- Joseph has been in prison for 12 years. Pharaoh has two dreams which none of his magicians could interpret. The chief cup bearer (wine steward) remembers "a Hebrew youth" (Joseph) and his gift for dream interpretation and the outcomes. Joseph is rushed to Pharaoh.
- Joseph responds to Pharaoh's request to interpret his dream, saying that it is not he who will interpret, but God who will see to his welfare. After being told his 2 dreams, he suggests how to deal with the predicted seven years of plenty, then famine, advising Pharaoh to begin storing grain.
- Joseph says that having the same dream twice means that 'the matter has been determined by God, and that God will soon carry it out'.
- Joseph is appointed viceroy over Egypt enabling him to implement his plan. He marries the daughter of Potiphar and has 2 sons, Menashe and Ephrayim.
- The 7 years of famine begins and the only food available is in Egypt. Joseph's brothers come to buy food, but he is unrecognized by them although he knows who they are. He keeps his secret and accuses them of treachery and imprisons them for 3 days.
- Joseph demands that in order to give them food, Benjamin be brought to Egypt, keeping Shimon as a hostage. The brothers talk between themselves saying that this was punishment for what they did. Joseph understands their native language and turns away, weeping.
- Joseph comes back to them, loaded them with food (and unbeknownst to them, returns their money in their sacks, sending them on their way to Canaan.
- The brothers relate all to Jacob, who refuses to send Benjamin. The increasing famine forces Jacob to concede to Judah's guarantee that Benjamin will be safe, and they all return to Egypt. He sends them with double the money and gifts.
- The brothers are reunited with Shimon and invited to eat at Joseph's table. Joseph sees Benjamin for the first time in 22 years.
- Joseph hatches his final plot and plants his chalice in Benjamin's saddlebag. Joseph sends his house steward to follow and overtake them, accusing them of theft.
- The chalice is found, the brothers rend their clothes, and return to the city. They meet Joseph and throw themselves on the ground saying 'God has uncovered the crime of your servants', saying they will all be slaves. Joseph says they are all to go, except for Benjamin, who will stay as his slave.
(ז) שִׁבְעָה דְבָרִים בַּגֹּלֶם וְשִׁבְעָה בֶחָכָם. חָכָם אֵינוֹ מְדַבֵּר בִּפְנֵי מִי שֶׁהוּא גָדוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְחָכְמָה וּבְמִנְיָן, וְאֵינוֹ נִכְנָס לְתוֹךְ דִּבְרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ נִבְהָל לְהָשִׁיב, שׁוֹאֵל כָּעִנְיָן וּמֵשִׁיב כַּהֲלָכָה, וְאוֹמֵר עַל רִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן וְעַל אַחֲרוֹן אַחֲרוֹן, וְעַל מַה שֶּׁלֹּא שָׁמַע, אוֹמֵר לֹא שָׁמָעְתִּי, וּמוֹדֶה עַל הָאֱמֶת. וְחִלּוּפֵיהֶן בַּגֹּלֶם:
(7) [There are] seven things [characteristic] in a clod,(simpleton/airhead) and seven in a wise man: A wise man does not speak before one who is greater than he in wisdom, And does not break into his fellow’s speech; And is not hasty to answer; He asks what is relevant, and he answers to the point; And he speaks of the first [point] first, and of the last [point] last; And concerning that which he has not heard, he says: I have not heard; And he acknowledges the truth. And the reverse of these [are characteristic] in a clod.
