Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 40

1Soon after Joseph became the subject of everyone’s conversations, the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker offended their master, the king of Egypt.   אוַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה חָֽטְא֛וּ מַשְׁקֵ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְהָֽאֹפֶ֑ה לַֽאֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֖ם לְמֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרָֽיִם:
אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה - (lit.) After these words. Because this accursed woman (Potiphar’s wife) made the righteous Joseph a common subject for people’s denigrating talk, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought about the lapses of these men so that people would turn their attention to them and not to him, and also so that relief come to the righteous one through them.   אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה.  לְפִי שֶׁהִרְגִּילָה אוֹתָהּ אֲרוּרָה אֶת הַצַּדִּיק בְּפִי כֻלָּם לְדַבֵּר בּוֹ וּלְגַנּוֹתוֹ, הֵבִיא לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא סֻרְחָנָם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ, שֶׁיִּפְנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא אֵלָיו, וְעוֹד שֶׁתָּבֹא הָרְוָחָה לַצַּדִּיק עַל יְדֵיהֶם:
חָֽטְאוּ - Offended. In the case of one, a fly was found in his goblet of spiced wine for Pharaoh, and in the case of the other, a pebble was found in his loaf of bread.   חָֽטְאוּ.  זֶה נִמְצָא זְבוּב בְּפַיְילִי פּוֹטֵירִין שֶׁלּוֹ, וְזֶה נִמְצָא צְרוֹר בִּגְלוּסְקִין שֶׁלּוֹ:
וְהָֽאֹפֶה - And the baker - of the king’s bread. The term אֲפִיָּה is used only with reference to the baking of bread, and a bread-baker in Old French is “pistor.”   וְהָֽאֹפֶה.  אֶת פַּת הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְאֵין לְשׁוֹן אֲפִיָּה אֶלָּא בְּפַת, וּבְלַעַז פישטו"ר:
2Pharaoh was incensed with his two courtiers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,   בוַיִּקְצֹ֣ף פַּרְעֹ֔ה עַ֖ל שְׁנֵ֣י סָֽרִיסָ֑יו עַ֚ל שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים וְעַ֖ל שַׂ֥ר הָֽאוֹפִֽים:
3and he had them imprisoned in the prison adjoining the house of the chief butcher, which was the same prison in which Joseph was incarcerated.   גוַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתָ֜ם בְּמִשְׁמַ֗ר בֵּ֛ית שַׂ֥ר הַטַּבָּחִ֖ים אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֑הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אָס֥וּר שָֽׁם:
4The chief butcher assigned Joseph to be in charge of them, so he attended them. They were in prison for a year.   דוַ֠יִּפְקֹ֠ד שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֧ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֛ף אִתָּ֖ם וַיְשָׁ֣רֶת אֹתָ֑ם וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ יָמִ֖ים בְּמִשְׁמָֽר:
וַיִּפְקֹד שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים אֶת־יוֹסֵף - The chief butcher assigned Joseph - to be with them.   וַיִּפְקֹד שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים אֶת־יוֹסֵף.  לִהְיוֹת אִתָּם:
וַיִּֽהְיוּ יָמִים בְּמִשְׁמָֽר - They were in prison for (lit.) days - i.e., twelve months.   וַיִּֽהְיוּ יָמִים בְּמִשְׁמָֽר.  שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ:
5One night, the two of them—the Egyptian king’s cupbearer and baker who were confined in the prison—each had a dream that accorded with its interpretation.   הוַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩ חֲל֨וֹם שְׁנֵיהֶ֜ם אִ֤ישׁ חֲלֹמוֹ֙ בְּלַ֣יְלָה אֶחָ֔ד אִ֖ישׁ כְּפִתְר֣וֹן חֲלֹמ֑וֹ הַמַּשְׁקֶ֣ה וְהָֽאֹפֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲסוּרִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר:
וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ חֲלוֹם שְׁנֵיהֶם - (lit.) They had a dream, the two of them - means “The two of them had a dream.” That is the straightforward meaning of this phrase. But its Midrashic explanation is: Each one dreamed the dream of both of them (חֲלוֹם שְׁנֵיהֶם), i.e., his own dream and the interpretation of his companion’s dream. And this is what is meant when it says: “The chief baker saw that Joseph had interpreted well.”1   וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ חֲלוֹם שְׁנֵיהֶם.  וַיַּחַלְמוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם חֲלוֹם, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ, וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ כָּל א' חָלַם חֲלוֹם שְׁנֵיהֶם – שֶׁחָלַם אֶת חֲלוֹמוֹ וּפִתְרוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּרְא שַׂר הָאֹפִים כִּי טוֹב פָּתָר:
אִישׁ כְּפִתְרוֹן חלומו - means: each one dreamed a dream that resembled the interpretation which foretold what would happen to them in the future.   אִישׁ כְּפִתְרוֹן חלומו.  כָּל אֶחָד חָלַם חֲלוֹם הַדּוֹמֶה לְפִתְרוֹן הֶעָתִיד לָבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם:
6When Joseph came to them in the morning, it was clear that they were in a melancholy mood.   ווַיָּבֹ֧א אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיַּ֣רְא אֹתָ֔ם וְהִנָּ֖ם זֹֽעֲפִֽים:
זֹֽעֲפִֽים - means “depressed,” as in: “sullen and depressed (וְזָעֵף)”;2 and: “I will bear the displeasure (זַעַף) of God.”3   זֹֽעֲפִֽים.  עֲצֵבִים כְּמוֹ סַר וְזָעֵף (מלכים א כ'), זַעַף ה' אֶשָּׂא (מיכה ז'):
7He asked Pharaoh’s courtiers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why are your faces so downcast today?”   זוַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־סְרִיסֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אִתּ֧וֹ בְמִשְׁמַ֛ר בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּ֛וּעַ פְּנֵיכֶ֥ם רָעִ֖ים הַיּֽוֹם:
8They answered him, “We each had a dream, but there is no one to interpret it.” So Joseph said to them, “Surely interpretations belong to God! Please tell me your dreams.”   חוַיֹּֽאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְנוּ וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא לֵֽאלֹהִים֙ פִּתְרֹנִ֔ים סַפְּרוּ־נָ֖א לִֽי:
9The cupbearer related his dream to Joseph. He said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me.   טוַיְסַפֵּ֧ר שַׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־חֲלֹמ֖וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ בַּֽחֲלוֹמִ֕י וְהִנֵּה־גֶ֖פֶן לְפָנָֽי:
10And on the vine there were three branches. It seemed to be budding, then it blossomed, and its clusters ripened into grapes.   יוּבַגֶּ֖פֶן שְׁלשָׁ֣ה שָֽׂרִיגִ֑ם וְהִ֤וא כְפֹרַ֨חַת֙ עָֽלְתָ֣ה נִצָּ֔הּ הִבְשִׁ֥ילוּ אַשְׁכְּלֹתֶ֖יהָ עֲנָבִֽים:
שָֽׂרִיגִם - means long branches, which are called “vidiz” in Old French.   שָֽׂרִיגִם.  זְמוֹרוֹת אֲרוּכוֹת, שֶׁקּוֹרִין ווידי"ץ בְּלַעַז:
וְהִוא כְפֹרַחַת - means “it was similar to blossoming,” - i.e., וְהִוא כְפֹרַחַת means: it appeared to me in my dream as if it were blossoming, and then after the flower fell off, it budded and formed into small unripe grapes – “espanir” in Old French – and afterwards they ripened. וְהִיא כַד אַפְרַחַת אַפֵּיקַת לַבְלְבִין “and when it blossomed it brought forth flowers” is all Onkelos’ translation of וְהִוא כְפֹרַחַת. נֵץ “a bud” of a fruit is a more advanced stage than פֶּרַח “a blossom,” as it is written: “after the blossom (פֶּרַח) falls and the bud (נִצָּהּ) becomes a ripening grape”;4 and as it is written: “It produced blossoms (פֶרַח)” – and afterwards – “it sprouted buds (צִיץ).”5   וְהִוא כְפֹרַחַת.  דּוֹמֶה לְפוֹרַחַת וְהִיא כְפוֹרַחַת – נִדְמָה לִי בַּחֲלוֹמִי כְאִלּוּ הִיא פוֹרַחַת, וְאַחַר הַפֶּרַח עָלְתָה נִצָּה, וְנַעֲשׂוּ סְמָדַר, אשפנ"יר בְּלַעַז, וְאַחַר כָּךְ הִבְשִׁילוּ, וְהִיא כַּד אַפְרַחַת אַפֵּקַת לַבְלְבִין עַד כָּאן תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל פּוֹרַחַת נֵץ גָּדוֹל מִפֶּרַח כְּדִכְתִיב וּבֹסֶר גֹּמֵל יִהְיֶה נִצָּה (ישעיהו י"ח), וּכְתִיב וַיֹּצֵא פֶרַח, וַהֲדַר וַיָּצֵץ צִיץ (במדבר י"ז):
11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand. I took the grapes and squeezed their juice into Pharaoh’s cup; then I placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”   יאוְכ֥וֹס פַּרְעֹ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וָֽאֶקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָֽעֲנָבִ֗ים וָֽאֶשְׂחַ֤ט אֹתָם֙ אֶל־כּ֣וֹס פַּרְעֹ֔ה וָֽאֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה:
וָֽאֶשְׂחַט - its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וַעֲצָרִית “and I squeezed.” There are many examples of this word in Mishnaic Hebrew.   וָֽאֶשְׂחַט.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וַעֲצָרִית, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה:
12Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: The three branches symbolize three days.   יבוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁל֨שֶׁת֙ הַשָּׂ֣רִגִ֔ים שְׁל֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם:
שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים הֵֽם - (lit.) Are three days - i.e., they are a symbol for you for three days. There are also many aggadic explanations of this verse.   שְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים הֵֽם.  סִימָן הֵם לְךָ לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, וְיֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה הַרְבֵּה (חולין צ"ב):
13In three days’ time, Pharaoh will take due account of you and restore you to your position. You will place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you served him his drinks.   יגבְּע֣וֹד | שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ אֶת־רֹאשֶׁ֔ךָ וַֽהֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֖ עַל־כַּנֶּ֑ךָ וְנָֽתַתָּ֤ כוֹס־פַּרְעֹה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיִ֖יתָ מַשְׁקֵֽהוּ:
יִשָּׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת־רֹאשֶׁךָ - Pharaoh will (lit.) raise your head. This has the sense of counting; i.e., when he takes note of his other servants to attend to him at the meal, he will count you among them.   יִשָּׂא פַרְעֹה אֶת־רֹאשֶׁךָ.  לְ' חֶשְׁבּוֹן, כְּשֶׁיִּפְקֹד שְׁאָר עֲבָדָיו לְשָׁרֵת לְפָנָיו בַּסְּעוּדָה, יִמְנֶה אוֹתְךָ עִמָּהֶם:
כַּנֶּךָ - means “your post and your position.”   כַּנֶּךָ.  בָּסִיס שֶׁלְּךָ וּמוֹשָׁבְךָ:
14So if you keep me in mind when things go well for you, please do me the kindness of mentioning me to Pharaoh, and thus you will get me out of this prison-building.   ידכִּ֧י אִם־זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי אִתְּךָ֗ כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּ֥א עִמָּדִ֖י חָ֑סֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֨נִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהֽוֹצֵאתַ֖נִי מִן־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה:
כִּי אִם־זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ - means “You will have influence at court, such that if you remember me, taking your memory of me with you” after things go well with you in accordance with my interpretation,   כִּי אִם־זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ.  אֲשֶׁר אִם זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁיִּיטַב לְךָ כְּפִתְרוֹנִי:
וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּא עִמָּדִי חָסֶד - please do me the kindness. The word נָּא is here as an expression of request – “you would be doing me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh.”   וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּא עִמָּדִי חָסֶד.  אֵין נָא אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה:
15For in fact I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here, too, I did nothing to warrant them putting me in the dungeon.”   טוכִּֽי־גֻנֹּ֣ב גֻּנַּ֔בְתִּי מֵאֶ֖רֶץ הָֽעִבְרִ֑ים וְגַם־פֹּה֙ לֹֽא־עָשִׂ֣יתִי מְא֔וּמָה כִּֽי־שָׂמ֥וּ אֹתִ֖י בַּבּֽוֹר:
16When the chief baker saw that Joseph had interpreted well, he said to Joseph, “In my dream, likewise, there were three wicker baskets on my head.   טזוַיַּ֥רְא שַׂר־הָֽאֹפִ֖ים כִּ֣י ט֣וֹב פָּתָ֑ר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַף־אֲנִי֙ בַּֽחֲלוֹמִ֔י וְהִנֵּ֗ה שְׁלשָׁ֛ה סַלֵּ֥י חֹרִ֖י עַל־רֹאשִֽׁי:
סַלֵּי חורי - means “baskets made from peeled reeds made in such a way that they have many holes (חוֹרִין חוֹרִין).” In our country there are many, and it is common for sellers of bread rolls, called “oblies” in Old French, to put them in such baskets.   סַלֵּי חורי.  סַלִּים שֶׁל נְצָרִים קְלוּפִים חוֹרִין חוֹרִין, וּבִמְקוֹמֵנוּ יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה, וְדֶרֶךְ מוֹכְרֵי פַת כִּסָּנִין, שֶׁקּוֹרִין אובל"יש בְּלַעַז, לְתִתָּם בְּאוֹתָם סַלִּים:
17In the top basket there were all kinds of baked goods that Pharaoh eats, and birds were eating them from the basket above my head.”   יזוּבַסַּ֣ל הָֽעֶלְי֗וֹן מִכֹּ֛ל מַֽאֲכַ֥ל פַּרְעֹ֖ה מַֽעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹפֶ֑ה וְהָע֗וֹף אֹכֵ֥ל אֹתָ֛ם מִן־הַסַּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשִֽׁי:
18Joseph replied as follows, “This is its interpretation: The three baskets symbolize three days.   יחוַיַּ֤עַן יוֹסֵף֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁל֨שֶׁת֙ הַסַּלִּ֔ים שְׁל֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם:
19In three days’ time, Pharaoh will decapitate you and hang your corpse on a gallows, and the birds will eat your flesh.”   יטבְּע֣וֹד | שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֨א פַרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־רֹֽאשְׁךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְתָלָ֥ה אֽוֹתְךָ֖ עַל־עֵ֑ץ וְאָכַ֥ל הָע֛וֹף אֶת־בְּשָֽׂרְךָ֖ מֵֽעָלֶֽיךָ:
20On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he held a feast for all his servants, and counted the chief cupbearer and the chief baker among his servants.   כוַיְהִ֣י | בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י י֚וֹם הֻלֶּ֣דֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכָל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ | שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֗ים וְאֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ שַׂ֥ר הָֽאֹפִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲבָדָֽיו:
יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹה - means the day of Pharaoh’s birth, known as “Genossia Day” in Greek. The reason the word used is הֻלֶּדֶת (hof’al – passive causative) is because a baby is born only with the assistance of others, for the midwife aids the woman to give birth. The midwife is therefore called מְיַלֶּדֶת (pi’el) – “one who causes birth.” Similarly we find: “and your birth, on the day you were delivered (הוּלֶּדֶת אוֹתָךְ)”;6 and similarly: “after the lesion has been washed (הֻכַּבֵּס)”7 – for its washing is done by others.   יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹה.  יוֹם לֵידָתוֹ, וְקוֹרִין לוֹ יוֹם גֵּינוּסְיָא. וּלְשׁוֹן הֻלֶּדֶת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין הַוָּלָד נוֹצָר אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים, שֶׁהַחַיָּה מְיַלֶּדֶת אֶת הָאִשָּׁה, וְעַל כֵּן הַחַיָּה נִקְרֵאת מְיַלֶּדֶת, וְכֵן וּמוֹלְדוֹתַיִךְ בְּיוֹם הוּלֶּדֶת אוֹתָךְ (יחזקאל ט"ז) וְכֵן אַחֲרֵי הֻכַּבֵּס אֶת הַנֶּגַע (ויקרא י"ג), שֶׁכִּבּוּסוֹ עַל יְדֵי אֲחֵרִים:
וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת־רֹאשׁ וגו' - means “he counted them among his other servants,” for he was counting those who would serve him at his meal and took note of these among them. This phrase is similar to שְׂאוּ אֶת רֹאשׁ “take a census”;8 i.e., an expression of counting.   וַיִּשָּׂא אֶת־רֹאשׁ וגו'.  מְנָאָם עִם שְׁאָר עֲבָדָיו, שֶׁהָיָה מוֹנֶה הַמְּשָׁרְתִים שֶׁיְּשָׁרְתוּ לוֹ בִּסְעוּדָתוֹ וְזָכַר אֶת אֵלּוּ בְתוֹכָם, כְּמוֹ שְׂאוּ אֶת רֹאשׁ (במדבר א'), לְשׁוֹן מִנְיָן:
21He restored the chief cupbearer to his position of serving drinks, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.   כאוַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־שַׂ֥ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֖ים עַל־מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה:
22The chief baker, however, he hanged, just as Joseph had interpreted for them.   כבוְאֵ֛ת שַׂ֥ר הָֽאֹפִ֖ים תָּלָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּתַ֛ר לָהֶ֖ם יוֹסֵֽף:
23The chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot about him.   כגוְלֹֽא־זָכַ֧ר שַׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ:
וְלֹֽא־זָכַר שַׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִים - The chief cupbearer did not remember [Joseph] - on that day   וְלֹֽא־זָכַר שַׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִים.  בּוֹ בַיּוֹם:
וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ - And forgot him. afterwards. Because Joseph had placed his sole dependence on him to remember him, Joseph needed to remain imprisoned for another two years, as it says: “Happy is the man who places his trust in God and does not turn to the arrogant (רְהָבִים),”9 i.e., and he does not place his trust in the Egyptians, who are called רַהַב “arrogant.”10   וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ.  לְאַחַר מִכָּאן. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁתָּלָה בוֹ יוֹסֵף לְזָכְרוֹ, הֻזְקַק לִהְיוֹת אָסוּר שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַשְׁרֵי הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר שָׂם ה' מִבְטַחוֹ וְלֹא פָנָה אֶל רְהָבִים (תהילים מ') – וְלֹא בָטַח עַל מִצְרִים, הַקְּרוּיִים רַהַב: