Happy is the Man Who Trusts in G-d
It is written, “It came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh was dreaming, and behold, he was standing by the river” (Bereshith 41:1).
A great deal of ink has been spilled on this episode in the Torah to explain the dreams of Pharaoh and the interpretation which Joseph gave to them. Yet in our time, when every Jew needs his faith and trust in G-d strengthened, in a time when the coming of Mashiach is so close, it is good to again reflect upon these events in light of the explanations given by our Sages in the Midrash, as well as to strengthen our faith and trust in G-d.
Pharaoh had a dream, and he awoke terrified and trembling. However he fell back to sleep and had another dream, different from the first but resembling it in a few ways. He was again awoken by his dream, but fell back into a deep sleep until the early morning. When he awoke, he remembered his dreams and “his spirit was troubled” (Bereshith 41:8). The strange dreams of that night robbed him of his peace of mind, leaving him unable to regain any sense of calm or composure. He consulted his wise men, princes, and advisers, as well as the seers and sorcerers of Egypt. Pharaoh, who was then the all-powerful ruler of the world, went to great lengths and exerted unimaginable effort in consulting the wise men of all the nations so they could interpret his dreams. Yet despite all these attempts, “none could interpret them for Pharaoh” (ibid.). All the wise men in the world were useless. Indeed, their interpretations and “insights” could not satisfy him, for they were unable to interpret his dream and calm his spirit. He even threatened them with death if they did not provide him with an interpretation, and yet no one was able to relieve Pharaoh of the anxiety that oppressed him. Suddenly, someone remembered that while he had been in prison, he met a young Hebrew man who interpreted his dream. He recalled that this young man had asked him to intercede on his behalf before Pharaoh. As soon as Pharaoh heard this, he had the young man summoned.
Imagine what would have happened if Pharaoh had released him from prison at another time, on any other day! Would it not have appeared ridiculous to his subjects? However that was not just any day, for that moment differed from all others. On that day, Pharaoh felt weighed down and oppressed. He would have even leaned on a broken reed, for he was ready to put his trust in a young Hebrew man in prison. Perhaps he would succeed where all of Pharaoh’s wise men had failed? Perhaps he would know how to interpret his dream? Without waiting any further, Joseph was released from prison and hastily brought to Pharaoh’s palace. In a single instant, this worthless Jewish slave became Egypt’s savior. Thus Joseph stood before Pharaoh, who described his dream to him: Cows by the riverside, some thin and others fat. He listened, understood his words, and held the long-awaited interpretation. With calmness and composure, Joseph explained the meaning of his two dreams and underlined that they were really one. Furthermore, at the end of this discussion, after he had finished interpreting these dreams, Joseph advised Pharaoh on what he should do during the years of famine and the years of abundance. He proposed a detailed economic strategy that was actually a national rescue plan. He told him what to do and how to do it! Curiously enough, Pharaoh did not object to this, nor did he oppose it, nor did he tell Joseph: “Who asked you for advice?” On the contrary, he carefully listened to his every word, took the necessary steps, and appointed Joseph as a royal minister. In fact he appointed him viceroy! Thus in seconds, this Hebrew slave – rushed out of prison only a few moments earlier – became the savior of Egypt!
The Midrash has much to say on Joseph’s wisdom, on account of which Pharaoh named him Tzafnat Paneach (“he who explains what is hidden”). In this incident, Joseph reacted by carefully and calmly weighing all the facts, thereby demonstrating a virtue not often seen.
Imagine yourself in the same situation: You have been, until just recently, a young Hebrew thrown into an Egyptian jail without any chance of release. Even the Egyptian in whom you had placed your hopes has not helped you, since it has been two years that he was released, and yet nothing has been done for you. Suddenly, the heavy gates of the dungeon open, and the next thing you know is that you are standing in the middle of the royal palace! Pharaoh asks you to interpret a dream that multitudes of wise men have been unable to understand. How can you remain calm under such circumstances? Is it even possible to think straight, to consider things in a logical and composed manner?
As for Joseph, not only was he composed, he also presented the long-awaited interpretation without any hesitation, with ease and clarity. Furthermore, he quickly realized the underlying implications and analyzed the economic dilemma facing Egypt. How can a person undergo such a drastic change without being disoriented and flustered?
It is Possible
There exists almost no virtue comparable to this ability to carefully and calmly weigh all the facts, an ability that Joseph clearly demonstrated. It is based on a unique principle: Trust in G-d. Someone who places his trust in G-d never feels pressured, never allows himself to be troubled, and knows that everything which happens to him has a deeper reason and objective. He knows that everything is part of a bigger plan, one that G-d wrote and which He is carrying out.
Joseph was able to reach a high level because his trust in G-d was complete. As our Sages say, “Happy is the man who has made Hashem his trust [Tehillim 40:5] alludes to Joseph; and has not turned to the arrogant or those who stray after falsehood [ibid.] – because he said to the chief butler, ‘If only you would think of me...and mention me’ [Bereshith 40:14], two years were added to his suffering” (Bereshith Rabba 89:3). The virtue that characterized Joseph was this thrust. Among all the ups and downs in his life, Joseph placed all his trust in G-d, beginning with his sale to the Ishmaelites, and continuing with his journey into Egypt and trial with Potiphar’s wife. He experienced everything as stages in the Divine plan, understanding that it was all part of G-d’s will. Nevertheless, he sinned while in prison, making the mistake of turning “to the arrogant or those who stray after falsehood,” meaning that he asked the chief butler to intervene on his behalf before Pharaoh. Because of this sin – and because G-d is extremely exacting with the righteous – Joseph had to spend two more years in prison. During that time, he reflected and repented of this sin, strengthening his trust in G-d and his faith. It was for this reason that he emerged from prison. Joseph was not stunned by the drastic change in his condition, and his trust in G-d was now solid. In fact darkness and light held the same meaning for him, and emerging from the darkness of the dungeon to enter the splendor of Pharaoh’s palace changed nothing. Joseph had faith in the Creator, and saw each event as an expression of G-d’s will. In that case, there was no reason to be disturbed by his experiences.
Such is the power of one who possesses faith and trust in G-d. He does not feel oppressed by the changes that occur in the world – not by earthquakes, not by stock crashes, not by losses or gains, not by illness, and not by war (G-d forbid). He looks at everything with wisdom, analyzing things in order to learn the lesson which they hold. He evaluates himself and rectifies what needs to be fixed, but always does everything calmly and with composure. That is the great lesson to draw from this aspect of Joseph’s story.
The Children of Jacob were Conceived in Complete Purity
“Their father Jacob said to them, ‘I am the one whom you bereaved! Joseph is gone, Simeon is gone, and now you would take away Benjamin?’” (Gen 42:36). Rashi cites the Midrash: “He suspected them of wanting to kill or sell Benjamin, just as they had sold Joseph” (Bereshith Rabba 91:9).
The sale and story of the bloodstained tunic that Jacob was alluding to indicates to us that he suspected them, which is something new. One must ask why he didn’t believe their story.
Let us first cite some verses that deal with this subject. This will allow us to clearly understand the entire episode.
It is written, “He recognized it and he said, ‘My son’s tunic! A savage beast devoured him! Joseph has surely been torn to bits!’ … But he refused to comfort himself and said, ‘For I will go down to the grave mourning for my son.’ And his father bewailed him” (Gen 37:33,35). Afterwards, when they went to Egypt to buy grain, it is written: “Behold, I have heard that there are provisions in Egypt. Go down there and purchase for us from there, that we may live and not die” (Gen 42:2). And so upon their father’s request (v.3), the ten sons of Jacob went down to Egypt to buy things to eat.
In the verses that relate the sale of Joseph and the subsequent pain of Jacob, that which is not stated is by far more than that which is. Based on this, we may ask the following questions:
1. Why was Jacob’s mourning so great? He had faith in G-d, and he knew that everything that happened came from Him. What was he afraid of then?
2. How is it that he suspected the brothers? Did he not know that “the one who suspects the innocent is punished for it” (Shabbat 97a)? He was certain that the brothers, “heads of the tribes of Israel” (Ps 122:4), were men without fault, upright and just (Shabbat 146a). Why then did he suspect them without proof or reason? Moreover, after the sale of Joseph, Jacob lost Divine inspiration (Tanhuma Vayeishev 2). How then was he able to know that his sons were guilty (since G-d didn’t reveal it to him)?
3. How does one explain that all of Joseph’s ten brothers went down to Egypt to buy grain? One or two would have sufficed to accomplish that task.
The Sages tell us, “Jacob should have gone down to Egypt in chains, but his merit protected him” (Shabbat 89b).
For his part, Jacob would certainly have preferred to go down to Egypt in chains, and to make the prophecy given to Abraham come true, rather than to suffer the pain of Joseph’s sale and the loss of Divine inspiration (Tanhuma Vayeishev 2). The prophecy to Abraham stipulated: “Your offspring shall be aliens in a land not their own – and they will serve them, and they will oppress them – four hundred years” (Gen 15:13).
From the time that Jacob was told that Joseph was dead, Jacob served G-d in pain. He refused to let himself be consoled, and he feared that a lack of perfection (Pesachim 56a) prevented him from becoming “a receptacle for the Divine Presence” (Bereshith Rabba 47:8). Since he felt that he was missing such perfection, it meant that the fault lay in him, to the extent that he cried, “I will joint my son in the grave,” so great was his pain and grief at the thought that he himself was the cause.
Concerning the verse that states, “he has surely [+!] been torn to pieces” (Gen 44:28), we may add that the word +! always expresses a limit (Pesachim 5a). This indicates to us that Jacob wasn’t sure that a wild animal had devoured his son, and that’s the reason why he refused all consolation. The Sages even said, “A law desires that the deceased be forgotten, since one doesn’t accept consolation over a person who is still alive” (Bereshith Rabba 84:21). As such, Joseph would still have been alive in Jacob’s mind, and Jacob would have continued to pray to G-d, asking Him in His mercy to allow him to find his son. Jacob would have thereby known that his seed was perfect. Thus Jacob never lost hope of finding his son Joseph alive.
We can understand why Jacob hesitated so much to send his son Benjamin to Egypt, as it is said, “You will take Benjamin away!” (Gen 42:36). It is because “all roads are dangerous” (Yerushalmi Berachot 4:4) and “the Satan appears only at a time of danger” (Yerushalmi Shabbat 2:6). Jacob feared that “should trouble befall him on the journey which you shall take, then you will have brought down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave” (Gen 42:38). If Benjamin were to die, it would be because the children of Jacob were not perfect. We see in this just how much suffering a man is prepared to accept, just as long as the Divine Presence doesn’t leave him.
It’s a known fact that there are some Jews that proclaim to be Jewish, yet don’t at all hesitate to marry non-Jewish women. They should realize that not only does the Divine Presence abandon them when they distance themselves from the G-d of Israel, but that they also create enormous danger for the Jewish people as a whole. They especially cause their parents great suffering when they see their children leaving their people “to go feed in foreign pastures.” Parents such as these prefer to die rather than to see their children assimilated among foreign peoples. Children such as these are guilty of selfishness, having acted this way only to satisfy their own desires, without thinking of the pain and suffering that they’ve caused.
When G-d saw the pain of Jacob, a man who longed for perfection, in His great goodness He restored to him a little Divine inspiration, as it is said, “Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt” (Gen 42:1). On this the Sages remarked: “By Divine inspiration, he saw that there was some hope by way of Egypt” (Bereshith Rabba 91:6).
In learning that his son Joseph was alive and that he was the governor of the entire country (Gen 42:6), life came back to the heart of Jacob (Gen 45:27). Rashi explains as follows: The Divine inspiration that previously left him now came back (Tanhuma Vayeishev 2). Jacob feared that his offspring lacked purity, this being the reason for why the Divine Presence abandoned him. But then, upon learning that Joseph was the governor of Egypt and that he had remained a righteous man, Jacob understood that such was not the case. What’s more, Divine inspiration was restored to him.
When Divine inspiration came back to him, he also knew that his sons, those who had sold Joseph, had prepared the journey down to Egypt, and that their intentions had been pure, since G-d Himself took part in the oath not to reveal the truth to Jacob (Tanhuma Vayeishev 2). For what reason, therefore, did Jacob suspect his sons up to that point?
