| 1It came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh was dreaming, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. |
|
אוַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפַרְעֹ֣ה חֹלֵ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֖ה עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַיְאֹֽר: |
| It came to pass at the end: Heb. מִקֵץ. The Targum renders: מִסוֹף, at the end, and every expression of קֵץ means end. |
|
וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ:
כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ מִסּוֹף, וְכָל לְשׁוֹן קֵץ סוֹף הוּא:
|
| by the Nile: Heb. עַל-הַיְאֹר, lit., by the canal. No other rivers are called יְאוֹרִים except the Nile, because the entire land is covered with many man-made canals (יְאוֹרִים), and the Nile rises in their midst and waters them, for it does not usually rain in Egypt as it does in other countries. |
|
עַל־הַיְאֹֽר:
כָּל שְׁאָר נְהָרוֹת אֵינָם קְרוּיִין יְאוֹרִים חוּץ מִנִּילוּס, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּל הָאָרֶץ עֲשׂוּיִם יְאוֹרִים יְאוֹרִים בִּידֵי אָדָם וְנִילוּס עוֹלֶה בְּתוֹכָם וּמַשְׁקֶה אוֹתָם, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִין בְּמִצְרַיִם תָּדִיר כִּשְׁאָר אֲרָצוֹת:
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| 2And behold, from the Nile were coming up seven cows, of handsome appearance and robust flesh, and they pastured in the marshland. |
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בוְהִנֵּ֣ה מִן־הַיְאֹ֗ר עֹלֹת֙ שֶׁ֣בַע פָּר֔וֹת יְפ֥וֹת מַרְאֶ֖ה וּבְרִיאֹ֣ת בָּשָׂ֑ר וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה בָּאָֽחוּ: |
| of handsome appearance: This was a symbol of the days of plenty, when creatures appear handsome to one another, for no one envies his fellow. — [from Gen. Rabbah 89:4] |
|
יְפוֹת מַרְאֶה:
סִימָן הוּא לִימֵי שֹׂבַע, שֶׁהַבְּרִיּוֹת נִרְאוֹת יָפוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ, שֶׁאֵין עֵין בְּרִיָּה צָרָה בַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ:
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| in the marshland: Heb. בָּאָחוּ, in the marsh, maresc in Old French, like “Can the reed-grass (אָחוּ) grow…” (Job 8:11). |
|
בָּאָֽחוּ:
בָּאֲגַם, מריש"ק בְּלַעַז, כְּמוֹ יִשְׂגֶּא אָחוּ (איוב ח'):
|
| 3And behold, seven other cows were coming up after them from the Nile, of ugly appearance and lean of flesh, and they stood beside the cows [which were] on the Nile bank. |
|
גוְהִנֵּ֞ה שֶׁ֧בַע פָּר֣וֹת אֲחֵר֗וֹת עֹל֤וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶן֙ מִן־הַיְאֹ֔ר רָע֥וֹת מַרְאֶ֖ה וְדַקּ֣וֹת בָּשָׂ֑ר וַתַּֽעֲמֹ֛דְנָה אֵ֥צֶל הַפָּר֖וֹת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיְאֹֽר: |
| and lean of flesh: Heb. וְדַקוֹת, tenves in Old French, a term meaning thin. |
|
וְדַקּוֹת בָּשָׂר:
טינב"ש בְּלַעַז, לְשׁוֹן דַּק:
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| 4And the cows of ugly appearance and lean of flesh devoured the seven cows that were of handsome appearance and healthy; then Pharaoh awoke. |
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דוַתֹּאכַ֣לְנָה הַפָּר֗וֹת רָע֤וֹת הַמַּרְאֶה֙ וְדַקֹּ֣ת הַבָּשָׂ֔ר אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַפָּר֔וֹת יְפֹ֥ת הַמַּרְאֶ֖ה וְהַבְּרִיאֹ֑ת וַיִּיקַ֖ץ פַּרְעֹֽה: |
| devoured: A sign that all the joy of the plenty will be forgotten during the days of the famine. |
|
וַתֹּאכַלְנָה:
סִימָן שֶׁתְּהֵא כָל שִׂמְחַת הַשָּׂבָע נִשְׁכַּחַת בִּימֵי הָרָעָב:
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| 5And he fell asleep and dreamed again, and behold, seven ears of grain were growing on one stalk, healthy and good. |
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הוַיִּישָׁ֕ן וַיַּֽחֲלֹ֖ם שֵׁנִ֑ית וְהִנֵּ֣ה | שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֗ים עֹל֛וֹת בְּקָנֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד בְּרִיא֥וֹת וְטֹבֽוֹת: |
| on one stalk: Heb. בָּקָנֶה אֶחָד, tudel , tuiel , or tue(i)l, in Old French, stalk. |
|
בְּקָנֶה אחת:
טוד"ל בְּלַעַז:
|
| healthy: Heb. בְּרִיאוֹת sains in French, healthy. |
|
בְּרִיאוֹת:
שיינ"ש בְּלַעַז:
|
| 6And behold, seven ears of grain, thin and beaten by the east wind, were growing up after them. |
|
ווְהִנֵּה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שִׁבֳּלִ֔ים דַּקּ֖וֹת וּשְׁדוּפֹ֣ת קָדִ֑ים צֹֽמְח֖וֹת אַֽחֲרֵיהֶֽן: |
| and beaten: Heb. וּשְׁדוּפוֹת. hasled(e)s in Old French, burnt up, parched; וּשְׁקִיפָן קִדּוּם [in Targum Onkelos], beaten, an expression similar to מַשְׁקוֹף, lintel, which is constantly beaten by the door, which knocks against it. |
|
וּשְׁדוּפֹת:
הלייא"ש בְּלַעַז, שְׁקִיפָן קִדּוּם, חֲבוּטוֹת, לְשׁוֹן מַשְׁקוֹף הֶחָבוּט תָּמִיד עַל יְדֵי הַדֶּלֶת הַמַּכָּה עָלָיו:
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| the east wind: Heb. קָדִים, the east wind, called Bise in French. (Early editions read: the southeast wind.) |
|
קָדִים:
רוּחַ מִזְרָחִית, שֶׁקּוֹרִין בי"סא בְּלַעַז:
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| 7And the thin ears of grain swallowed up the seven healthy and full ears of grain; then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, a dream. |
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זוַתִּבְלַ֨עְנָה֙ הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֣ים הַדַּקּ֔וֹת אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֔ים הַבְּרִיא֖וֹת וְהַמְּלֵא֑וֹת וַיִּיקַ֥ץ פַּרְעֹ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה חֲלֽוֹם: |
| healthy: Heb. בְּרִיאוֹת, sains in French, healthy. |
|
הַבְּרִיאוֹת:
שיינ"ש בְּלַעַז:
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| and behold, a dream: And behold, a whole dream was completed before him, and it required interpreters. |
|
וְהִנֵּה חֲלֽוֹם:
וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁלַם חֲלוֹם שָׁלֵם לְפָנָיו וְהֻצְרַךְ לְפוֹתְרִים:
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| 8Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; so he sent and called all the necromancers of Egypt and all its sages, and Pharaoh related to them his dream, but no one interpreted them for Pharaoh. |
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חוַיְהִ֤י בַבֹּ֨קֶר֙ וַתִּפָּ֣עֶם רוּח֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֗ח וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־כָּל־חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם וְאֶת־כָּל־חֲכָמֶ֑יהָ וַיְסַפֵּ֨ר פַּרְעֹ֤ה לָהֶם֙ אֶת־חֲלֹמ֔וֹ וְאֵֽין־פּוֹתֵ֥ר אוֹתָ֖ם לְפַרְעֹֽה: |
| that his spirit was troubled: Heb. וַתִּפָּעֶם [Onkelos renders:] that his spirit was agitated, knocking within him like a bell (כְּפַעִמוֹן) (Tanchuma Buber, Mikeitz 4). Concerning Nebuchadnezzar, however, Scripture says: “and his spirit was agitated (וַתִּתְפָּעֶם)” (Dan. 2:1). There were two [reasons for this] agitation: forgetting the dream and ignorance of its interpretation. — [from Tanchuma Mikeitz 2] |
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וַתִּפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ:
וּמִטַּרְפָּא רוּחֵיהּ, מְקַשְׁקֶשֶׁת בְּתוֹכוֹ כְּפַעֲמוֹן; וּבִנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר אוֹמֵר, וַתִּתְפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ (דניאל ב'), לְפִי שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם שְׁתֵּי פְעִימוֹת, שִׁכְחַת הַחֲלוֹם וְהַעֲלָמַת פִּתְרוֹנוֹ (בראשית רבה):
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| the necromancers: Heb. חַרְטֻמֵי, those who would arouse themselves (נֶחֱרִים) with the bones (טִימֵי) of the dead, so that they would [be able to] inquire of the bones. ([The word] טִימֵי means “bones” in Aramaic. In the Mishnah (Oholoth 17:3), we find: A house that was full of “timia,” meaning “full of bones.”) |
|
חַרְטֻמֵּי:
הַנֵּחָרִים בְּטִימֵי מֵתִים, שֶׁשּׁוֹאֲלִין בַּעֲצָמוֹת. טִימֵי הֵן עֲצָמוֹת בִּלְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, וּבַמִּשְׁנָה בַּיִת שֶׁהוּא מָלֵא טִימַיָּא (אהלות פי"ז), מָלֵא עֲצָמוֹת:
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| but no one interpreted them for Pharaoh: They did interpret them, but not for Pharaoh, for their voice did not reach his ears, and he had no satisfaction from their interpretation, for they said, “You will beget seven daughters, and you will bury seven daughters.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 89:6] |
|
וְאֵֽין־פּוֹתֵר אוֹתָם לְפַרְעֹֽה:
פּוֹתְרִים הָיוּ אוֹתָם, אֲבָל לֹא לְפַרְעֹה, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה קוֹלָן נִכְנָס בְּאָזְנָיו, וְלֹא הָיָה לוֹ קוֹרַת רוּחַ בְּפִתְרוֹנָם, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת אַתָּה מוֹלִיד וְשֶׁבַע בָּנוֹת אַתָּה קוֹבֵר (בראשית רבה):
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| 9Now the chief cupbearer spoke with Pharaoh, saying, "I call to mind my faults today. |
|
טוַיְדַבֵּר֙ שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֶת־חֲטָאַ֕י אֲנִ֖י מַזְכִּ֥יר הַיּֽוֹם: |
| 10Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and he put me in prison, in the house of the chief slaughterer, me and the chief baker. |
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יפַּרְעֹ֖ה קָצַ֣ף עַל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתִ֜י בְּמִשְׁמַ֗ר בֵּ֚ית שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֔ים אֹתִ֕י וְאֵ֖ת שַׂ֥ר הָֽאֹפִֽים: |
| 11And we dreamed a dream on the same night, I and he; each one according to the interpretation of his dream, we dreamed. |
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יאוַנַּֽחַלְמָ֥ה חֲל֛וֹם בְּלַ֥יְלָה אֶחָ֖ד אֲנִ֣י וָה֑וּא אִ֛ישׁ כְּפִתְר֥וֹן חֲלֹמ֖וֹ חָלָֽמְנוּ: |
| each one according to the interpretation of his dream: A dream fit for the interpretation that was interpreted for us and similar to it. [I.e., a dream for which the interpretation given was appropriate, and which was similar to that interpretation.] |
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אִישׁ כְּפִתְרוֹן חֲלֹמוֹ:
חֲלוֹם הָרָאוּי לַפִּתְרוֹן שֶׁנִּפְתַּר לָנוּ וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ:
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| 12And there with us was a Hebrew lad, a slave of the chief slaughterer, and we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; [for] each [of us], he interpreted according to his dream. |
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יבוְשָׁ֨ם אִתָּ֜נוּ נַ֣עַר עִבְרִ֗י עֶ֚בֶד לְשַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֔ים וַנְּסַ֙פֶּר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּפְתָּר־לָ֖נוּ אֶת־חֲלֹֽמֹתֵ֑ינוּ אִ֥ישׁ כַּֽחֲלֹמ֖וֹ פָּתָֽר: |
| a Hebrew lad, a slave: Cursed are the wicked, for their favors are incomplete. He mentions him with expressions of contempt: |
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נַעַר עִבְרִי עֶבֶד:
אֲרוּרִים הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁאֵין טוֹבָתָם שְׁלֵמָה, מַזְכִּירוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן בִּזָּיוֹן:
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| a lad: a fool, unfit for a high position; |
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נַעַר:
שׁוֹטֶה וְאֵין רָאוּי לִגְדֻלָּה:
|
| a Hebrew: he does not even understand our language; |
|
עִבְרִי:
אֲפִלּוּ לְשׁוֹנֵנוּ אֵינוֹ מַכִּיר:
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| a slave: and in the statutes of Egypt it is written that a slave may neither reign nor wear princely raiment. — [from Gen. Rabbah 89:7] |
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עֶבֶד:
וְכָתוּב בְּנִמּוּסֵי מִצְרַיִם שֶׁאֵין עֶבֶד מוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא לוֹבֵשׁ בִּגְדֵי שָׂרִים:
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| [for] each [of us]…according to his dream: According to the dream and close to its contents. — [from Ber. 55b] |
|
אִישׁ כַּֽחֲלֹמוֹ:
לְפִי הַחֲלוֹם וְקָרוֹב לְעִנְיָנוֹ:
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| 13And it came to pass that just as he had interpreted, so it was; me he restored to my position, and him he hanged." |
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יגוַיְהִ֛י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּֽתַר־לָ֖נוּ כֵּ֣ן הָיָ֑ה אֹתִ֛י הֵשִׁ֥יב עַל־כַּנִּ֖י וְאֹת֥וֹ תָלָֽה: |
| me he restored to my position: [“He” refers to] Pharaoh, mentioned above, as he said, “Pharaoh was angry with his servants” (verse 10). Hence, the verse is elliptical: it did not specify who restored, because it is not necessary to specify who restored, [for it could only be] the one who has the power to restore, namely Pharaoh. This is customary for all elliptical verses. Concerning the one who is to do [the thing], they leave the matter unspecified. |
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הֵשִׁיב עַל־כַּנִּי:
פַּרְעֹה, הַנִּזְכָּר לְמַעְלָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר פַּרְעֹה קָצַף עַל עֲבָדָיו; הֲרֵי מִקְרָא קְצַר לָשׁוֹן, וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי הֵשִׁיב, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין צָרִיךְ לְפָרֵשׁ; מִי הֵשִׁיב? מִי שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ לְהָשִׁיב, וְהוּא פַּרְעֹה; וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל מִקְרָאוֹת קְצָרִים, עַל מִי שֶׁעָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת הֵם סוֹתְמִים אֶת הַדָּבָר:
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| 14So Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they rushed him from the dungeon, and he shaved and changed his clothes, and he [then] came to Pharaoh. |
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ידוַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח פַּרְעֹה֙ וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיְרִיצֻ֖הוּ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיְגַלַּח֙ וַיְחַלֵּ֣ף שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹֽה: |
| from the dungeon: Heb. מִן-הַבּוֹר, lit., from the pit. From the prison, which was made like a sort of pit, and so every [instance of] בּוֹר in the Scriptures is an expression of “pit.” Even if there is no water in it, it is called בּוֹר, fosse in Old French, a pit. |
|
מִן־הַבּוֹר:
מִן בֵּית הַסֹּהַר שֶׁהוּא עָשׂוּי כְּמִין גֻּמָּא, וְכֵן כָּל בּוֹר שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן גֻּמָּא הוּא, וְאַף אִם אֵין בּוֹ מַיִם קָרוּי בּוֹר, פוש"א בְּלַעַז:
|
| and he shaved: in honor of the throne. — [from Gen. Rabbah 89:9] |
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וַיְגַלַּח:
מִפְּנֵי כְבוֹד הַמַּלְכוּת (בראשית רבה):
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