מ׳
א׳וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה חָ֥טְא֛וּ מַשְׁקֵ֥ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֖יִם וְהָאֹפֶ֑ה לַאֲדֹנֵיהֶ֖ם לְמֶ֥לֶךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
1Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt gave offense to their lord the king of Egypt.
אחר הדברים האלה. לְפִי שֶׁהִרְגִּילָה אוֹתָהּ אֲרוּרָה אֶת הַצַּדִּיק בְּפִי כֻלָּם לְדַבֵּר בּוֹ וּלְגַנּוֹתוֹ, הֵבִיא לָהֶם הַקָּבָּ"ה סֻרְחָנָם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ, שֶׁיִּפְנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם וְלֹא אֵלָיו, וְעוֹד שֶׁתָּבֹא הָרְוָחָה לַצַּדִּיק עַל יְדֵיהֶם:
אחר הדברים האלה AFTER THESE THINGS — Because this malignant woman made the righteous man (Joseph) a familiar topic of conversation with every one so that he was spoken about discreditably the Holy One, blessed be He, brought about the offences of these men in order that people should turn their attention to them and not to him (Genesis Rabbah 88:1), and also in order that relief should come to the righteous man by their agency (Genesis Rabbah 88:3).
חטאו. זֶה נִמְצָא זְבוּב בְּפַיְילִי פּוֹטֵירִין שֶׁלּוֹ, וְזֶה נִמְצָא צְרוֹר בִּגְלוּסְקִין שֶׁלּוֹ:
חטאו HAD SINNED — in the case of the one, a fly was found in the goblet of aromatic wine, in the case of the other, a pebble was found in the loaves he baked (Genesis Rabbah 88:2).
והאפה. אֶת פַּת הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְאֵין לְשׁוֹן אֲפִיָּה אֶלָּא בְּפַת, וּבְלַעַז פישטו"ר:
והאפה AND THE BAKER of the king’s bread. The root (אפה) is only used of baking bread. old French pistor; English, kneader.
ב׳וַיִּקְצֹ֣ף פַּרְעֹ֔ה עַ֖ל שְׁנֵ֣י סָרִיסָ֑יו עַ֚ל שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֔ים וְעַ֖ל שַׂ֥ר הָאוֹפִֽים׃
2Pharaoh was angry with his two courtiers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,
ג׳וַיִּתֵּ֨ן אֹתָ֜ם בְּמִשְׁמַ֗ר בֵּ֛ית שַׂ֥ר הַטַּבָּחִ֖ים אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֑הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹסֵ֖ף אָס֥וּר שָֽׁם׃
3and put them in custody, in the house of the prefect, in the same prison house where Joseph was confined.
ד׳וַ֠יִּפְקֹ֠ד שַׂ֣ר הַטַּבָּחִ֧ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֛ף אִתָּ֖ם וַיְשָׁ֣רֶת אֹתָ֑ם וַיִּהְי֥וּ יָמִ֖ים בְּמִשְׁמָֽר׃
4The prefect assigned Joseph to them, and he attended them.When they had been in custody for some time,
ויפקד שר הטבחים את יוסף. לִהְיוֹת אִתָּם:
ויפקד שר הטבחים את יוסף AND THE OFFICER OF THE EXECUTIONERS APPOINTED JOSEPH — to be WITH THEM (i.e. supply the word להיות to complete the sense).
ויהיו ימים במשמר. שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ:
ויהיו ימים במשמר AND THEY WERE A YEAR IN WARD — ימים means twelve months (cf. Rashi on Genesis 24:55).
ה׳וַיַּֽחַלְמוּ֩ חֲל֨וֹם שְׁנֵיהֶ֜ם אִ֤ישׁ חֲלֹמוֹ֙ בְּלַ֣יְלָה אֶחָ֔ד אִ֖ישׁ כְּפִתְר֣וֹן חֲלֹמ֑וֹ הַמַּשְׁקֶ֣ה וְהָאֹפֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲסוּרִ֖ים בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר׃
5both of them—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—dreamed in the same night, each his own dream and each dream with its own meaning.