(א) וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפַרְעֹ֣ה חֹלֵ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֖ה עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַיְאֹֽר׃(ב) וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִן־הַיְאֹ֗ר עֹלֹת֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פָּר֔וֹת יְפ֥וֹת מַרְאֶ֖ה וּבְרִיאֹ֣ת בָּשָׂ֑ר וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה בָּאָֽחוּ׃(ג) וְהִנֵּ֞ה שֶׁ֧בַע פָּר֣וֹת אֲחֵר֗וֹת עֹל֤וֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶן֙ מִן־הַיְאֹ֔ר רָע֥וֹת מַרְאֶ֖ה וְדַקּ֣וֹת בָּשָׂ֑ר וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֛דְנָה אֵ֥צֶל הַפָּר֖וֹת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃(ד) וַתֹּאכַ֣לְנָה הַפָּר֗וֹת רָע֤וֹת הַמַּרְאֶה֙ וְדַקֹּ֣ת הַבָּשָׂ֔ר אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַפָּר֔וֹת יְפֹ֥ת הַמַּרְאֶ֖ה וְהַבְּרִיאֹ֑ת וַיִּיקַ֖ץ פַּרְעֹֽה׃(ה) וַיִּישָׁ֕ן וַֽיַּחֲלֹ֖ם שֵׁנִ֑ית וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹל֛וֹת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד בְּרִיא֥וֹת וְטֹבֽוֹת׃(ו) וְהִנֵּה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֔ים דַּקּ֖וֹת וּשְׁדוּפֹ֣ת קָדִ֑ים צֹמְח֖וֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶֽן׃(ז) וַתִּבְלַ֙עְנָה֙ הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֣ים הַדַּקּ֔וֹת אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַֽשִּׁבֳּלִ֔ים הַבְּרִיא֖וֹת וְהַמְּלֵא֑וֹת וַיִּיקַ֥ץ פַּרְעֹ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה חֲלֽוֹם׃
(1) After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by [OVER] the Nile,(2) when out of the Nile there came up seven cows, handsome and sturdy, and they grazed in the reed grass.(3) But presently, seven other cows came up from the Nile close behind them, ugly and gaunt, and stood beside the cows on the bank of the Nile;(4) and the ugly gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome sturdy cows. And Pharaoh awoke.(5) He fell asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven ears of grain, solid and healthy, grew on a single stalk.(6) But close behind them sprouted seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind.(7) And the thin ears swallowed up the seven solid and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke: it was a dream!
Every affliction to befall man has a set time to end, as it is written, “An end He set to darkness, and every limit He investigates” (Job 28:3). This is said regarding Joseph, who had been ten years in prison [when he asked the chief butler to intercede for him], but G‑d investigated and saw that it was necessary for him to be imprisoned for another two years . . .Midrash Tanhuma
The wicked see themselves as standing over their gods, as it says, “Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood over the River” (the Nile being the arch-deity of Egypt). But as for the righteous, their G‑d stands over them, as it says (regarding Jacob’s dream), “Behold, G‑d stood over him” (Genesis 28:13). ~Midrash Rabbah
והנה שבע פרות אחרות ג׳ כי היצר הרע בא להחטיאו בשבעה המדות לאהוב חמדת ממון ושארי תענוגים ולירא את העונש ולהתפאר בעצמו ולנצח את שונאו ולהודות את עצמו ויהא מקושר בכל דבר הנ״ל ולהשתרר הוא בעצמו ותבלענה הפרות גו׳ כי גם כל המצוות שאדם עושה הוא נותן כח בקליפה רחמנא ליצלן וזהו ותבלענה כי הקליפה בולע רצה לומר את התורה והמצוות. ולא נודע כי באו אל קרבנה וגו׳ ולכן בעשות האדם תשובה זדונות נעשין זכיות היינו שהזכיות שעשה מוציא אותם מתחת יד הקליפה. ויקץ פרעה והנה חלום כשמקיץ אדם משינת הזמן והנה חלום לשון הדר חלים כנ״ל ומהאי טעמא קורין פרשה הנ״ל בחנוכה כי התורה הוא עצה כמו שאמר הכתוב (משלי ח׳, י״ד) לי עצה שמייעצת לאדם איך לעבוד את השם ולשוב אליו נשמט לכן אסור להשתמש לאורה כי לא יהיה לאדם שום פנייה בלתי להשם לבדו לא בשביל עולם הזה גם לא בשביל עולם הבא:
And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream (Gen. 41:7), when a person awakes from a sleeping time and behold, it was a dream [halom], which suggests “He returned and healed [halim].” Based on this reason, we read the Torah portion in question on Hanukkah, because the Torah is advice as is written, I have advice [and sound wisdom; I am insight, I have strength] (Proverbs 8:14)...Therefore it is forbidden to use [the Hanukkah candles’] light, since a person can turn in no direction other than to God alone –
(ח) וַיְהִ֤י בַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ וַתִּפָּ֣עֶם רוּח֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־כׇּל־חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־כׇּל־חֲכָמֶ֑יהָ וַיְסַפֵּ֨ר פַּרְעֹ֤ה לָהֶם֙ אֶת־חֲלֹמ֔וֹ וְאֵין־פּוֹתֵ֥ר אוֹתָ֖ם לְפַרְעֹֽה׃(ט) וַיְדַבֵּר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֶת־חֲטָאַ֕י אֲנִ֖י מַזְכִּ֥יר הַיּֽוֹם׃(י) פַּרְעֹ֖ה קָצַ֣ף עַל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתִ֜י בְּמִשְׁמַ֗ר בֵּ֚ית שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֔ים אֹתִ֕י וְאֵ֖ת שַׂ֥ר הָאֹפִֽים׃(יא) וַנַּֽחַלְמָ֥ה חֲל֛וֹם בְּלַ֥יְלָה אֶחָ֖ד אֲנִ֣י וָה֑וּא אִ֛ישׁ כְּפִתְר֥וֹן חֲלֹמ֖וֹ חָלָֽמְנוּ׃(יב) וְשָׁ֨ם אִתָּ֜נוּ נַ֣עַר עִבְרִ֗י עֶ֚בֶד לְשַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֔ים וַ֨נְּסַפֶּר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּפְתׇּר־לָ֖נוּ אֶת־חֲלֹמֹתֵ֑ינוּ אִ֥ישׁ כַּחֲלֹמ֖וֹ פָּתָֽר׃
(8) Next morning, his spirit was agitated, and he sent for all the magician-priests of Egypt, and all its sages; and Pharaoh told them his dreams, but none could interpret them for Pharaoh.(9) The chief cupbearer then spoke up and said to Pharaoh, “I must make mention today of my offenses.(10) Once Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and placed me in custody in the house of the prefect, together with the chief baker.(11) We had dreams the same night, he and I, each of us a dream with a meaning of its own.(12)A Hebrew youth was there with us, a servant of the prefect; and when we told him our dreams, he interpreted them for us, telling each of the meaning of his dream.
(יד) לִֽי־עֵ֭צָה וְתוּשִׁיָּ֑ה אֲנִ֥י בִ֝ינָ֗ה לִ֣י גְבוּרָֽה׃
(14) Mine are counsel and resourcefulness;
I am understanding; courage is mine.
(יג) וַיְהִ֛י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּֽתַר־לָ֖נוּ כֵּ֣ן הָיָ֑ה אֹתִ֛י הֵשִׁ֥יב עַל־כַּנִּ֖י וְאֹת֥וֹ תָלָֽה׃(יד) וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח פַּרְעֹה֙ וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיְרִיצֻ֖הוּמִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיְגַלַּח֙ וַיְחַלֵּ֣ף שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹֽה׃(טו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְתִּי וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַאֲנִ֗י שָׁמַ֤עְתִּי עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תִּשְׁמַ֥ע חֲל֖וֹם לִפְתֹּ֥ר אֹתֽוֹ׃(טז) וַיַּ֨עַן יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה לֵאמֹ֖ר בִּלְעָדָ֑י אֱלֹהִ֕ים יַעֲנֶ֖ה אֶת־שְׁל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹֽה׃
(13) And as he interpreted for us, so it came to pass: I was restored to my post, and the other was impaled.”(14) Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was rushed from the dungeon. He had his hair cut and changed his clothes, and he appeared before Pharaoh.(15) And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it. Now I have heard it said of you that for you to hear a dream is to tell its meaning.”(16) Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “Not I! God will see to Pharaoh’s welfare.”
איתא בגמרא (פסחים נ:) לעולם ילמוד אדם אפילו שלא לשמה שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה. ואיתא בגמרא (ע' ברכות יז.) כל העוסק בתורה שלא לשמה נוח לו שלא נברא. והתוספות (פסחים נ. ד"ה וכאן) הקשו אהדדי.
And the essence of the trait of humility is that one contemplates that all the accomplishments that he has are not from the angle of his deeds and his wisdom, but rather that the Creator, blessed be He, effects this accomplishment from the angle of His kindness. And then he merits the aspect of inspiration from the Divine Presence, the aspect of prophecy. And that is [the meaning of] that which is written (Genesis 41:16), “Not I, God will address the peace of Pharaoh.” And Onkelos translates [it as], “It is not from my wisdom; rather the address to the peace of Pharoah will come from before God.” [Its] explanation is that Yosef had the aspect of humility, so he merited the aspect of inspiration from the Divine Presence, the aspect of prophecy.
בלעדי. מלה אחת מורכבת משתי מלות. והטעם שב אל תשמע חלום לפתור אותו. אמר יוסף בלעדי פתרוני יענה אלהים את שלום פרעה. וי"א כי טעמו בעבור שאמר לו כי אתה פותר חלום אמר בלעדי הוא הפותר והוא אלהים שיענה את שלום המלך:
IT IS NOT IN ME. Biladai (it is not in me) is a compound of two words. It is not in me refers to And I have heard say of thee that when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it (v. 15). When Joseph heard Pharaoh say this he replied, it is not in me, but God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace via my interpretation. Others say that when Joseph heard Pharaoh say, thou canst interpret dreams, Joseph replied, I am not (it is not in me) the interpreter; God is, and He will give the king an answer of peace.
(יז) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף בַּחֲלֹמִ֕י הִנְנִ֥י עֹמֵ֖ד עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר׃(יח) וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִן־הַיְאֹ֗ר עֹלֹת֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פָּר֔וֹת בְּרִיא֥וֹת בָּשָׂ֖ר וִיפֹ֣ת תֹּ֑אַר וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה בָּאָֽחוּ׃(יט) וְהִנֵּ֞ה שֶֽׁבַע־פָּר֤וֹת אֲחֵרוֹת֙ עֹל֣וֹת אַחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן דַּלּ֨וֹת וְרָע֥וֹת תֹּ֛אַר מְאֹ֖ד וְרַקּ֣וֹת בָּשָׂ֑ר לֹֽא־רָאִ֧יתִי כָהֵ֛נָּה בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לָרֹֽעַ׃(כ) וַתֹּאכַ֙לְנָה֙ הַפָּר֔וֹת הָרַקּ֖וֹת וְהָרָע֑וֹת אֵ֣ת שֶׁ֧בַע הַפָּר֛וֹת הָרִאשֹׁנ֖וֹת הַבְּרִיאֹֽת׃(כא) וַתָּבֹ֣אנָה אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֗נָה וְלֹ֤א נוֹדַע֙ כִּי־בָ֣אוּ אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֔נָה וּמַרְאֵיהֶ֣ן רַ֔ע כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּתְּחִלָּ֑ה וָאִיקָֽץ׃
(17) Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream, I was standing on the bank of the Nile,(18) when out of the Nile came up seven sturdy and well-formed cows and grazed in the reed grass.(19) Presently there followed them seven other cows, scrawny, ill-formed, and emaciated—never had I seen their likes for ugliness in all the land of Egypt!(20) And the seven lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven cows, the sturdy ones;(21) but when they had consumed them, one could not tell that they had consumed them, for they looked just as bad as before. And I awoke.
In contrast, Joseph saw in his dream (recounted in the beginning of the previous Parshah) that “we were binding sheaves in the field . . .”
Both Pharaoh and Joseph behold the future in their dreams, but with a significant difference. To Pharaoh life is a river, with himself standing on the riverbank—outside of its flow, a passive bystander to what transpires. To Joseph, life is a field within which he toils, laboring at “binding sheaves”—gathering its diverse stalks and binding them into an integral whole.
Many are seduced by the enticements of Pharaonic life. “We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt for free,” the children of Israel grumbled (Numbers 11:5) when G‑d had stripped them of the shackles and security of slavery. Life is a free lunch in Pharaoh’s Egypt; there are no choices in your life, but neither is there the anxiety and responsibility they entail. You simply stand on the riverbank and watch the cows and years follow and consume one another.
Pharaoh’s vision may be every vegetable’s utopia, but there is little satisfaction and no fulfillment in his free fish. It is only in the toilsome labor in the field of life that the most important freedom of all is to be found: the freedom to achieve and create.
~From the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
A person who wants his dreams to be fulfilled should record them in a notebook, including the date, time and place they occurred. ~Sefer HaMiddot, Dreams, Part II (Rebbe Nachman of Breslov).
(א) וַיַּ֣רְא יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ לְבָנָ֔יו לָ֖מָּה תִּתְרָאֽוּ׃(ב) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הִנֵּ֣ה שָׁמַ֔עְתִּי כִּ֥י יֶשׁ־שֶׁ֖בֶר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם רְדוּ־שָׁ֙מָּה֙ וְשִׁבְרוּ־לָ֣נוּ מִשָּׁ֔ם וְנִחְיֶ֖ה וְלֹ֥א נָמֽוּת׃(ג) וַיֵּרְד֥וּ אֲחֵֽי־יוֹסֵ֖ף עֲשָׂרָ֑ה לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר בָּ֖ר מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃(ד) וְאֶת־בִּנְיָמִין֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף לֹא־שָׁלַ֥ח יַעֲקֹ֖ב אֶת־אֶחָ֑יו כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר פֶּן־יִקְרָאֶ֖נּוּ אָסֽוֹן׃(ה) וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִשְׁבֹּ֖ר בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּאִ֑ים כִּֽי־הָיָ֥ה הָרָעָ֖ב בְּאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנָֽעַן׃(ו) וְיוֹסֵ֗ף ה֚וּא הַשַּׁלִּ֣יט עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ ה֥וּא הַמַּשְׁבִּ֖יר לְכׇל־עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֲחֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃(ז) וַיַּ֥רְא יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־אֶחָ֖יו וַיַּכִּרֵ֑ם וַיִּתְנַכֵּ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר אִתָּ֣ם קָשׁ֗וֹת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֵאַ֣יִן בָּאתֶ֔ם וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ כְּנַ֖עַן לִשְׁבׇּר־אֹֽכֶל׃
(1) When Jacob saw that there were food rations to be had in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at one another?(2) Now I hear,” he went on, “that there are rations to be had in Egypt. Go down and procure rations for us there, that we may live and not die.”(3) So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to get grain rations in Egypt;(4) for Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said: Lest harm befall him! (5) Thus the sons of Israel were among those who came to procure rations, for the famine extended to the land of Canaan.(6) Now Joseph was the vizier of the land; it was he who dispensed rations to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed low to him, with their faces to the ground.(7)When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them; but he acted like a stranger toward them and spoke harshly to them. He asked them, “Where do you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to procure food.”
וירדו אחי יוסף. וְלֹא כָתַב בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְחָרְטִים בִּמְכִירָתוֹ וְנָתְנוּ לִבָּם לְהִתְנַהֵג עִמּוֹ בְּאַחְוָה וְלִפְדּוֹתוֹ בְּכָל מָמוֹן שֶׁיִּפְסְקוּ עֲלֵיהֶם:
וירדו אחי יוסף AND JOSEPH S BRETHREN WENT DOWN — It does not call them “the sons of Jacob” (as in 5:5), thus suggesting that they regretted having sold him and that they had made up their mind to behave towards him in a brotherly manner and to redeem him at whatever price people might fix for them to pay (Midrash Tanchuma, Miketz 8).
This is the intent of the Talmud when it states that dreams follow their interpretation. A dream by definition can come true in more than one way. It is still a “future” experience, not yet compromised by entering the world of time. Thus, until an interpretation is offered – whether good or bad – a dream by its very nature must have two possible outcomes. www.aish.com
(חמשה וששה ועשרה סימן): חמשה אחד מששים אלו הן אש דבש ושבת ושינה וחלום אש אחד מששים לגיהנם דבש אחד מששים למן שבת אחד מששים לעולם הבא שינה אחד מששים למיתה חלום אחד מששים לנבואה
The numbers five, six, and ten are mnemonics for the categories to follow. The Gemara says: There are five matters in our world which are one-sixtieth of their most extreme manifestations. They are: Fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep, and a dream. The Gemara elaborates: Our fire is one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehenna; honey is one-sixtieth of manna; Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come; sleep is one-sixtieth of death; and a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.