Family Parshah
Vayeishev Q & A

"The butler of the king of Egypt and the baker sinned against their lord the king of Egypt." (40:1)

Question: It seems strange that the baker and the butler should both sin against Pharaoh at the same time. Moreover, a fly in a cup of wine which is placed on the king's hand is much more disgusting than a pebble in a slice of bread in the basket. Why, then, was the baker punished more harshly than the butler?

Answer: The butler and the baker both worked for Pharaoh and hated each other. Once, they got into a fight and each one thought of a vicious plan to get the other one into serious trouble with the king. When the butler was not watching, the baker put a fly into Pharaoh's cup of wine. When the baker was off guard, the butler put a pebble into dough from which bread was to be baked for Pharaoh.

To drag the king into their personal quarrel and use him as a means to gain vengeance against each other was a very serious offense. Moreover, since the baker's act would actually have had a worse effect on Pharaoh, he was the one put to death.

"The butler was returned to his position, and the baker was hung in accordance with Joseph's interpretation." (40:22-23)

Question: What clue in their dreams led Joseph to this interpretation?

Answer: Joseph carefully studied their words. The butler said, "The cup of Pharaoh was in my hand; I took the grapes; I squeezed them; I placed the cup on Pharaoh's palm" (40:11). Joseph saw that the butler dreamt about doing things. Since one can only do things if he is alive, Joseph saw in his dream a sign of life.

"The butler did not remember Joseph, and he forgot him." (40:23)

Question: If he did not remember him, obviously he forgot him! Why the two expressions of forgetting: "did not remember" and "forgot him"?

Answer: Joseph originally asked the butler to mention him to Pharaoh. The ungrateful butler, whose life was saved through Joseph's interpretation, did not return the favor to Joseph.

In addition, the Torah tells us that Joseph immediately regretted asking the butler to do him a favor. He forgot about the butler entirely and put all his faith in G-d. Thus, each one forgot about the other.