ויחלמו חלום שניהם. וַיַּחַלְמוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם חֲלוֹם, זֶהוּ פְשׁוּטוֹ, וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ כָּל א' חָלַם חֲלוֹם שְׁנֵיהֶם – שֶׁחָלַם אֶת חֲלוֹמוֹ וּפִתְרוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּרְא שַׂר הָאֹפִים כִּי טוֹב פָּתָר:
ויחלמו חלום שניהם means AND BOTH OF THEM DREAMED A DREAM — This is the real meaning (that שניהם is the subject of ויחלמו and is not to be connected with חלום). A Midrashic explanation is, taking חלום as construct case: each dreamed the dream of both of them — i.e. he dreamed his own dream and the interpretation of the other’s dream. This is what it means when it states (v. 16) “And the chief baker saw that he had interpreted well”). (Genesis Rabbah 88:4; Berakhot 55a).
איש כפתרון חלומו. כָּל אֶחָד חָלַם חֲלוֹם הַדּוֹמֶה לְפִתְרוֹן הֶעָתִיד לָבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם:
איש כפתרון חלמו EACH MAN ACCORDING TO THE INTERPRETATION OF HIS DREAM — each dreamed a dream consistent with the interpretation which foretold the future that was to befall them.
ו׳וַיָּבֹ֧א אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹסֵ֖ף בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיַּ֣רְא אֹתָ֔ם וְהִנָּ֖ם זֹעֲפִֽים׃
6When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were distraught.
זעפים. עֲצֵבִים כְּמוֹ סַר וְזָעֵף (מלכים א כ'), זַעַף ה' אֶשָּׂא (מיכה ז'):
זעפים means SAD. Similar are (1 Kings 20:43) “sullen and displeased (וזעף)”; (Micah 7:9) “I will bear the displeasure (זעף) of the Lord (the sadness which the Lord has imposed on me).’
ז׳וַיִּשְׁאַ֞ל אֶת־סְרִיסֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אִתּ֧וֹ בְמִשְׁמַ֛ר בֵּ֥ית אֲדֹנָ֖יו לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּ֛וּעַ פְּנֵיכֶ֥ם רָעִ֖ים הַיּֽוֹם׃
7He asked Pharaoh’s courtiers, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, saying, “Why do you appear downcast today?”
ח׳וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְנוּ וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא לֵֽאלֹהִים֙ פִּתְרֹנִ֔ים סַפְּרוּ־נָ֖א לִֽי׃
8And they said to him, “We had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” So Joseph said to them, “Surely God can interpret! Tell me [your dreams].”
ט׳וַיְסַפֵּ֧ר שַֽׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־חֲלֹמ֖וֹ לְיוֹסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ בַּחֲלוֹמִ֕י וְהִנֵּה־גֶ֖פֶן לְפָנָֽי׃
9Then the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph. He said to him, “In my dream, there was a vine in front of me.
י׳וּבַגֶּ֖פֶן שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה שָׂרִיגִ֑ם וְהִ֤וא כְפֹרַ֙חַת֙ עָלְתָ֣ה נִצָּ֔הּ הִבְשִׁ֥ילוּ אַשְׁכְּלֹתֶ֖יהָ עֲנָבִֽים׃
10On the vine were three branches. It had barely budded, when out came its blossoms and its clusters ripened into grapes.
שריגם. זְמוֹרוֹת אֲרוּכוֹת, שֶׁקּוֹרִין ווידי"ץ בְּלַעַז:
שריגם BRANCHES — long branches called in old French. vitis.
והוא כפרחת. 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 עַ"כַּ תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל פּוֹרַחַת נֵץ גָּדוֹל מִפֶּרַח כְּדִכְתִיב וּבֹסֶר גֹּמֵל יִהְיֶה נִצָּה (ישעיהו י"ח), וּכְתִיב וַיֹּצֵא פֶרַח, וַהֲדַר וַיָּצֵץ צִיץ (במדבר י"ז):
והיא כפרחת means AND IT WAS AS THOUGH IT BUDDED — it seemed to me in my dream as though it budded, and after the bud its blossom sprang up — i.e. it began to flower; old French spanier — and after that the clusters brought forth ripe grapes. The Targum has והיא כד אפרחת אפיקת לבלבין “and it, when it budded, brought forth blossoms”, These words (ע״כ, abbreviation for עד כאן “till here”. The abbreviation is employed to show where a quotation ends.) are the translation of the word פרחת"” only. A נץ is larger than a פרח (i.e. נץ is a later stage of the bud), as it is written (Isaiah 18:5) “and the blossom (נצה) becometh a ripening grape”, and it is written (Numbers 17:23) “And it brought forth buds (פרח)” and afterwards it states “it brought forth (ציץ) blossoms”.
