliefs.

In this context, the two elements of Paroh’s dream are of great symbolic importance inasmuch as they relate to "idolatrous" practices. Two additional elements of the dreams buttress this thesis: the “river” and Paroh himself. Both of these elements were also perceived as deities - the Nile was seen as the life-force of Egypt, and Paroh, who claimed to be the god of the Nile:

ספר יחזקאל פרק כט, ב-ג

בֶּן אָדָם שִׂים פָּנֶיךָ עַל פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרָיִם וְהִנָּבֵא עָלָיו וְעַל מִצְרַיִם כֻּלָּהּ: דַּבֵּר וְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי ה’ הִנְנִי עָלֶיךָ פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם הַתַּנִּים הַגָּדוֹל הָרֹבֵץ בְּתוֹךְ יְאֹרָיו אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לִי יְאֹרִי וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִנִי...

Son of man, set your face against Paroh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt; Speak, and say, Thus says the Almighty God: Behold, I am against you, Paroh king of Egypt, the great crocodile that lies in the midst of his streams, who has said, 'My river is my own, and I have made it for myself.'  Yechezkel 29:2,3

Only when we appreciate that all the elements in the dreams may have been perceived as deities to the Egyptians can we understand the silence of all of Paroh's advisors. They must have perceived in these dreams a foreboding message of a major cataclysm that could shake Egypt to its very core.

These same dreams may be understood in a completely different fashion in light of the ideological and religious worldview represented by biblical symbols. In this context, Paroh's two dreams represent an ancient dichotomy which has persisted from the very first day of man's existence. This may be concisely described as the dichotomy between man's perfect state of existence before the sin and man's post-Eden existence.

Before eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam named the animals. This seems to have been the extent of the “work” with which he is charged:

בראשית פרק ב, טו

וַיִּקַּח ה’אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְגַן עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ:

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep it. Bereishit 2:15

After the sin, Adam is instructed to work the ground; sustenance, symbolized by bread, would now emerge only when man exerts himself:

בראשית פרק ג, יט

בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם עַד שׁוּבְךָ אֶל הָאֲדָמָה כִּי מִמֶּנָּה לֻקָּחְתָּ כִּי עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל עָפָר תָּשׁוּב:

In the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, till you return to the ground; for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust shall you return. Bereishit 3:19

This same dichotomy is evident in the different orientations toward work in the next generation:[7]

בראשית פרק ד, ג-ד

וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים וַיָּבֵא קַיִן מִפְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה מִנְחָה לַה’: וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַם הוּא מִבְּכֹרוֹת צֹאנוֹ וּמֵחֶלְבֵהֶן וַיִּשַׁע ה’ אֶל הֶבֶל וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ:

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the Almighty. And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat of it. And the Almighty harkened to Abel and to his offering; Bereishit 4:3-4

Cain and Hevel take different paths in their pursuit of God's Will, and these paths are expressed by their vocations. These enduring symbols of mankind's relationship to nature and to our place in the post-Eden reality were surely familiar to Yosef. Clearly Paroh and his advisors did not think in these terms, and Yosef's interpretation of Paroh's dreams ignores the biblical symbolism, while simultaneously steering clear of the minefield of Egyptian deities. The interpretation Yosef puts forth is firmly embedded in economics, in pragmatic planning which will enable Egypt to take advantage of the good years ahead in order to protect itself when the difficult times follow. This is an interpretation that does not threaten Pharoh or the religious system of which he is the apex, and Yosef is immediately catapulted to a position of power that enables him to implement the plan he had outlined.

Two More Dreams

Yosef's pragmatic interpretation of Paroh's dreams must be seen as part and parcel of his interpretation of a previous set of dreams - dreams that actually laid the foundations of his own liberation. As he languished in an Egyptian prison, Yosef interpreted the dreams of two fellow inmates:

בראשית פרק מ, ה-ח

וַיַּחַלְמוּ חֲלוֹם שְׁנֵיהֶם אִישׁ חֲלֹמוֹ בְּלַיְלָה אֶחָד אִישׁ כְּפִתְרוֹן חֲלֹמוֹ הַמַּשְׁקֶה וְהָאֹפֶה אֲשֶׁר לְמֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם אֲשֶׁר אֲסוּרִים בְּבֵית הַסֹּהַר: וַיָּבֹא אֲלֵיהֶם יוֹסֵף בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּרְא אֹתָם וְהִנָּם זֹעֲפִים: וַיִּשְׁאַל אֶת סְרִיסֵי פַרְעֹה אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בְמִשְׁמַר בֵּית אֲדֹנָיו לֵאמֹר מַדּוּעַ פְּנֵיכֶם רָעִים הַיּוֹם: וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו חֲלוֹם חָלַמְנוּ וּפֹתֵר אֵין אֹתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם יוֹסֵף הֲלוֹא לֵאלֹהִים פִּתְרֹנִים סַפְּרוּ נָא לִי:

And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the sommelier and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison. And Yosef came to them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad. And he asked Paroh’s officers who were with him in the custody of his lord’s house, saying, Why do you look so sad today? And they said to him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Yosef said to them, Do interpretations not belong to the Almighty? Tell them to me, I beg you. Bereishit 40:5-8

בראשית פרק מ, ט-כג

וַיְסַפֵּר שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים אֶת חֲלֹמוֹ לְיוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בַּחֲלוֹמִי וְהִנֵּה גֶפֶן לְפָנָי: וּבַגֶּפֶן שְׁלֹשָׁה שָׂרִיגִם וְהִיא כְפֹרַחַת עָלְתָה נִצָּהּ הִבְשִׁילוּ אַשְׁכְּלֹתֶיהָ עֲנָבִים: וְכוֹס פַּרְעֹה בְּיָדִי וָאֶקַּח אֶת הָעֲנָבִים וָאֶשְׂחַט אֹתָם אֶל כּוֹס פַּרְעֹה וָאֶתֵּן אֶת הַכּוֹס עַל כַּף פַּרְעֹה: וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יוֹסֵף זֶה פִּתְרֹנוֹ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַשָּׂרִגִים שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים הֵם: בְּעוֹד שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים יִשָּׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת רֹאשֶׁךָ וַהֲשִׁיבְךָ עַל כַּנֶּךָ וְנָתַתָּ כוֹס פַּרְעֹה בְּיָדוֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט הָרִאשׁוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָיִיתָ מַשְׁקֵהוּ: כִּי אִם זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר יִיטַב לָךְ וְעָשִׂיתָ נָּא עִמָּדִי חָסֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה וְהוֹצֵאתַנִי מִן הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה:  כִּי גֻנֹּב גֻּנַּבְתִּי מֵאֶרֶץ הָעִבְרִים וְגַם פֹּה לֹא עָשִׂיתִי מְאוּמָה כִּי שָׂמוּ אֹתִי בַּבּוֹר: וַיַּרְא שַׂר הָאֹפִים כִּי טוֹב פָּתָר וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל יוֹסֵף אַף אֲנִי בַּחֲלוֹמִי וְהִנֵּה שְׁלֹשָׁה סַלֵּי חֹרִי עַל רֹאשִׁי:  וּבַסַּל הָעֶלְיוֹן מִכֹּל מַאֲכַל פַּרְעֹה מַעֲשֵׂה אֹפֶה וְהָעוֹף אֹכֵל אֹתָם מִן הַסַּל מֵעַל רֹאשִׁי:  וַיַּעַן יוֹסֵף וַיֹּאמֶר זֶה פִּתְרֹנוֹ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַסַּלִּים שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים הֵם: בְּעוֹד שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים יִשָּׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת רֹאשְׁךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ וְתָלָה אוֹתְךָ עַל עֵץ וְאָכַל הָעוֹף אֶת בְּשָׂרְךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ: וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת אֶת פַּרְעֹה וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּה לְכָל עֲבָדָיו וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים וְאֶת רֹאשׁ שַׂר הָאֹפִים בְּתוֹךְ עֲבָדָיו: וַיָּשֶׁב אֶת שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים עַל מַשְׁקֵהוּ וַיִּתֵּן הַכּוֹס עַל כַּף פַּרְעֹה: וְאֵת שַׂר הָאֹפִים תָּלָה כַּאֲשֶׁר פָּתַר לָהֶם יוֹסֵף: וְלֹא זָכַר שַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵהוּ:

And the chief sommelier told his dream to Yosef, and said to him, 'In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; And in the vine were three branches; and it was as though it budded, and its blossoms shot forth; and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes; And Paroh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Paroh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Paroh’s hand.' And Yosef said to him, 'This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days, and within three days shall Paroh lift up your head, and restore you to your place; and you shall deliver Paroh’s cup into his hand, after the former manner when you were in his service. But think of me when it shall be well with you, and  show kindness, I beg you, to me, and make mention of me to Paroh, and bring me out of this house; for indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me in the dungeon.' When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Yosef, 'I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head; And in the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Paroh; and the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head.' And Yosef answered and said, 'This is the interpretation: The three baskets are three days, and within three days shall Paroh lift up your head off you, and shall hang you on a tree; and the birds shall eat your flesh off you.' And it came to pass the third day, which was Paroh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief sommelier and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief sommelier to his stewardship again; and he gave the cup into Paroh’s hand; But he hanged the chief baker, as Yosef had interpreted to them. Yet the chief sommelier did not remember Yosef, and forgot him. Bereishit 40:9-23

These dreams contain symbols of the dichotomy we have discussed: The baker is actively involved in the process of making bread. The deeper connection with the post-Eden state of mankind, as well as the thematic connection with Paroh's dream, should not be overlooked. The wine steward, who is entrusted to discern good wine from bad, represents a major element of the sin committed in the Garden of Eden: according to many commentaries, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was none other than a grape vine, whose fruit causes confusion.[8] The wine steward's job, then, is a delicate one: he must, in his way, unravel the confusion of man's first sin. The baker, on the other hand, performs his task by adhering to the rules of engagement in a post-sin world in which bread is brought forth by the sweat of man's brow. While both wine and bread are the results of a long process of fermentation which produce a finished product that is a vast improvement over the raw materials used to create it, Yosef sees only one of these processes carrying through to a successful finish: The sommelier will be returned to his former glory, which is analogous to a world before sin, before confusion. The baker's death seems to indicate a far weaker commitment to the post-Eden experience: Paroh has no interest in perpetuating 'bread', takes no responsibility for a world of work, of patient toil, and of death. These are left for the Egyptians' slaves to contend with, and it should come as no surprise that the Egyptian economic system eventually becomes dependent on slave labor. As a living representation of the human condition after the sin, the baker is doomed. He, his profession – and what that profession symbolizes – are an abomination to Egyptian theology, just as the Hebrew shepherds would be.

For Yosef, bread was also a troubling symbol. The Torah stresses that his brothers sat down "to eat bread" after they cast him into the pit. Later, 'bread' helped land him in prison: When he starts he career in the house of Potifar, we are told that Yosef is entrusted with all of his master's possessions – save one:

ספר בראשית פרק לט

(ו) וַיַּעֲזֹב כָּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ בְּיַד יוֹסֵף וְלֹא יָדַע אִתּוֹ מְאוּמָה כִּי אִם הַלֶּחֶם אֲשֶׁר הוּא אוֹכֵל …

And he left all that he had in Yosef’s hand; and he knew not what he had, save for the bread which he ate... Bereishit 39:6

Later, this statement is clarified: When his master’s wife tries to seduce Yosef, the "bread" is a symbol of something far more personal:

ספר בראשית פרק לט, ח-ט

וַיְמָאֵן וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו הֵן אֲדֹנִי לֹא יָדַע אִתִּי מַה בַּבָּיִת וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יֶשׁ לוֹ נָתַן בְּיָדִי:

אֵינֶנּוּ גָדוֹל בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה מִמֶּנִּי וְלֹא חָשַׂךְ מִמֶּנִּי מְאוּמָה כִּי אִם אוֹתָךְ בַּאֲשֶׁר אַתְּ אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֵיךְ אֶעֱשֶׂה הָרָעָה הַגְּדֹלָה הַזֹּאת וְחָטָאתִי לֵאלֹהִים:

But he refused, and said to his master’s wife, 'Behold, my master knows not what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand; There is none greater in this house than I; nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife; how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? Bereishit 39:8,9

The one thing that was off limits to Yosef, earlier described as 'bread', was, in fact, Mrs. Potiphar. Yosef was accused of "eating another man's 'bread' ”, and he was thrown into the pit once again. Once again, Yosef had not, in fact, partaken of the bread. He alone among the brothers did not eat bread when he was in the pit, and he remained a Zaddik in the house of Potiphar, despite the temptation to partake of the "feast". We may go so far as to say that Yosef is a throwback to man's purest state, to a point before the sin in Eden, to a time before man began to eke out his sustenance by the sweat of his brow, before eating from the Tree of Knowledge – before Adam “knew” his wife, before bread replaced knowledge.[9]

Yosef’s Dreams

Yosef's vision remained unclouded, unconfused. He correctly interpreted the dreams of his fellow prisoners, as well as Paroh's dreams, while discerning within them a message that transcended the lives and times of the dreamers of these dreams. When the two former ministers reveal their dreams to him, Yosef's interpretation bears similarities to his interpretation of Paroh’s dreams. In both cases, Yosef understands that God is revealing the future. But Yosef also sees much more. Yosef saw the hand of God touching his own life, and he believed that when God spoke to the staff of Paroh’s palace, there was also a message for him in that communication. He heard within the wine steward's dream a harbinger of his own salvation. He understood from Paroh's dream the reason he had suffered all of the trials and tribulations that brought him to the position of HaMashbir HaGadol, the great sustainer of Egypt and of his own family. Perhaps Yosef connected these two pairs of dreams with yet another pair of dreams: his own dreams, the dreams that caused his brothers to hate him enough to wish him dead.

בראשית פרק לז, ה-יא

וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ: וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתִּי: וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַלְּמִים אֲלֻמִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם נִצָּבָה וְהִנֵּה תְסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמֹּתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִי: וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ אֶחָיו הֲמָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ אִם מָשׁוֹל תִּמְשֹׁל בָּנוּ וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ עַל חֲלֹמֹתָיו וְעַל דְּבָרָיו: וַיַּחֲלֹם עוֹד חֲלוֹם אַחֵר וַיְסַפֵּר אֹתוֹ לְאֶחָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה חָלַמְתִּי חֲלוֹם עוֹד וְהִנֵּה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְאַחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכָבִים מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לִי: וַיְסַפֵּר אֶל אָבִיו וְאֶל אֶחָיו וַיִּגְעַר בּוֹ אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מָה הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתָּ הֲבוֹא נָבוֹא אֲנִי וְאִמְּךָ וְאַחֶיךָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לְךָ אָרְצָה: וַיְקַנְאוּ בוֹ אֶחָיו וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת הַדָּבָר:

And Yosef dreamed a dream, and he told it his brothers; and they hated him even more. And he said to them, 'Hear, I beg you, this dream which I have dreamed. Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood around, and made obeisance to my sheaf.' And his brothers said to him, 'Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?' And they hated him even more for his dreams, and for his words. And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, 'Behold, I have again dreamed a dream; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.' And he told it to his father, and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him, and said to him, 'What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down ourselves to you to the earth?' And his brothers envied him; but his father kept the matter in mind. Bereishit 37:5-11

Yosef himself has two dreams, and he tells his brothers and his father the content of the dreams but never offers them his interpretation. He is vilified by his brothers as a self-centered narcissist; they have obviously interpreted the dreams from their own jaundiced perspective. They understand the dreams to be an indication that Yosef dreams of ruling over them.

Significantly, there are elements of his dreams that appear to slip by the brothers, but should not go unnoticed by readers of the text: His first dream was of sheaves, a theme that is revisited in the other dreams we have analyzed, be it the chief baker's handiwork or the sheaves of Paroh's dream. In Yosef's dream, the sheaves speak of the larger issue that looms in the background of all of the dreams: sheaves are a symbol of an agricultural society, but Yosef and his brothers are shepherds. On the one hand, we might interpret this vocation as an expression of their desire to identify with a “pre-sin” world, to identify with Hevel as opposed to Cain. On the other hand, we may attribute their source of livelihood purely to expediency: Although they live in Canaan, they are not masters of that land. Though the family lives in Hevron, the brothers travel a considerable distance to the north, to Shechem and Dotan, to graze their flocks. This has a distinctly nomadic ring to it: They do not own land, and therefore they cannot engage in farming. They may live in the Promised Land, but it is still just that – promised to them, not yet theirs.

For Yosef's dream of sheaves to be realized, their lives will have to change considerably. Does Yosef see the next stage of their lives as master of the Promised Land, or does his dream reflect a new phase of life in a different land[10]? The brothers never ask; they don’t seem to care. As far as they are concerned, Yosef's dream is simply the product of his over-active, self-centered imagination. And as they reject his first dream, they hate him for his second dream. But did they pause to consider its message?

A Vision and a Dream

Yosef's second dream deviates from all the dreams which follow; he dreams of celestial bodies, of the stars, the sun and moon. Again, the brothers do not seem interested in the deeper meaning of Yosef's dream. Even his father interprets the dream as an expression of Yosef's self-image. They all overlook the symbolism used in this dream - symbolism which we should not, ourselves, overlook: There was another member of the family who had a vision which involved the stars. His name was Avraham:

בראשית פרק טו, א-יא

אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה הָיָה דְבַר ה’ אֶל אַבְרָם בַּמַּחֲזֶה לֵאמֹר אַל תִּירָא אַבְרָם אָנֹכִי מָגֵן לָךְ שְׂכָרְךָ הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד: וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֲדֹנָי ה’ מַה תִּתֶּן לִי וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי וּבֶן מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי הוּא דַּמֶּשֶׂק אֱלִיעֶזֶר: וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם הֵן לִי לֹא נָתַתָּה זָרַע וְהִנֵּה בֶן בֵּיתִי יוֹרֵשׁ אֹתִי: וְהִנֵּה דְבַרה’אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר לֹא יִירָשְׁךָ זֶה כִּי אִם אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִמֵּעֶיךָ הוּא יִירָשֶׁךָ: וַיּוֹצֵא אֹתוֹ הַחוּצָה וַיֹּאמֶר הַבֶּט נָא הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וּסְפֹר הַכּוֹכָבִים אִם תּוּכַל לִסְפֹּר אֹתָם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כֹּה יִהְיֶה זַרְעֶךָ: וְהֶאֱמִן בַּה’ וַיַּחְשְׁבֶהָ לּוֹ צְדָקָה: וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִיה’אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים לָתֶת לְךָ אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לְרִשְׁתָּהּ: וַיֹּאמַר אֲדֹנָי ה’ בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה: וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו קְחָה לִי עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ וְתֹר וְגוֹזָל: וַיִּקַּח לוֹ אֶת כָּל אֵלֶּה וַיְבַתֵּר אֹתָם בַּתָּוֶךְ וַיִּתֵּן אִישׁ בִּתְרוֹ לִקְרַאת רֵעֵהוּ וְאֶת הַצִּפֹּר לֹא בָתָר: וַיֵּרֶד הָעַיִט עַל הַפְּגָרִים וַיַּשֵּׁב אֹתָם אַבְרָם:

After these things the word of the Almighty came to Avram in a vision, saying, 'Fear not, Avram; I am your shield, and your reward will be great.' And Avram said, 'Almighty God, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?' And Avram said, 'Behold, to me you have given no seed; and, lo, a member of my household staff is my heir.' And, behold, the word of the Almighty came to him, saying, 'This shall not be your heir; but he who shall come forth from your own bowels shall be your heir.' And He brought him outside, and said, 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if you are able to count them'; and He said to him, 'So shall your seed be.' And he believed in the Almighty; and he counted it to him as tzedaka. And He said to him, 'I am the Almighty who brought you out of Ur Kasdim, to give you this land to inherit it.' And he said, 'Almighty God, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?' And He said to him, 'Bring me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon...' 15:1-10

The stars symbolize the number of Avraham’s descendents: Avraham, who was childless at this point, receives God's promise that he will be the patriarch of a great nation, with descendents too plentiful to count, who will inherit the Land of Canaan. We would have expected the grandchild and great grandchildren of Avraham to have seen the significance of Yosef's dream of stars. We might even have expected them to reinterpret the first dream in light of the second dream, to make a connection with the second part of Avraham's vision that dealt with inheriting the Land. How did they ignore these symbols? Why did they not realize that Yosef's dreams were somehow connected to the future of the Children of Israel, Avraham's descendents, in the Land of Israel? When hearing these two dreams[11] the brothers should have understood that Yosef described a situation which did not exist yet, a future time in which they and their descendents would be free to work the Land. They should have remembered Avraham’s dreams, especially the dream which immediately follows his vision of the stars:

בראשית פרק טו, יב-כא

וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לָבוֹא וְתַרְדֵּמָה נָפְלָה עַל אַבְרָם וְהִנֵּה אֵימָה חֲשֵׁכָה גְדֹלָה נֹפֶלֶת עָלָיו: וַיֹּאמֶר לְאַבְרָם יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם וַעֲבָדוּם וְעִנּוּ אֹתָם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה:  וְגַם אֶת הַגּוֹי אֲשֶׁר יַעֲבֹדוּ דָּן אָנֹכִי וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל: וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶל אֲבֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם תִּקָּבֵר בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה: וְדוֹר רְבִיעִי יָשׁוּבוּ הֵנָּה כִּי לֹא שָׁלֵם עֲוֹן הָאֱמֹרִי עַד הֵנָּה: וַיְהִי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה וַעֲלָטָה הָיָה וְהִנֵּה תַנּוּר עָשָׁן וְלַפִּיד אֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָבַר בֵּין הַגְּזָרִים הָאֵלֶּה: בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כָּרַתה’אֶת אַבְרָם בְּרִית לֵאמֹר לְזַרְעֲךָ נָתַתִּי אֶת הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת מִנְּהַר מִצְרַיִם עַד הַנָּהָר הַגָּדֹל נְהַר פְּרָת: אֶת הַקֵּינִי וְאֶת הַקְּנִזִּי וְאֵת הַקַּדְמֹנִי: וְאֶת הַחִתִּי וְאֶת הַפְּרִזִּי וְאֶת הָרְפָאִים: וְאֶת הָאֱמֹרִי וְאֶת הַכְּנַעֲנִי וְאֶת הַגִּרְגָּשִׁי וְאֶת הַיְבוּסִי:

And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Avram; and, lo, a fear of great darkness fell upon him. And He said to Avram, 'Know for a certainty that your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge; and afterward shall they come out with great wealth. And you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come here again; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.' And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. In the same day the Almighty made a covenant with Avram, saying, 'To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates; The Kenites, and the Kenazites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaim, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Yevusites. Bereishit 15:12-21

Avraham dreams; he learns that the path to the Land of Israel will not be a short, direct route. The path his descendents will take will be a long, circuitous one which will take them far away from their land. This will be a 'descent for the sake of ascent', for when they return, the land will truly be theirs, earned through their labor as slaves. At that time, working the holy land as farmers will be perceived as the greatest blessing.

Yosef, like Avraham, sees the path to Israel. He understands that it will necessarily pass through Egypt. The dreams that he interprets teach him that it is there that he will rise to power, there that his family will become as numerous as the stars.[12] The wine steward's dream foretells his own redemption, and Paroh's dreams show him the path to the future. Yosef sees God's master plan unfold in the dreams of others; his own dreams speak of the time of their return to the land – not as a nomadic band of brothers but as a nation in possession of their Promised Land. His brothers never asked Yosef to explain his dreams; would they have understood the message had he revealed it to them? Did the brothers share Yosef's ability to see beyond the present, to discern and understand hundreds of years of history in the visions he is granted?  It seems not; they saw their own personal rivalries and jealousies, and took no responsibility for the future. Yosef was, in more than one sense, a visionary: He saw beyond the present, and taught others to do the same. For Yosef, all these dreams are of one piece; they are all connected to the glorious dream of Avraham. Yosef understands that his own personal life story is a vehicle for Jewish history. Ultimately, this is his message to his brothers:

בראשית פרק מה: ה, ח

וְעַתָּה אַל תֵּעָצְבוּ וְאַל יִחַר בְּעֵינֵיכֶם כִּי מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי לְמִחְיָה שְׁלָחַנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם... וְעַתָּה לֹא אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְשִׂימֵנִי לְאָב לְפַרְעֹה וּלְאָדוֹן לְכָל בֵּיתוֹ וּמשֵׁל בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם:

Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life… So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Paroh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Bereishit 45: 5, 8

Yosef helps them to understand what he has already come to know: His brothers are not the reason he is in Egypt. Their own personal interests are a part of something much greater than themselves. Our lives - all of our lives - are part and parcel of the covenant between God and Avraham: God brought the Children of Israel to Egypt as the final step toward their return, as a great nation, to the Land of Israel. Only then, only there, will the descendents of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, the Children of Israel, one day live in peace, prosperity and freedom.

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[1] Ibn Ezra Bereishit 46:34

אבן עזרא על בראשית פרק מו פסוק לד

כי תועבת מצרים כל רועה צאן - לאות כי בימים ההם לא היו המצרים אוכלים בשר. ולא יעזבו אדם שיזבח צאן כאשר יעשו היום אנשי הודו. ומי שהוא רועה צאן תועבה היא שהוא שותה החלב. ואנשי הודו לא יאכלו ולא ישתו כל אשר יצא מחי מרגיש עד היום הזה:

[2] Riva Bereishit 46:34

פירוש הריב"א על בראשית פרק מו פסוק לד

כי תועבת מצרים כל רועה צאן. פרש"י לפי שהם אלהות שלהם, והטעם כ"ח לפי שיראתם היה מזל טלה ובגללו היו עובדין לצאן כי תועבת מצרים כל רועה צאן לפי שדרך רועה צאן לרדות הצאן במקלות וקש' למצרים כשרודים אלהותם, ד"א לפי שהרועים יודעים שאין בצאן כח אלהות והמצרים מאמינים אותם אף כי הם יודעים שאין בהם כח כמו שפ' חזקוני לעיל, ד"א לפי שאי אפשר שלא יהנו הרועים מן החלב ומן הגזה ודבר גנאי ותועבה למצרים שיהנו מאלהותם כ"פ. הרר"א, וי"מ רועה צאן ר"ל אוכל כמו שמצינו רעיה שהיא לשון אכילה כמו ירעו בשן וגלעד וקשה למצרים כשיאכלו אלהותם ואין המקרא משמע כן:

[3] Bchor Shor Bereishit 46:34

רבי יוסף בכור שור על בראשית פרק מו פסוק לד

כי תועבת מצרים כל רועה צאן - יש לומר מפני שהיא תועבה להם, ירחיקו אתכם מעליהם אל ארץ גושן. ולי נראה שהוא כינוי, כי חשובים בעיני מצרים כל רועי צאן, שמגדל תרפותם. ולפי שכוונתם לע"ז קורא אותם "תועבה", לפי שיאהבו אתכם יושיבו אתכם אל ארץ גושן, שהיא טובה, כי אין נראה שימאיס אחיו בעיניהם:

[4] See Hizkuni and Seforno Bereishit 43:32

חזקוני על בראשית פרק מג פסוק לב

כי תועבה היא למצרים - בזוי להם לאכול עם אדם נכרי כי אנשי מצרים גסי הרוח כדכתיב לכן קראתי לזאת רהב הם שבת.

ספורנו עה"ת ספר בראשית פרק מג פסוק לב

 כי לא יוכלון המצרים. לפיכך לא אכל הוא עם אחיו ולא הוא ולא אחיו עם המצרים:

[5] See Targum Unkolus Bereishit 43:32

תרגום אונקלוס על בראשית פרק מג פסוק לב

(לב) ושויאו ליה בלחודוהי ולהון בלחודיהון ולמצראי דאכלין עמיה בלחודיהון ארי לא יכלין מצראי למיכל עם עבראי לחמא ארי בעירא דמצראי דחלין ליה עבראי אכלין:

[6] See Daat Zekeinim m'Baalei Tosfot  on Bereishit 46:34, who draws the connection between this verse and the word 'abomination' found in connection with Israelites' vocation.

דעת זקנים מבעלי התוספות על בראשית פרק מו פסוק לד

כי תועבת מצרים וכו' - מאוסים היו רועי צאן בעיניהם כי הצאן היה דבר מאוס לאכילה כמו שמאוסין העזים לאכילה בהרבה מקומות. וכן לא יוכלון לאכול את העברים לחם כי תועבה היא למצרים מאוסין היו אנשי עבר הנהר בעיניהם ולכן קשה להם לאכול עמהם וכן הן נזבח את תועבת מצרים לעיניהם נזבח בפניהם מה שהוא מאוס להם ולא יסקלונו יהרגונו לא נאמר אלא יסקלונו. ד"א שמעתי כי תועבת מצרים כל רעה וזן עצמו מן הצאן ואוכל אותם כי היא ע"ז שלהם ידועה מלשון הרעה אותי דמתרגמינן דזן יתי:

[7] For more on this theme, see Explorations, Chapter one.

[8] See Talmud Bavli Brachot 40a.

[9] Regarding the connection between bread and knowledge, see Talmud Bavli Brachot 40a, and Sfat Emet on Baha'alotcha, 5647.

תלמוד בבלי מסכת ברכות דף מ/א

דתניא אילן שאכל ממנו אדם הראשון רבי מאיר אומר גפן היה שאין לך דבר שמביא יללה על האדם אלא יין שנאמר וישת מן היין וישכר רבי נחמיה אומר תאנה היתה שבדבר שנתקלקלו בו נתקנו שנאמר ויתפרו עלה תאנה רבי יהודה אומר חטה היתה שאין התינוק יודע לקרות אבא ואמא עד שיטעום טעם דגן

 For it has been taught: R. Meir holds that the tree of which Adam ate was the vine, since the thing that most causes wailing to a man is wine, as it says,' And he drank of the wine and became drunk.' R. Nehemiah says it was the fig tree, thus they repaired their misdeed with the instrument of (that sin), as it says, 'And they sewed fig leaves together.' R. Judah says it was wheat, since a child does not know how to call father and mother until it has had a taste of wheat.

שפת אמת ספר במדבר - פרשת בהעלותך - שנת [תרמ"ז]

והנה כתיב כמתאוננים רע כו'. ביאור הענין כי בודאי לא הי' מחשבותם להרע. רק שרצו בחי' עץ הדעת טוב ורע כמו חטא הראשון. ובאמת עתה אחר החטא שנתערב טוב ורע בעולם אין הנפש יכול להתתקן רק בכח הבירור. וזה רמז הפסוק גם בלא דעת נפש לא טוב. מאי גם. רק להיות כי עיקר הרצון הי' שיתדבק האדם בעץ החיים תורה וחקים ומצות שהוא למעלה מהשגת דעת האדם. אבל עתה אין הנפש בטוב רק ע"י הדעת. ואכילת לחם מן הארץ הוא הדעת המברר בין טוב ורע ובורר אוכל מתוך פסולת כמ"ש בגמ' אין תינוק יודע לקרוא אבא ואימא עד שטועם טעם דגן. וכן אין מרחיקין מצואת קטן עד שאוכל כזית דגן שבלחם מן הארץ מתערב פסולת. וכמו כן בע"ח שהם גדולי קרקע ונזונין מעשב הארץ.

[10] See Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik, The Rav Speaks: Five Addresses on Israel, History, and the Jewish People, lecture 1: "And Joseph Dreamt a Dream," p.27. The Rav notes the fact that Yosef and the brothers are shepherds, yet he dreams of agriculture, he concludes that Yosef's vision was of their impending exile and the lifestyle they would be forced to adopt in Egypt.

[11] Combining the images of Yosef’s two dreams - stalks on the ground and the stars, sun and moon in the heavens – creates a vision remarkably similar to his father’s dream of a ladder, with its feet on the ground and its top reaching the heavens.

[12] When Yosef collects and stores the wheat of Egypt, it is described as 'numerous as the grains of sand': Bereishit 41:49

ספר בראשית פרק מא, מט

וַיִּצְבֹּר יוֹסֵף בָּר כְּחוֹל הַיָּם הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד עַד כִּי חָדַל לִסְפֹּר כִּי אֵין מִסְפָּר: