Upside of the Downside
“You shall be [appointed] over my household, and through your command all my people shall be nourished. Only [with] the throne will I be greater than you." And Paroh said to Yosef, "Look, I have appointed you over the entire land of Egypt." And Paroh removed his ring from his hand and placed it on Yosef's hand, and he attired him [with] raiment of fine linen, and he placed the golden chain around his neck. And he had him ride in his chariot of second rank, and they called out before him, "[This is] the king's patron," appointing him over the entire land of Egypt. And Paroh said to Yosef, "I am Paroh, and besides you, no one may lift his hand or his foot in the entire land of Egypt." And Paroh named Yosef Tzapenat Pa'neach, and he gave him Asenat the daughter of Potifera, the governor of On, for a wife, and Yosef went forth over the land of Egypt.
(Beresheit 41:40-45)[1]
Yosef advances from servant to prime minister These passages describe Yosef’s appointment as Paroh’s prime minister. The Torah’s narrative of Yosef’s story begins in Parshat VaYeshev. Yosef was favored by his father but hated by his brothers. He dreamed that some day he would be the leader of his brothers and that even his father would acknowledge his position within the family. His brothers plotted to put an end to Yosef’s visions of glory and sold him into slavery in Egypt. The Torah describes, in detail, the vicissitudes Yosef experienced in Egypt. He rises from a lowly servant to become the household manager of a powerful and influential officer. He is then thrown into jail. But even in jail he prospers and is appointed to a position of responsibility. Parshat VaYeshev ends with Yosef’s hopes of redemption dashed. In the above passages, suddenly, Yosef experiences a complete reversal of fate and is appointed to a position of authority, second only to Paroh.
Our parasha opens with this final chapter of Yosef’s redemption. Paroh has two disturbing dreams. His advisors cannot provide him with an acceptable interpretation. Paroh’s butler had been imprisoned with Yosef. In prison, Yosef provided the butler with an accurate interpretation of a dream. Yosef told the butler that his dream foretold his release from prison and his reappointment to Paroh’s court. This interpretation was correct, in every detail. The butler relates the incident to Paroh and the king summons Yosef to interpret his dreams.
Yosef tells Paroh that his dreams foretell seven years of plenty to be followed by seven years of terrible famine. The dreams are a forewarning. Paroh is to use the years of plenty to plan and prepare for the famine. Through these preparations Porah can save his land from destruction. Paroh is impressed with Yosef’s ability and wisdom. He appoints Yosef as his prime minister and places the future of Egypt in his hands. Yosef is to supervise the preparation for the famine. During the famine, he will be responsible for the distribution of food.
Yosef’s story is recounted in detail
This is a wonderful and exciting adventure. But why does the Torah provide so much detail? Would it not have been sufficient for the Torah to tell us that Yosef was sold into slavery and to continue with a description of his rescue and appointment as Paroh’s most important minister?
Yosef’s authority in Potifar’s household
In order to understand the purpose and message of this detailed account, some of its elements must be explored and analyzed. As mentioned earlier, Yosef was sold by his brothers into slavery in Egypt. However, he did not long toil as a lowly servant. He was purchased by Potifar – an influential member of Paroh’s household or government. Potifar’s exact position is the subject of debate. According to Rashi, Potifar was in-charge of butchering and providing meat to Paroh’s household.[2] Unkelus disagrees. He suggests that he was Paroh’s executioner. Ramban – Nachmanides – prefers Unkelus’ position.[3] He does not provide an explanation for his preference. However, his reasoning will emerge as we continue our study of Yosef’s story.
Yosef rose to prominence in the household of Potifar. Potifar gave him complete responsibility and authority over the affairs of his estate. Potifar’s wife was attracted to Yosef. She attempted to seduce him. Yosef rejected her advances. Eventually, she attempted to force herself upon him. Yosef fled from her. She accused Yosef of attempting to seduce her. Potifar placed Yosef in jail.
