Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 41

15And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter for it, but I have heard it said of you [that] you understand a dream, to interpret it."   טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְתִּי וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַֽאֲנִ֗י שָׁמַ֤עְתִּי עָלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תִּשְׁמַ֥ע חֲל֖וֹם לִפְתֹּ֥ר אֹתֽוֹ:
you understand a dream, to interpret it Heb. תִּשְׁמַע. You listen to and understand a dream, to interpret it.   תִּשְׁמַע חֲלוֹם לִפְתֹּר אֹתוֹ  תַּאֲזִין וְתָבִין חֲלוֹם לִפְתֹּר אוֹתוֹ:
you understand Heb. תִּשְׁמַע. An expression of understanding and listening, similar to “Joseph understood (שֹׁמֵעַ)” (Gen. 42:23); and “whose language you will not understand (תִּשְׁמַע)” (Deut. 28:49), antandras in Old French, you understand.   תִּשְׁמַע  לְשׁוֹן הֲבָנָה וְהַאֲזָנָה, כְּמוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ יוֹסֵף, אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִשְׁמַע לְשֹׁנוֹ, אנטינ"דרא בְּלַעַז:
16And Joseph replied to Pharaoh, saying, "Not I; God will give an answer [that will bring] peace to Pharaoh."   טזוַיַּ֨עַן יוֹסֵ֧ף אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֛ה לֵאמֹ֖ר בִּלְעָדָ֑י אֱלֹהִ֕ים יַֽעֲנֶ֖ה אֶת־שְׁל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹֽה:
Not I Heb. בִּלְעָדָי. The wisdom is not mine, but God will answer. He will put an answer into my mouth that will bring peace to Pharaoh. — [from Targum Onkelos]   בִּלְעָדָי  אֵין הַחָכְמָה מִשֶּׁלִּי, אֶלָּא אֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶה – יִתֵּן עֲנִיָּה בְּפִי – לִשְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה:
17And Pharaoh said to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile.   יזוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף בַּֽחֲלֹמִ֕י הִנְנִ֥י עֹמֵ֖ד עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר:
18And behold, seven cows of robust flesh and handsome form were ascending from the Nile, and they pastured in the marshland.   יחוְהִנֵּ֣ה מִן־הַיְאֹ֗ר עֹלֹת֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פָּר֔וֹת בְּרִיא֥וֹת בָּשָׂ֖ר וִיפֹ֣ת תֹּ֑אַר וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה בָּאָֽחוּ:
19And behold, seven other cows were ascending after them, emaciated and of very ugly form and with meager flesh; I have not seen such ugly ones throughout the entire land of Egypt.   יטוְהִנֵּ֞ה שֶֽׁבַע־פָּר֤וֹת אֲחֵרוֹת֙ עֹל֣וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן דַּלּ֨וֹת וְרָע֥וֹת תֹּ֛אַר מְאֹ֖ד וְרַקּ֣וֹת בָּשָׂ֑ר לֹֽא־רָאִ֧יתִי כָהֵ֛נָּה בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לָרֹֽעַ:
emaciated Heb. דַלוֹת similar to “Why are you becoming so thin (דַל)” (II Sam. 13:4), referring to Amnon.   דַּלּוֹת  כְּחוּשׁוֹת, כְּמוֹ מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה כָּכָה דַּל, דְּאַמְנוֹן (שמואל ב י"ג):
and with meager flesh Heb. וְרַקוֹת בָּשָׂר Every expression of רַקוֹת in Scripture means “lacking flesh,” and in Old French [it is] bloses, deprived (deficient).   וְרַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר  כָּל לְשׁוֹן רַקּוֹת שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא חַסְרֵי בָשָׂר, וּבְלַעַז בלוא"ש:
20And the meager and ugly cows devoured the first seven healthy cows.   כוַתֹּאכַ֨לְנָה֙ הַפָּר֔וֹת הָֽרַקּ֖וֹת וְהָֽרָע֑וֹת אֵ֣ת שֶׁ֧בַע הַפָּר֛וֹת הָרִֽאשֹׁנ֖וֹת הַבְּרִיאֹֽת:
21And they went inside them, but it was not known that they had gone inside of them, for their appearance was as ugly as in the beginning; then I awoke.   כאוַתָּבֹ֣אנָה אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֗נָה וְלֹ֤א נוֹדַע֙ כִּי־בָ֣אוּ אֶל־קִרְבֶּ֔נָה וּמַרְאֵיהֶ֣ן רַ֔ע כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר בַּתְּחִלָּ֑ה וָֽאִיקָֽץ:
22Then I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears of grain were growing on one stalk, full and good.   כבוָאֵ֖רֶא בַּֽחֲלֹמִ֑י וְהִנֵּ֣ה | שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹלֹ֛ת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד מְלֵאֹ֥ת וְטֹבֽוֹת:
23And behold, seven ears of grain, hardened, thin, and beaten by the east wind, were growing up after them.   כגוְהִנֵּה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֔ים צְנֻמ֥וֹת דַּקּ֖וֹת שְׁדֻפ֣וֹת קָדִ֑ים צֹֽמְח֖וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽם:
hardened Heb. צְנֻמוֹת. [The word] צוּנְמָא in Aramaic means “rock.” They were like wood, without moisture and hard as a rock. The Targum (Onkelos) renders: נָצָן לַקְיָן נָצָן means that nothing was left but the [withered] blossom (הַנֵץ) because they were emptied out of seed. [לַקְיָן means “beaten.”]   צְנֻמוֹת  צוּנְמָא בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי סֶלַע, הֲרֵי הֵן כְּעֵץ בְּלִי לִחְלוּחַ וְקָשׁוֹת כְּסֶלַע, וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ נָצָן לָקְיָן, נָצָן – אֵין בָּהֶם אֶלָּא הַנֵּץ, לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְרוֹקְנוּ מִן הַזֶּרַע:
24And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven good ears of grain; I told the necromancers, but no one tells me [its meaning]."   כדוַתִּבְלַ֨עְןָ֙ הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֣ים הַדַּקֹּ֔ת אֵ֛ת שֶׁ֥בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֖ים הַטֹּב֑וֹת וָֽאֹמַר֙ אֶל־הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין מַגִּ֖יד לִֽי:
25And Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dream is one; what God is doing He has told Pharaoh.   כהוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יוֹסֵף֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה חֲל֥וֹם פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶחָ֣ד ה֑וּא אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים עֹשֶׂ֖ה הִגִּ֥יד לְפַרְעֹֽה:
26The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears of grain are seven years; it is one dream.   כושֶׁ֧בַע פָּרֹ֣ת הַטֹּבֹ֗ת שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה וְשֶׁ֤בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִים֙ הַטֹּבֹ֔ת שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים הֵ֑נָּה חֲל֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד הֽוּא:
seven years and…seven years All of them are only [a single period of] seven. The reason the dream was repeated twice is that the matter [the good years] is ready, as he explained to him at the end. “And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharaoh twice-that is because the matter is ready…” (verse 32). In connection with the seven good years it says, “He has told Pharaoh” (verse 25), because it was near, but in connection with the seven years of famine, it says, “He has shown Pharaoh” (verse 28). Since the matter was distant and far off, an expression of “showing a vision” is appropriate.   שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים וְשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים  כֻּלָּן אֵינָן אֶלָּא שֶׁבַע, וַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁנָה הַחֲלוֹם פַּעֲמַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהַדָּבָר מְזֻמָּן כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ בַּסּוֹף ועל השנות החלום וגו' בְּשֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הַטּוֹבוֹת נֶאֱמַר הגיד לפרעה לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה סָמוּךְ וּבְשֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי רָעָב נֶאֱמַר הראה את פרעה, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה הַדָּבָר מֻפְלָג וְרָחוֹק, נוֹפֵל בּוֹ לְשׁוֹן מַרְאֶה:
27And the seven meager and ugly cows coming up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears of grain, beaten by the east wind, will be seven years of famine.   כזוְשֶׁ֣בַע הַ֠פָּר֠וֹת הָֽרַקּ֨וֹת וְהָֽרָעֹ֜ת הָֽעֹלֹ֣ת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֗ן שֶׁ֤בַע שָׁנִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה וְשֶׁ֤בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִים֙ הָֽרֵק֔וֹת שְׁדֻפ֖וֹת הַקָּדִ֑ים יִֽהְי֕וּ שֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֥י רָעָֽב:
28It is this matter that I have spoken to Pharaoh; what God is about to do He has shown Pharaoh.   כחה֣וּא הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים עֹשֶׂ֖ה הֶרְאָ֥ה אֶת־פַּרְעֹֽה:
29Behold, seven years are coming, great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.   כטהִנֵּ֛ה שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים בָּא֑וֹת שָׂבָ֥ע גָּד֖וֹל בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
30And seven years of famine will arise after them, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will destroy the land.   לוְ֠קָ֠מוּ שֶׁ֨בַע שְׁנֵ֤י רָעָב֙ אַֽחֲרֵיהֶ֔ן וְנִשְׁכַּ֥ח כָּל־הַשָּׂבָ֖ע בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְכִלָּ֥ה הָֽרָעָ֖ב אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ:
and all the plenty will be forgotten This is the interpretation of the swallowing.   וְנִשְׁכַּח כָּל־הַשָּׂבָע  הוּא פִתְרוֹן הַבְּלִיעָה:
31And the plenty will not be known because of that famine to follow, for it [will be] very severe.   לאוְלֹֽא־יִוָּדַ֤ע הַשָּׂבָע֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֛י הָֽרָעָ֥ב הַה֖וּא אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֑ן כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד ה֖וּא מְאֹֽד:
And the plenty will not be known This is the interpretation of “but it was not known that they had gone inside them” (verse 21).   וְלֹֽא־יִוָּדַע הַשָּׂבָע  הוּא פִּתְרוֹן "ולא נודע כי באו אל קרבנה":
32And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharaoh twice that is because the matter is ready [to emanate] from God, and God is hastening to execute it.   לבוְעַ֨ל הִשָּׁנ֧וֹת הַֽחֲל֛וֹם אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה פַּֽעֲמָ֑יִם כִּֽי־נָכ֤וֹן הַדָּבָר֙ מֵעִ֣ם הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּמְמַהֵ֥ר הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽעֲשׂתֽוֹ:
ready- Heb. נָכוֹן, ready.   נָכוֹן  מְזֻמָּן:
33So now, let Pharaoh seek out an understanding and wise man and appoint him over the land of Egypt.   לגוְעַתָּה֙ יֵרֶ֣א פַרְעֹ֔ה אִ֖ישׁ נָב֣וֹן וְחָכָ֑ם וִֽישִׁיתֵ֖הוּ עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
34Let Pharaoh do [this] and appoint officials over the land and prepare the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty.   לדיַֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה פַרְעֹ֔ה וְיַפְקֵ֥ד פְּקִדִ֖ים עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְחִמֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּשֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֥י הַשָּׂבָֽע:
and prepare Heb. וְחִמֵשׁ, as the Targum renders: וִיזָרֵז, and he shall prepare, and similarly, “and prepared (וַחֲמוּשִׁים)” (Exod. 13:18).   וְחִמֵּשׁ  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וִיזָרְזוּן; וְכֵן וַחֲמֻשִׁים (שמות י"ג):
35And let them collect all the food of these coming good years, and let them gather the grain under Pharaoh's hand, food in the cities, and keep it.   להוְיִקְבְּצ֗וּ אֶת־כָּל־אֹ֨כֶל֙ הַשָּׁנִ֣ים הַטֹּב֔וֹת הַבָּאֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑לֶּה וְיִצְבְּרוּ־בָ֞ר תַּ֧חַת יַד־פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֹ֥כֶל בֶּֽעָרִ֖ים וְשָׁמָֽרוּ:
all the food Heb. אֹכֶל. This is a noun; therefore, its accent is on the “aleph,” and it is vowelized with a“pattach katan,” but אוֹכֵל, which is a verb, e.g., “for whoever eats (אֹכֵל) fat” (Lev. 7:25), is accented on the final syllable, on the “chaff,” and is vowelized with a “kamatz katan.”   אֶת־כָּל־אֹכֶל  שֵׁם דָּבָר הוּא, לְפִיכָךְ טַעֲמוֹ בָּאָלֶ"ף וְנָקוּד בְּפַתָּח קָטָן, וְאוֹכֵל שֶׁהוּא פֹּעַל, כְּגוֹן כִּי כָּל אֹכֵל חֵלֶב, טַעֲמוֹ לְמַטָּה בַּכַּ"ף, וְנָקוּד קָמָץ קָטָן:
under Pharaoh’s hand In his custody and in his storehouses.   תַּחַת יַד־פַּרְעֹה  בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וּבְאוֹצְרוֹתָיו:
36Thus the food will remain as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will be in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not be destroyed by the famine."   לווְהָיָ֨ה הָאֹ֤כֶל לְפִקָּדוֹן֙ לָאָ֔רֶץ לְשֶׁ֨בַע֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הָֽרָעָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּֽהְיֶ֖יןָ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְלֹֽא־תִכָּרֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ בָּֽרָעָֽב:
Thus the food The gathered [food] will be like any other reserve that is hidden away for the preservation of the land.   וְהָיָה הָאֹכֶל  הַצָּבוּר כִּשְׁאָר פִּקָּדוֹן הַגָּנוּז לְקִיּוּם הָאָרֶץ:
37The matter pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.   לזוַיִּיטַ֥ב הַדָּבָ֖ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־עֲבָדָֽיו:
38So Pharaoh said to his servants, "Will we find [anyone] like this, a man in whom there is the spirit of God?"   לחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־עֲבָדָ֑יו הֲנִמְצָ֣א כָזֶ֔ה אִ֕ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֛ר ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֖ים בּֽוֹ:
Will we find [anyone] like this Heb. הִנִמְצָא כָזֶה [Onkelos renders:] הִנִשְׁכַּח כְּדֵין, will we find such as this? If we go and seek him, will we find [anyone] like him?- [from Gen. Rabbah 90:1] הִנִמְצָא is an interrogative expression, as is every “hey” used as a prefix and vowelized with a “chataf pattach.”   הֲנִמְצָא כָזֶה  הֲנִשְׁכַּח כְּדֵין? אִם נֵלֵךְ וּנְבַקְשֶׁנּוּ, הֲנִמְצָא כָמוֹהוּ? הֲנִמְצָא לְשׁוֹן תְּמִיהָה; וְכֵן כָּל הֵ"א הַמְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת בְּרֹאשׁ תֵּבָה וּנְקוּדָה בַחֲטַף פַּתָּח: