Parashat Miketz

Parashat Miketz
Kislev 28, 5772 ~ December 24, 2011
by Kirsten Barrere

This Torah portion is a story of Trust between peoples - How to have trust, when to have trust, how to determine if someone is trustworthy. First a synapsis of the story.

Joseph is taken from prison before the Pharaoh, to see if he can interpret two of Pharaoh’s dreams. Joseph tells Pharaoh that “it is beyond me (to interpret dreams); it is God Who will respond with Pharaoh’s welfare, (that is that God provides me the words to interpret dreams).”

Pharaoh then describes his dreams to Joseph. Briefly, Pharaoh dreamt of seven fat cows which ate in a field. These fat cows were joined by seven lean, scrawny cows which ate the fat cows, yet remained scrawny. Pharaoh continues: then I dreamed of seven ears of grain growing on a stalk, beautiful and full. They were followed by seven ears of grain, withered, thin growing after them. The thin ears swallowed up the good ears. I have asked the necromancers, but they could not explain the dreams to me.

Joseph explains the dreams as one, as Kel Shakai describing through the medium of dreams what will occur in the future. Joseph states that the seven fat cows and the seven full ears of grain are representative of seven years of plenty. Likewise the seven scrawny cows and the seven ears of withered grain represent seven years of famine. Further Joseph states that because Pharaoh has had essentially the same dream twice, the matter indicates the immediacy of God’s plan.

After interpreting the dreams for Pharaoh, Joseph goes further and offers his advice as to how Pharaoh and his government should respond to the events that will unfold, in order that “the land will not perish in the famine.” According to Ramban, Joseph offered his advice because it was part of the Divine message in the dreams. And Rabbi Munk writes that Joseph’s advice was so relevant and wise that Pharaoh was enormously impressed.

The text goes on to describe how Pharaoh appointed Joseph to be his Minister, and the steps that Joseph took to save grain for the forthcoming famine, which would be wide spread.

As the famine deepened the text switches to Jacob and his family. Jacob sends his sons down to Egypt to purchase grain. Joseph recognizes his brothers. They did not recognize him. Joseph first accuses the brothers of being spies. As such he imprisons them all, eventually admonishing his brothers to return without their youngest brother. Meanwhile he would hold Simeon in prison. The other nine brothers leave with the grain they buy to return to Canaan. During their journey they discover their money returned to them. They repeat to Jacob all that befell them in Egypt. Eventually the brothers must return to Egypt to purchase more grain. The brothers and Jacob discuss what it will mean to bring Benjamin to Egypt. Eventually Jacob permits Benjamin to accompany his other brothers to Egypt, and Jacob prays that Kel Shakai grant you mercy before that man, which he release Simeon and Benjamin.

But Joseph acts to have it appear that Benjamin has stolen a cup from him. The brothers leave Egypt unaware of Joseph’s trick. Joseph sends his servants after the brothers to confront them. The stolen cup is found in Benjamin’s sack and everyone returns to Joseph’s house. Judah speaks up for the all the brothers saying: God has uncovered our sin (our earlier sin against a brother) and so now we all will stay to be your slaves. Joseph tells the brothers that Benjamin alone must stay as a slave and the rest of you should return to your father.

To get back to the matter of Trust. Within this Torah portion, we have Pharaoh trusting Joseph, a non-Egyptian, a slave who was imprisoned to be his minister over grains. How is that possible? Looking into Pirkei Avot Pharaoh seems to be following the advice of Yose ben Yoezer, (Mishnah 1.4): “Let your residence be in the meeting place of sages; follow in the dust of their feet; and drink in their words thirstily.” Pharaoh brought Joseph (a wise man) up from prison and brought him to his residence, and he listened to Joseph’s words of wisdom. He recognized that Joseph gave him a true interpretation of the dreams and that by following Joseph’s advice all would be well for Egypt. And all did go well for Egypt. As the famine deepened, Egypt had sufficient food, enough that people from other nations came to Egypt to purchase food.

For Jacob a different trust is needed. He needed to trust that his sons could protect his son Benjamin, even though prior experience had “proved” that they were unable or unwilling able to do so. Joshua ben Perahyah is quoted in Mishnah 1.6 of Pirkei Avot: “Set up a master for yourself. And get yourself a companion-disciple. And give everybody the benefit of the doubt (sometimes translated as meritoriously).” Although Jacob “lost” his son Joseph when Joseph went to find his brothers, and although Jacob “lost” Simeon the first time that the brothers traveled to Egypt to purchase food, Jacob “finds” enough trust to send Benjamin with the brothers when they travel back to Egypt to purchase more food. He extends to his sons the benefit of doubt - that they will conduct themselves meritoriously when they once again travel to Egypt. And that therefore they will protect his beloved child – Benjamin.

Joseph’s actions too seem to follow a Mishnah from Pirkei Avot as he wrestles with trusting that his brothers have changed since they sold him into slavery. Shimon ben Shatach says (Mishnah 1.9) “Interrogate the witnesses extensively and be cautious with your words, lest they learn to lie.”

Joseph not only interrogates the brothers when they first come before him to purchase food, he also tests their integrity. He challenges them as spies and therefore can ask detailed questions as to who they are and from whence they came. To test their integrity he has a chalice hidden in Benjamin’s sack of grain. Then he confronts the brothers with Benjamin’s crime and orders that Benjamin must remain in Egypt as a slave. By this ruse, Joseph will learn whether and how the brothers deal with adversity and if they have grown morally since they put him in a pit and sold him into slavery.

Shabbat Shalom.