Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 41

39Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.   לטוַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַֽחֲרֵ֨י הוֹדִ֧יעַ אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֽוֹתְךָ֖ אֶת־כָּל־זֹ֑את אֵֽין־נָב֥וֹן וְחָכָ֖ם כָּמֽוֹךָ:
אֵֽין־נָבוֹן וְחָכָם כָּמֽוֹךָ - There is no one as discerning and wise as you - i.e., regarding seeking an intelligent and wise man as you proposed 1 – there is no one like you in these qualities.   אֵֽין־נָבוֹן וְחָכָם כָּמֽוֹךָ.  לְבַקֵּשׁ אִישׁ נָבוֹן וְחָכָם שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ, לֹא נִמְצָא כָמוֹךָ:
40You will be in charge of my court, and by your orders will all my people be provided for. Only by the throne will I outrank you.”   מאַתָּה֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה עַל־בֵּיתִ֔י וְעַל־פִּ֖יךָ יִשַּׁ֣ק כָּל־עַמִּ֑י רַ֥ק הַכִּסֵּ֖א אֶגְדַּ֥ל מִמֶּֽךָּ:
יִשַּׁק - Its meaning as Onkelos translates it: יִתְּזַן – “Will be provided for” i.e., all my people’s needs will be carried out through you. Similar uses of נשק in this sense are “and the administrator (וּבֶן מֶשֶׁק) of my household”; 2 and “Provide yourselves (נַשְּׁקוּ) with purity”; 3 “garnison” in Old French.   יִשַּׁק.  יִתְּזַן, יִתְפַּרְנֵס – כָּל צָרְכֵי עַמִּי יִהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂים עַל יָדְךָ, כְּמוֹ וּבֶן מֶשֶׁק בֵּיתִי (לעיל ט"ו), וּכְמוֹ נַשְּׁקוּ בַר (תהילים ב'), גרני"שון בְּלַעַז:
רַק הַכִּסֵּא - Only by the throne - i.e., that only me they shall call king.   רַק הַכִּסֵּא.  שֶׁיִּהְיוּ קוֹרִין לִי מֶלֶךְ:
כסא - is a expression of royal status, as in “and may God make his throne (כִּסְאוֹ – i.e., his kingdom) greater than the throne (כִּסֵּא) of my master, the king.” 4   כסא.  לְשׁוֹן שֵׁם הַמְּלוּכָה, כְּמוֹ וִיגַדֵּל אֶת כִּסְאוֹ מִכִּסֵּא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (מלכים א א'):
41Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby confer on you power over all Egypt.”   מאוַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף רְאֵה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי אֹֽתְךָ֔ עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
נָתַתִּי אֹֽתְךָ - (lit.) I have given you – Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: מַנֵּיתִי יָתָךְ – “I have appointed you.” It nevertheless carries the connotation of giving, as in “and to make you (וּלְתִתְּךָ) supreme.” 5 The term “giving” is applicable to a change to an elevated status as well as a change to a lowly one, as in “I have made you (נָתַתִּי) despised and lowly.” 6   נָתַתִּי אֹֽתְךָ.  מַנֵּיתִי יָתָךְ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵּן לְשׁוֹן נְתִינָה הוּא, כְּמוֹ וּלְתִתְּךָ עֶלְיוֹן (דברים כ"ו); בֵּין לִגְדֻלָּה בֵּין לְשִׁפְלוּת נוֹפֵל לְשׁוֹן נְתִינָה עָלָיו, כְּמוֹ נָתַתִּי אֶתְכֶם נִבְזִים וּשְׁפָלִים (מלאכי ב'):
42Pharaoh removed his signet ring from the finger of his own hand and put it on a finger of Joseph’s hand. He had him dressed in robes of linen and placed the gold chain of office around his neck.   מבוַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ:
וַיָּסַר פַּרְעֹה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ - Pharaoh removed his signet ring. Giving the king’s ring is a sign that the one to whom it is given has become second in rank to him.   וַיָּסַר פַּרְעֹה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ.  נְתִינַת טַבַּעַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הִיא אוֹת לְמִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנָהּ לוֹ לִהְיוֹת שֵׁנִי לוֹ לִגְדֻלָּה:
בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁשׁ - Robes of linen. This was considered a mark of importance in Egypt.   בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁשׁ.  דְּבַר חֲשִׁיבוּת הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם:
רביד - means “chain,” and because it is made up of a row of links it is called רָבִיד. This term is used similarly in רָבַדְתִּי עַרְשִׂי, 7 which means “I have arranged my bed with rows of patterns.” In Mishnaic Hebrew, we find “surrounded by rows (רוֹבְדִין) of stone”; 8 and “on the fourth row (הָרוֹבֶד) of stones in the Temple courtyard” referring to the paved floor. 9   רביד.  עֲנָק, וְעַל שֶׁהוּא רָצוּף בְּטַבָּעוֹת קָרוּי רְבִיד וְכֵן מַרְבַדִּים רָבַדְתִּי עַרְשִׂי (משלי ז') – רִצַּפְתִּי עַרְשִׂי מַרְצָפוֹת, בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה מֻקָּף רוֹבְדִין שֶׁל אֶבֶן, עַל הָרֹבֶד שֶׁבָּעֲזָרָה, וְהִיא רִצְפָּה:
43He had him ride in his second royal chariot, and they proclaimed before him, “The king’s counselor! How wise he is for his young age! Bend the knee to him!” He was thus given kinglike authority over all Egypt.   מגוַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אַבְרֵ֑ךְ וְנָת֣וֹן אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
בְּמִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה - means: in the chariot second in order to his chariot, which drives next to his.   בְּמִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה.  הַשְּׁנִיָּה לְמֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ, הַמְהַלֶּכֶת אֵצֶל שֶׁלּוֹ:
אַבְרֵךְ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: דֵּין אַבָּא לְמַלְכָּא – “this is the king’s counselor.” The word רַךְ in Aramaic means “king,” as we find in Chapter HaShutafin: 10 “neither a king (רֵיכָא) nor the son of a king (בַּר רֵיכָא).” But in the words of aggadah we find: Rabbi Yehudah expounded: אַבְרֵךְ – this refers to Joseph who was אַב “authoritative” (lit., “father”) in wisdom yet רַךְ “tender” in years. Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit said to him: How much longer are you going to misinterpret for us the meaning of verses? אַבְרֵךְ is actually from the word בִּרְכַּיִם “knees,” implying that everyone entered and left Egypt only by his permission and therefore knelt and subjected themselves to him. This word thus expresses the same idea as the verse continues: “He was thus given kinglike authority….”   אַבְרֵךְ.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "דֵּין אַבָּא לְמַלְכָּא", רֵךְ בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי (נ"א רוֹמִי) מֶלֶךְ; בְּהַשֻּׁתָּפִין לָא רֵיכָא וְלֹא בַּר רֵיכָא, וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אַבְרֵךְ זֶה יוֹסֵף שֶׁהוּא אָב בְּחָכְמָה וְרַךְ בַּשָּׁנִים, אָמַר לוֹ רַ' יוֹסֵי בֶּן דֻּרְמַסְקִית עַד מָתַי אַתָּה מְעַוֵּת עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַכְּתוּבִים? אֵין אַבְרֵךְ אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בִּרְכַּיִם, שֶׁהַכֹּל הָיוּ נִכְנָסִין וְיוֹצְאִין תַּחַת יָדוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר, וְנָתוֹן אוֹתוֹ וְגוֹ':
44Pharaoh then said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. I decree that without your say, no man may lift his hand or his foot in all Egypt.”   מדוַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲנִ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבִלְעָדֶ֗יךָ לֹֽא־יָרִ֨ים אִ֧ישׁ אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְאֶת־רַגְל֖וֹ בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
אֲנִי פַּרְעֹה - I am Pharaoh - meaning that I have the authority to make decrees upon my kingdom, and I decree that “no man may raise his hand בִּלְעָדֶיךָ,”   אֲנִי פַּרְעֹה.  שֶׁיֵּשׁ יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדִי לִגְזֹר גְּזֵרָה עַל מַלְכוּתִי, וַאֲנִי גּוֹזֵר שֶׁלֹּא יָרִים אִישׁ יָדוֹ:
בִלְעָדֶיךָ - “but without your say… (וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ וגו׳),”. i.e., without your permission. Another explanation: “I am Pharaoh” – i.e., I will remain the king.and it thus has the same meaning as “only by the throne will I outrank you,” 11 but it was necessary to reiterate it at the time of handing over the ring.   בִלְעָדֶיךָ.  שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְשׁוּתְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר אֲנִי פַרְעֹה, אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה מֶלֶךְ, וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ וְגוֹ' וְזֶהוּ דֻּגְמַת רַק הַכִּסֵּא:
אֶת־יָדוֹ וְאֶת־רַגְלוֹ - His hand or his foot. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “his hand to bear weapons, or his foot to mount a horse.”   אֶת־יָדוֹ וְאֶת־רַגְלוֹ.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
45Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Tzafnat Pa’ne’ach [“He who deciphers the cryptic”], and gave him Asenat, daughter of Potiphera, lord of On, as a wife. Joseph thus went out to oversee Egypt.   מהוַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֥ה שֵֽׁם־יוֹסֵף֘ צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵ֒חַ֒ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אֶת־אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
צָֽפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ - Tzafenat Pane’ach - means “he who deciphers cryptic matters.” There is no other example of the word פַּעְנֵחַ in Scripture.   צָֽפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ.  מְפָרֵשׁ הַצְּפוּנוֹת; וְאֵין לְפַעְנֵחַ דִּמְיוֹן בַּמִּקְרָא:
פוטיפרע - Potiphera. This was Potiphar, but he was called Potiphera because he had become impotent, since he had wished to have homosexual relations with Joseph.   פוטיפרע.  הוּא פּוֹטִיפַר, וְנִקְרָא פּוֹטִיפֶרַע עַל שֶׁנִּסְתָּרֵס מֵאֵלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁחָמַד אֶת יוֹסֵף לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר (סוטה י"ג):
46Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence, and he traveled all throughout Egypt.   מווְיוֹסֵף֙ בֶּן־שְׁלשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעָמְד֕וֹ לִפְנֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹסֵף֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲבֹ֖ר בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
47During the seven years of plenty, the inhabitants of the land gathered grain in unending handfuls.   מזוַתַּ֣עַשׂ הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּשֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֣י הַשָּׂבָ֑ע לִקְמָצִֽים:
וַתַּעַשׂ הָאָרֶץ - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: וּכְנָשׁוּ דָיְרֵי אַרְעָא “the inhabitants of the land gathered.” However, the word וַתַּעַשׂ does not thereby lose its regular meaning of “making,” but is only adapted by Onkelos according to the context – i.e., they gathered what the land had produced.   וַתַּעַשׂ הָאָרֶץ.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וְאֵין הַלָּשׁוֹן נֶעֱקָר מִלְּשׁוֹן עֲשִׂיָּה:
לִקְמָצִֽים - means handful by handful (קוֹמֶץ עַל קוֹמֶץ), bit by bit, they stored up the grain.   לִקְמָצִֽים.  קֹמֶץ עַל קֹמֶץ, יָד עַל יָד, הָיוּ אוֹצְרִים:
48Joseph collected all the surplus food during the seven years that had now come to pass in Egypt, and he placed the food in the cities. Joseph placed with the food some soil from the fields surrounding the city.   מחוַיִּקְבֹּ֞ץ אֶת־כָּל־אֹ֣כֶל | שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָיוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּתֶּן־אֹ֖כֶל בֶּֽעָרִ֑ים אֹ֧כֶל שְׂדֵֽה־הָעִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְבִֽיבֹתֶ֖יהָ נָתַ֥ן בְּתוֹכָֽהּ:
אֹכֶל שְׂדֵֽה־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר סְבִֽיבֹתֶיהָ נָתַן בְּתוֹכָֽהּ - (lit.) The food of the fields surrounding the city he stored inside it - since each and every district preserves its own produce. Therefore, people put some of the soil of that locale among the crops and it thus prevents the crops from rotting.   אֹכֶל שְׂדֵֽה־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר סְבִֽיבֹתֶיהָ נָתַן בְּתוֹכָֽהּ.  שֶׁכָּל אֶרֶץ וְאֶרֶץ מַעֲמֶדֶת פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ, וְנוֹתְנִין בַּתְּבוּאָה מֵעֲפַר הַמָּקוֹם, וּמַעֲמִיד אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה מִלִּרְקֹב:
49Joseph amassed quantities of grain as abundant as the sands of the sea, until the treasurer had to stop counting it since there was too much to count.   מטוַיִּצְבֹּ֨ר יוֹסֵ֥ף בָּ֛ר כְּח֥וֹל הַיָּ֖ם הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד עַ֛ד כִּֽי־חָדַ֥ל לִסְפֹּ֖ר כִּי־אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר:
עַד כִּֽי־חָדַל לִסְפֹּר - (lit.) Until he stopped counting - means “until the one counting had to stop counting,” and this is an abbreviated verse.   עַד כִּֽי־חָדַל לִסְפֹּר.  עַד כִּי חָדַל לוֹ הַסּוֹפֵר לִסְפֹּר, וַהֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר:
כִּֽי־אֵין מִסְפָּֽר - means “because there was no number” - and here is a case where כִּי is used in the sense of “because.”   כִּֽי־אֵין מִסְפָּֽר.  לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מִסְפָּר, וַהֲרֵי כִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא:
50Two sons were born to Joseph before the first year of famine arrived, borne to him by Asenat, daughter of Potiphera, lord of On.   נוּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף יֻלָּד֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא שְׁנַ֣ת הָֽרָעָ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע כֹּהֵ֥ן אֽוֹן:
בְּטֶרֶם תבא שְׁנַת הָֽרָעָב - Before the year of famine arrived. From here we learn that it is forbidden for a person to have marital relations during years of famine.   בְּטֶרֶם תבא שְׁנַת הָֽרָעָב.  מִכָּאן שֶׁאָדָם אָסוּר לְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ בִּשְׁנֵי רְעָבוֹן (תענית י"א):
51Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh [Menasheh, “causing to forget”]—“because,” he said, “God has made me forget all my past hardships, and all my father’s household.”   נאוַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי:
52He named the second son Ephraim [from peri, “fruit”]—“because,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”   נבוְאֵ֛ת שֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י קָרָ֣א אֶפְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־הִפְרַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עָנְיִֽי: