Miqeitz 5771

Parshah Miqeitz
Genesis 41:1-44:17 I Kings 3:15-4:1

The story of Yosef continues in parsha Miqeitz with a refined narrative. After so many famous stories coming so fast each week during study, suddenly we have lots of room. The action of the story plays out with the style of a tale to be told aloud. It is a relief but also requires patience in analysis as the events fully unfold.

Yosef has remained a prisoner in Egypt for two years. When Pharaoh has a dream that none of his magicians can interpret, the butler recalls Yosef. The Pharaoh sends for Yosef and he interprets Pharaoh's dream. In the dream Yosef sees a prophecy that there will be seven good years followed by seven years of famine. Yosef advises Pharaoh to save a fifth of the produce from each good year to use in the lean years.

In this exchange I was drawn to the response of Yosef. When it is stated that he has the power to interpret dreams he gives G*d the credit. "Yosef answered Pharaoh, saying: "It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (41:16) This then teaches how we should answer for those who say well of us. It also shows that Yosef has matured. He did not claim G*d had sent his dreams which so disturbed his brothers. May all of us find this humility and not be manipulated by praise or pride.

Pharaoh instantly puts Yosef in charge of the project and gives him power over his subjects. "And Pharaoh called Yosef's name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On" (41:45) Even though these changes in status must have tempted Yosef greatly, he chooses to name his sons to honor G*d. The oldest he calls Manasseh "For G*d made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house." and Ephraim: 'for G*d hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." (41:52) This is sufficient for me to take the side of those who defend Yosef from accusations of being corrupted by his power even of being despotic. Are not the names he gives his sons like unto his most important teachings to them and to us?

Incidentally, the haftorah begins with Solomon "allied to Pharaoh king of Egypt by marriage, and took Pharaoh's daughter" (1K3:1) and relates the famous tale of King Solomon and the two mothers. It contains Solomon having a dream of G*d. 1K3 also ties to Parsha Miketzb because it is an example of the qualities of "discerning and sage" wisdom needed to rule. These qualities are declared by Yosef to be necessary in one who can carry out a plan to survive the famine. Pharaoh selects Yosef to be in charge of the project because of his faith. "Can we find such a one as this, a man in who the spirit of G*d is?' (41:38)

Seven years later, the prophecy is fulfilled by a great famine and Yosef’s power is secure. The text presents the famine as extremely severe. It reaches all the way from Egypt to the land of Canaan which causes Israel to send his sons to Egypt to buy food. In doing so they come before Yosef who hides his identity. He accuses them of being spies. Then Yosef takes Simeon prisoner, demands they return home, and requires that they bring back their younger brother Benjamin. On the way home, they discover that their money is still in their sacks along with the grain. Afraid they ask "What is this that God hath done unto us?" (42:2)

Having to tell Israel all of this, the brothers struggle to assuage his anger. He asks his sons, "Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether you had yet a brother?" (43:6) Finally, the brothers persuade him to send Benjamin to redeem Simeon. They promise they will not fail on the life of their own sons and even if they must become slaves themselves.

This episode suggests literally a "teshuvah" a return and redemption. The famous formula of Rambam is that teshuvah is only complete if you are faced with the same situation and don't do the same thing. They are putting a favored son above themselves. They are willing to endure what Yosef did for their brother. This is explicit because in 42:21 Reuben declared to his brothers "We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us." They regret what they did to Yosef and won't repeat it.

Having returned, (and how fast they fly over the long distances in verse!) the brothers go again before Yosef. The sight of Benjamin makes Yosef weep again as he had when he heard Reuben's remorse. Yet on both occasions he conceals these emotions. Apparently satisfied he releases them only to have his men follow them and arrest them. Yosef had contrived to plant a silver goblet on Benjamin so that he must stay his slave. With the brothers ready to plead for Benjamin the parsha ends.

Yosef’s power over his brothers and their bowing to him clearly fulfills the prophecy of his early dreams, for which they spited him. It is difficult to watch the brothers suffer as it was hard to watch them make Yosef suffer. The reality of their hunger and fear also come through strongly in the text. It is rough stuff.

I find it equally important that Yosef can predict the future and that the brothers fail even to see the truth of the present. Nor could they know how selling Yosef would eventually save them all from starvation. Moreover it is Egypt and Yosef’s power is not to last there. Indeed power is always temporary except that of H*shem.

I feel the greatest lesson, but by far not the only import one, continues to be that we must not react savagely but seek not to create more injustice when we are wronged. Also, we see begin to see that we can repent and change for our misdeeds. In the next two parshas more can be said on these themes.

A couple miscellaneous notes:

"Rabbi Moses ben Nahman, the Ramban (13th Century Spain) comments that the two types of knowledge apply in different spheres of learning. "Discerning" refers to knowing "how to support the people of Egypt from his hand with bread" and "how to accumulate wealth and money for Pharaoh.""

In 42:1, at home with their father, they are referred to as Jacob's sons. Two verses later, on their way to Egypt, we read, "So Yosef's brothers went down ..." Restating classic midrashim, Rashi opines that "they set their hearts on conducting themselves toward him as brothers."