Everyone knows that the kindness that we experience in this world comes only because of the righteous, and that the entire world enjoys prosperity because of them, as it is written: “The whole world is fed thanks only to the merit of my son Hanania” (Taanith 24b). Actually, Jacob at first thought that his son was dead, and he was in mourning. Yet afterwards, upon seeing that Egypt was enjoying material and spiritual prosperity, he understood that this was thanks to Joseph. Jacob had no further doubts that his son was alive and that he had remained righteous, as the Sages testify (Vayikra Rabba 32:5), and he therefore had no further reason to suspect his sons in the sale of Joseph. He understood that everything had been motivated by pure intentions so that the Children of Israel could prepare for the descent into Egypt.
Now we can explain why Jacob sent his ten sons (except Benjamin) to Egypt. The elation felt in Jacob’s home was great when they said that grain was for sale in Egypt. The reason for this joy was not because they had lacked food (since we know that some of the harvest still remained [Taanith 10b]), but rather because Divine inspiration had been restored to Jacob, and he was preparing himself to meet Joseph. He therefore sent all his sons to make peace with Joseph and to ask for his forgiveness. Finally, he also sent Benjamin so that the brothers could be reunited.
If there had not been a famine in the land of Canaan, the sons of Jacob would not have been able to descend into Egypt to find Joseph without awakening the suspicions of their father. The famine forced the brothers to descend into Egypt, which then gave them a pretext to look for Joseph without raising their father’s suspicions.
The Fight Against the Evil Inclination
It is stated at the beginning of Parsha Vayigash, “Then Judah approached him [Joseph] and said, ‘If you please, my lord, may your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears and let not your anger flare up at your servant’ ” (Genesis 44:18).
We must understand the hidden meaning behind Judah and Joseph’s surprising discussion.
1. Parsha Mikeitz recounts the story of the cup that was eventually found in Benjamin’s sack. When Joseph’s servant caught up to Joseph’s brothers and accused them of having stolen his master’s cup, Judah took the initiative. Without having been asked to decide upon their fate, he immediately said: “Anyone among your servants with whom it is found shall die, and we also will become slaves to my lord” (Genesis 44:9). It is impossible to renege on such a declaration, and so when the cup was finally found in Benjamin’s sack, why did Judah begin to discuss Benjamin’s fate? Joseph’s servant had already diminished the severity of the sentence, stating that only the individual with whom the cup was found would be made a slave, while the other brothers would be absolved (v.10). Had Judah not declared his own sentence?
2. If we say that Judah spoke with Joseph’s servant because Judah had offered to be Benjamin’s guarantor (as it is stated, “I will personally guarantee him; of my own hand you can demand him” [Genesis 43:9]), and he was ready to lose both worlds for him (as the Sages have said [Bereshith Rabba 91:10]), why didn’t Judah weigh his words more carefully, especially before Joseph’s servant began searching through the brothers’ possessions? Could he not have refused and instead have saved Benjamin without entering into this discussion?
3. Concerning the verse, “Then Judah approached him,” the Sages have said: “He approached Joseph as much to appease him as to fight him, and he threatened him by saying, ‘If I draw my sword, I will begin with you and finish with Pharaoh’ ” (Bereshith Rabba 93:6). This is troubling. Why would Judah want to fight Joseph because of Benjamin, since he himself had decreed a death sentence for the individual with whom the cup was found (and it was only Joseph’s servant who commuted the sentence)?
4. Finally, we must understand the meaning of the mission that Joseph’s servant was sent on. It is written, “When Joseph said to the one in charge of his house, ‘Get up, chase after the men; when you overtake them, you are to say to them, “Why do you repay evil for good? Is it not the one from which my master drinks, and with which he regularly divines? You have done evil in how you acted!” ’ ” (Genesis 44:4-5).
Note that we learn extraordinary things in this parsha: We learn of the cup that was concealed in Benjamin’s sack, the words of Judah to Joseph’s servant, and finally the confrontation between Judah and Joseph.
The account concerning Judah and Joseph teaches us how to conduct ourselves, showing us how to conquer the evil inclination, distance ourselves from it, and not listen to it. This account also teaches us to repent wholeheartedly, confess our sins, and come closer to G-d.
If a man sins and regrets it, he should realize that confessing his sin is an essential part of repentance, as the Rambam writes: “Confessing one’s sins is a Torah commandment, as it is written: ‘A man or woman who commits any of man’s sins…they shall confess their sin that they committed’ [Numbers 5:6-7]” (Hilchot Teshuvah 1:1). Sins committed by people when they are children are erased on condition that they are not repeated in adulthood, the age at which we become responsible for our actions and understand their meaning and gravity. It is therefore essential for us to repent, and in this way our sins will be transformed into merits (Yoma 86b).
The Satan continues to provoke people and make them sin, even those who have decided to repent and have seen a glimmer of light – the light of the Torah, as it is written: “The Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23; Megillah 16a) – people who desire to break away from their materialism, as it is written: “The day dawned and the men were sent off, they and their donkeys” (Genesis 44:3). However the evil inclination doesn’t give a person the possibility of escape (“he overtook them” [v.6]), nor to appease or fight it. Based on the discussion between Joseph’s brothers and his servant, we may say that the evil inclination tells a person who wants to repent, “The way of the wicked succeeds. As long as you were with me, you were successful. Why do you want to leave me now and repay evil for good? Instead of being punished for all your sins, you would have succeeded. It’s only because of me that you got richer and progressed in life.”
To convince a person to return to it, as well as to maintain its hold over a person, the evil inclination lists in detail the advantages that he received, and it rebukes him for having repaid evil for good. However the evil inclination does not mention the damage that a person causes it when he repents and distances himself from it, nor does it state the misfortunes that occur to a person as a result of his sins and transgressions.
A person who has repented has the duty to reply to the arguments of the evil inclination and emphasize that before he sincerely repented, he was like a child who didn’t know where his sin was or what its consequences were. Now, however, he has repented of his sins, and not because he wants to repay evil for good to the evil inclination, but because he has decided to overcome every difficulty he may encounter, and little does it matter to him if he is deprived of all the evil inclination’s “kindnesses,” which in the final analysis are truly harmful. He realizes that he is now experiencing suffering and difficulties as a result of his previous bad behavior. From now on, he is even ready to die rather than to sin by following the advice of the evil inclination. He prefers to be a servant of G-d, Whose goodness and benevolence he recognizes at every instant of his life. This is indicated by the verse, “Anyone among your servants with whom it is found shall die; and we also will become slaves to my lord” (Genesis 44:9). He prefers to die, for he chooses to be a servant of his master, of G-d.
All the same, the evil inclination does let go of a person, threatening that he will regret having abandoned it. In fact the evil inclination tells all those who repent that they will suffer for it, facing trials until they place themselves back under its yoke as before, as stated in the verse: “The one with whom it is found shall be my slave.” In the battle between the one who repents and the evil inclination, each tires to make the other fall, in the sense of the verse: “Hurriedly, each one lowered his sack to the ground” (v.11). Even though the one who repents occupies himself with Torah and desires to drink from that elixir of life, he risks falling back into the traps of the evil inclination, which possesses more than one trick up its sleeve. It is capable of making a person believe that if he has become poor or lost his job, it was for having chosen the path of Torah and neglected his material needs. Such are the arguments that the evil inclination uses, even with a man of Torah.
However we must overcome it and realize that this fall is necessary for elevating ourselves. We should realize that hope is not lost, and that by diligent Torah study and prayer we will once again ascend with G-d’s help. If the evil inclination asks, “How is it that now, while you’re following the path of Torah, you’re in such a hopeless situation, one whose future seems bleak?” It is with the goal of convincing us to follow its advice that the evil inclination asks such questions, luring us with the promise of more success in the future than in the past. We must reply by saying, “G-d has uncovered the sin of your servants” (Genesis 44:16), meaning that because of the sins we committed, we fell into the difficult situation in which we find ourselves today, yet despite everything we will continue – and desire to continue – to be G-d’s servants.