Potifar’s leniency toward Yosef
It is notable that Potifar placed Yosef in jail. This was a tempered response. Yosef was accused of seducing his wife. Yosef was a foreigner and his servant. He was remarkably lenient in his punishment. Ramban offers a number of possible explanations for this response. He suggests that Potifar’s great love and admiration of Yosef may have influenced his decision to spare him. He also suggests that Potifar may have suspected that his wife was not completely truthful in recounting her encounter with Yosef. As result of either or both of these considerations, he spared Yosef. He imprisoned him rather than seeking his death.[4]
The Torah tells us that he placed Yosef in the “beit ha’sohar – the place in which the prisoners of the king were imprisoned.” Ramban explains that Potifar did not place Yosef in the prison housing typical criminals. He placed him in a special prison reserved for prisoners of the king.[5] This nuance of fate had important ramifications. It led to Yosef meeting the king’s butler and his eventual introduction to Paroh.
We can now understand Ramban’s preference for Unkelus’ interpretation of Potifar’s position. According to this interpretation, Potifar was Paroh’s executioner. In this position, he was in-charge of the king’s personal prison. When he was faced with the decision of how to punish Yosef, he had the authority to place him in this special prison. In other words, were Potifar not Paroh’s executioner, he would have handed Yosef over to the appropriate authorities. They would have placed Yosef in a common prison. But because of his position, Potifar had the option of placing Yosef in Paroh’s personal prison.
Setbacks propel Yosef forward
Based on Ramban’s comments, we can address our original question. Why does the Torah describe Yosef’s experiences in such detail? Ramban seems to maintain that every trial and travail Yosef experienced was the seed, or antecedent, to his eventual redemption and ascent to power. Yosef was sold into slavery in Egypt. He was ripped away from is home and his father. Yet, this tragedy was also the foundation for his eventual emergence as one of the most powerful political leaders of his era.
Yosef was condemned to prison for a crime he had not committed. This was another tragedy. But again, this tragedy was a step in his path to power. Potifar placed Yosef in the prison reserved for those imprisoned by the king. This placed Yosef in contact with the individual who would eventually recommend him to Paroh.
Ramban provides another example of an apparent tragedy serving as an antecedent to Yosef’s rise to power. In prison, Yosef interpreted the butler’s dream and foretold his release and reappointment to Paroh’s household. He asked the butler to remember him and, upon his release, to use his influence to rescue him. What measures did Yosef hope would be taken by the butler? Ramban offers a number of possibilities. Perhaps, the butler would recommend him to Paroh as a servant. Perhaps, the butler would ask Paroh to allow him to take Yosef as his own servant.[6] Yosef did not have lofty aspirations. He only hoped to be freed from prison and restored to servitude. However, the butler forgot about Yosef and did not make any effort to free him from prison. Again, Yosef experienced a tragedy.
Yet, this tragedy led directly to his ascent to power. Our parasha opens with Paroh dreaming two disturbing dreams. He does not receive an acceptable interpretation of these dreams. Now, the butler remembers Yosef and his uncanny skill in interpreting dreams. He recommends him to Paroh at this crucial moment. Yosef’s interpretation of these dreams leads to his appointment as Paroh’s minister.
In summary, according to Ramban, each calamity experienced by Yosef was also the seed, or antecedent, to Yosef’s redemption and rise to power. These tragedies did not represent Hashem’s abandonment of Yosef. Each was a step in a complicated series of events leading to Yosef’s ascent to prominence. Each of these misfortunes seemed to indicate that Hashem had abandoned Yosef. But within the overall design of Hashem’s providence, each served a role in bringing about Yosef’s emergence as a powerful leader and as savior of Bnai Yisrael.
[1] Originally printed as Thoughts 5767. Reprinted with minor revisions.
[2] Rabbaynu Shlomo ben Yitzchak (Rashi), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 37:36.
[3] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 37:36.
[4] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 39:19.
[5] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 39:20.
[6] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Nachman (Ramban / Nachmanides), Commentary on Sefer Beresheit 40:14.