However the evil inclination is not, even after all that, discouraged, and it does not allow itself to weaken. As the Sages have said: “The evil inclination grows with a man from infancy to old age, and each day it tries to make him fall” (Tanhuma Beshalach 3), “The evil inclination of each man gains the upper hand each day and tries to make him fall. It first presents itself as a guest…and in the end it becomes the master of the house” (Sukkah 52a), and “It tries to seize him in its traps” (Bereshith Rabba 22:11). Each day the evil inclination presents itself differently and uses new arguments in order to make a person commit some offense, leaving him no respite. Until a person dies, the evil inclination tries by all possible means to distance him from G-d and subjugate him as before. However we must be ready to even risk our lives in the fight against the evil inclination, since a man is the “guarantor for the child” – for the child that he once was – and so willful sins are considered inadvertent sins, and they are forgiven and erased. Yet now, “how can I go up to my father if the youth is not with me?” (Genesis 44:34), for now he realizes the gravity of his sins and the justice of his punishment, as well as the reward for obeying the commandments. If he commits a sin now, he is judged retroactively for the sins he committed in his youth, as if he had acted with full knowledge.
This is the reason why a person should declare a continual war against the evil inclination, “which is the Satan, which is the Angel of Death” (Bava Batra 16a) – even though he knows that the Satan is stronger than himself because “he is an angel of fire” (Zohar I:80a) – whereas a person is but “flesh and blood.” In spite of everything, victory is promised to the person who does battle with it, as it is written: “When you go to war against your enemies, and the L-RD your G-d delivers them into your hand” (Deuteronomy 21:10). The person who confesses his sins is like Judah, who was not ashamed to confess his sin, and who actually ended up inheriting the World to Come (Sotah 7a,b).
Once a person has repented and begins to distance himself from the evil inclination, it is essential that he not fall into the traps that it sets out for him. At first the evil inclination present itself as a friend who seeks a person’s good, asking him: “Why do you want to repay me evil for good?” The repentant person should reply that up to now he was unaware that his behavior was contrary to G-d’s will, which was the only reason that he followed its advice. Yet now he prefers to die rather than to listen to it, for he desires to remain G-d’s servant. The evil inclination will then try to persuade him that he lost his job because he chose the Torah and a religious life, but a person must not be taken in by this argument. Rather, he should realize that this new situation atones for his previous sins. In the same way that the evil inclination declares war against us, we are obligated to wage war against it openly and resolutely, for the words vayasigem, vayigash indicate an aggressive approach.
Everyone should realize just how necessary it is to watch out for the traps of the evil inclination and the trials that it sets for us. It is likely to cause us great suffering, to deprive us of a means of living, and to try us with sickness. Nevertheless, we must reject it. The evil inclination whispers to us: “You will succeed as long as you don’t observe the Torah or concern yourselves with good deeds. And now, not only does the Torah not support you, it harms you! You lost your means of living, and you don’t even have the means to do what the Torah commands.”
This test must be overcome and it must be conquered. A person must fight the evil inclination to the point of death, since he has become a guarantor for his past self (the word "93 [“guarantor”] is formed by the same letters as the word 9"3 [“past”]) in order that the sins he committed in the past be forgiven. How great is our loss if we fall into the traps of the evil inclination, which sometimes approaches us as a friend and sometimes as an enemy. We must have faith in G-d, Who comes to our aid and supports us, and we must tell ourselves: “G-d is with me – in me – and I have no reason to fear the evil inclination, even though it is made of fire.” G-d actually resides in each person, and there is no reason to fear the Satan and his enticements. Instead, we must fear G-d alone.
The Fleeting Dream of Money
It is written, “At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed” (Genesis 41:1).
The Gemara speaks of Choni Hameagel, who for a long time was troubled over the verse, “A song of ascents. When the L-RD will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers” (Psalms 126:1). How could a person sleep and dream for so many years? At the same time, however, the Gemara states that Choni Hameagel slept for 70 years, and when he arose he recognized nothing from the past. He then completely understood the expression “we will be like dreamers” (Taanith 23a).
We see all kinds of people in our tiny world, for as the Sages have said: “The mind of each is different from that of the other, just as the face of each is different from that of the other” (Berachot 58a), which is the plain truth. Everyone has a different opinion about each subject, and reality shows that when Reuven says one thing, Shimon absolutely has to say something else. Thus everyone has a different way of expressing his views on the world and everything it contains. Yet we as Jews – believers and children of believers – must see the world with an open mind and thereby realize how to conduct ourselves materially, and above all spiritually.
If we observe everything that surrounds us, be it even for a moment, we will notice something odd: People have no spare time. They are always in a rush and constantly running in different directions, with little time on their hands and fearful that they will lack something. What’s the reason behind all this? In general it has to do with earning a living, with people on the run to feed their families. They hurry to arrive at work, and all their thoughts are geared toward money – how to earn more of it! A Torah giant from a previous generation was once walking in the street when he saw a Jew running somewhere. The Tzaddik asked him, “My dear Jew, where are you headed so quickly?” The man replied, “I’m going to [such and such a place] because I need some money.” The Tzaddik then smiled and said, “How do you know that you’re headed in a place where you’ll find money? Perhaps it will be found in the opposite direction, and you’re turning your back on it?” My friends, we find ourselves in a time that corresponds exactly to this story. Everyone is running around without stop, and without satisfaction either. “I have no time and I have no money” – at least that is what people tell themselves. However if we were to stop someone in the middle of an errand and ask for a small, trivial favor, he would immediately respond: “What will I get out of it? Will I be able to make some money from it?” Why such a reaction? Why is it so difficult to help others without being financially compensated? Pharaoh’s dream shows us just how true this is. Pharaoh had two dreams, which were really one and the same. In the first, he saw seven lean cows swallowing up seven fat cows. In the second, he saw seven withered and dried up ears of grain swallowing up seven healthy and lush ears of grain, yet no one could tell what had happened. This is the situation today: People swallow each other up alive; they are not inclined to help others when it comes to money. However if we were to think about it, we would understand that the world has a Director and that material things are ephemeral. After he arose, Pharaoh called Joseph and asked him to interpret his dreams. What did Joseph tell him? “The dream of Pharaoh is one. What G-d is about to do, He has told Pharaoh” (Genesis 41:25). Joseph continued his explanation by saying, “Seven years are coming of great plenty…and seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the years of plenty in the land of Egypt will be forgotten” (vv.29-30).
The essential thing, Joseph told Pharaoh, was to name leaders throughout the land of Egypt. They would be responsible to prepare, during the seven years of abundance, for the seven years of famine. In other words, if preparations are not made for the years of famine, all the good years will be forgotten.
This is a lesson for each of us in our daily lives. People spend all their time trying to save their silver and gold, keeping their wealth close to their heart, but not helping others in need. They must realize that they will not be protected indefinitely. A coin (money) is round – it rolls – and it is here today and elsewhere tomorrow. Today it may be with Reuven, but tomorrow it may be with Shimon.
Money has been entrusted to us by the Master of the world, but only on condition that we do something useful with it, namely to perform mitzvot and good deeds. If we act otherwise, the trustee will come and reclaim his goods, giving it to someone who may act in a better way.
We see this in Pharaoh’s dream. People may swallow each other up, yet we will not be able to tell that they consumed anything. Furthermore, they claim that they had only the best intentions in doing so. However Hashem knows and understand what is hidden in the heart, as well as what resides in the minds of each person. This is why everyone must prepare himself during the good years, in anticipation of the years that may not be so good. People must use their money to practice mitzvot, in order that they may have some left in more difficult times.
This is what the verse is saying: “At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed.” When a person comes to the end of his days in this world, he is liable to see that everything was but a dream and that he really did nothing in life, nothing good with his money. We must therefore be very careful in this world in order to arrive intact and meritorious for the day of judgment in the World to Come.
Faith in Hashem Brings Abundant Blessing and Success
The Gemara tells us that when Pharaoh decided to make Joseph the ruler of Egypt after he had successfully interpreted his dreams, the Egyptian astrologers wanted to test Joseph and see if he knew the 70 languages. The angel Gabriel then came and taught them to Joseph, and thus he was able to converse with Pharaoh in any language that he spoke. On the other hand, when Joseph spoke to Pharaoh in the holy tongue, he could not answer because he did not understand it. Pharaoh then made Joseph swear not to reveal the fact that he knew the holy tongue while Pharaoh did not (Sotah 36b).
This implies that in Egypt, the custom was to appoint the wisest man among the people as a ruler, one who knew the 70 languages. Otherwise, we would be unable to understand why Pharaoh was afraid that people would find out that Joseph knew one language more than him, since he was the king and ruler of Egypt. Pharaoh knew that if the Egyptians learned that Joseph was wiser than him, they would have removed him from the throne and placed Joseph there instead. Pharaoh therefore made him swear not to reveal this secret, so that he could remain on the throne and not be stripped of power. This needs to be clarified. Pharaoh was incredibly deceitful and completely estranged from the truth. That being the case, how could he believe that Joseph, who had recently come from prison, would keep his promise and not reveal his secret? When he would bestow Joseph with greatness by making him his viceroy, a love for honor would certainly grow in him. He would eventually want to reign in Pharaoh’s stead, thus paving the way to reveal the secret to people and become king in his place. To understand this, let us examine what Pharaoh went through during that day. He had strange dreams about cows and ears of wheat, dreams that he did not understand. He awoke that morning completely bewildered, and he called upon the wise men and magicians in Egypt to interpret his dreams. Although this demonstrated his weakness to the people (insofar as his request for help was an admission that he needed the assistance of his wise men), his disturbed frame of mind did let him consider the consequences. All he wanted was to understand what his dreams meant. The wise men and magicians, however, were unable to satisfactorily interpret his dreams.
Joseph was then called up from prison, for he was experienced in interpreting dreams. Pharaoh said to him, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one interpret of it. Now I heard it said of you that you understand a dream to interpret it” (Genesis 41:15). In other words: You are therefore wiser than I am, and you should be seated on the throne instead of me, but this doesn’t bother me, for I prefer to liberate the throne just as long I learn the meaning of my dreams. Joseph answered Pharaoh with self-effacement and humility: “Not in me. G-d will answer” (v.16). That is: Even once I have given you the interpretation of your dreams, and once everyone sees that I am wiser than you, I will still have no desire to take the throne and reign over Egypt. This is because I am nothing, and all my wisdom comes from G-d. The world has a Creator, and He made us both. Only He exists and we are simply His creations. Even if I interpret your dreams, that does not make me wiser than you because everything comes from G-d, and therefore I have nothing for which to be proud. Thus Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams with complete submission and humility before the Holy One, blessed be He. In order for the Egyptians not to revolt against Pharaoh and place Joseph on the throne, Joseph took the initiative by stating: “G-d shall answer the welfare of Pharaoh” (v.16) and “What G-d is about to do, He has told Pharaoh” (v.25). In other words, Joseph wanted Pharaoh to remain on his throne and continue ruling over Egypt, for Joseph did not want to reign in his place after having interpreted his dreams. This is because it was not Hashem’s will that he should be king, but that Pharaoh should continue in that role.
At that point Pharaoh was amazed at Joseph’s wisdom and intelligence on the one hand, and by his humility on the other. Joseph could have easily ascended to the throne, yet he refrained from doing so simply because it was not Hashem’s will. Pharaoh immediately decided that Joseph should govern Egypt under his supervision according to Hashem’s will, and the wise men of Egypt also understood that Joseph was the best-suited man for the task. Hence they decided to appoint him as such. However since it was impossible to appoint a person to govern Egypt unless he was familiar with the 70 languages, they had to test him to see if he actually knew them. A miracle then occurred, for the angel Gabriel came and instantly taught them to Joseph.
Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find another like him, a man in whom is the spirit of G-d?” (Genesis 41:38). In other words: Despite his wisdom and intelligence, the humility that this man demonstrates, and his distaste for flattery, makes the spirit of G-d dwell in him. Far from considering himself a god, he is self-effacing before G-d and believes that everything comes from Him. He believes solely in Him and submits to Him. In fact by saying these things, Pharaoh was publicly recognizing that the world has a Creator, that everything comes from Him, and that He created everything and rules the entire world. However the wicked, even when they believe in Hashem (that is, when reality leaves them no choice but to believe), they do so only because of personal interest. Hence after the death of Joseph, Pharaoh pretended not to know or acknowledge the Creator, and he began to reduce the Children of Israel to slavery. However Jews do not act in this way, for they believe in the Creator of the world and know that everything comes from Him. It is precisely by believing in the Creator of the world that they merit abundant blessing and success, as we see with Joseph when he achieved royalty following the demonstration of his faith.
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