י״אוְכ֥וֹס פַּרְעֹ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וָאֶקַּ֣ח אֶת־הָֽעֲנָבִ֗ים וָֽאֶשְׂחַ֤ט אֹתָם֙ אֶל־כּ֣וֹס פַּרְעֹ֔ה וָאֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃
11Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes, pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.”
ואשחט. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ וַעֲצָרִית, וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן מִשְׁנָה:
ואשחט translate it as the Targum AND I PRESSED — The word occurs frequently in the Mishna (but only here in the Bible).
י״בוַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ יוֹסֵ֔ף זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַשָּׂ֣רִגִ֔ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם׃
12Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: The three branches are three days.
שלשת ימים הם. סִימָן הֵם לְךָ לִשְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים, וְיֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה הַרְבֵּה (חולין צ"ב):
שלשת ימים ARE THREE DAYS — They are a symbol to you of three days. There are many Midrashic explanations of these words (cf. Chullin 92a).
י״גבְּע֣וֹד ׀ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֤א פַרְעֹה֙ אֶת־רֹאשֶׁ֔ךָ וַהֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֖ עַל־כַּנֶּ֑ךָ וְנָתַתָּ֤ כוֹס־פַּרְעֹה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ כַּמִּשְׁפָּט֙ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיִ֖יתָ מַשְׁקֵֽהוּ׃
13In three days Pharaoh will pardon youapardon you Lit. “lift up your head.” Cf. below at vv. 19, 20. and restore you to your post; you will place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, as was your custom formerly when you were his cupbearer.
ישא פרעה את ראשך. לְ' חֶשְׁבּוֹן, כְּשֶׁיִּפְקֹד שְׁאָר עֲבָדָיו לְשָׁרֵת לְפָנָיו בַּסְּעוּדָה, יִמְנֶה אוֹתְךָ עִמָּהֶם:
ישא פרעה את ראשך PHARAOH SHALL LIFT UP THY HEAD — The words נשא ראש denote to count (cf. Exodus 30:12). When he musters his other servants to wait upon him during the meal he will count you also among them.
כנך. בָּסִיס שֶׁלְּךָ וּמוֹשָׁבְךָ:
כנך means THY POST and thy place.
י״דכִּ֧י אִם־זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי אִתְּךָ֗ כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּ֥א עִמָּדִ֖י חָ֑סֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֙נִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהוֹצֵאתַ֖נִי מִן־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃
14But think of me when all is well with you again, and do me the kindness of mentioning me to Pharaoh, so as to free me from this place.
כי אם זכרתני אתך. אֲשֶׁר אִם זְכַרְתַּנִי אִתְּךָ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁיִּיטַב לְךָ כְּפִתְרוֹנִי:
כי אם זכרתני אתך means: You will be restored to your post and will have great influence (cf. Nehemia’s position as cupbearer at the Persian court), so that. (כי) if (אם) thou at all bear me in mind after it is well with thee as I have interpreted.
ועשית נא עמדי חסד. אֵין נָא אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן בַּקָּשָׁה:
ועשית נא עמדי חסד THEN SHOW KINDNESS I PRAY THEE UNTO ME — The word נא is an expression of entreaty.
ט״וכִּֽי־גֻנֹּ֣ב גֻּנַּ֔בְתִּי מֵאֶ֖רֶץ הָעִבְרִ֑ים וְגַם־פֹּה֙ לֹא־עָשִׂ֣יתִֽי מְא֔וּמָה כִּֽי־שָׂמ֥וּ אֹתִ֖י בַּבּֽוֹר׃
15For in truth, I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews; nor have I done anything here that they should have put me in the dungeon.”
ט״זוַיַּ֥רְא שַׂר־הָאֹפִ֖ים כִּ֣י ט֣וֹב פָּתָ֑ר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַף־אֲנִי֙ בַּחֲלוֹמִ֔י וְהִנֵּ֗ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֛ה סַלֵּ֥י חֹרִ֖י עַל־רֹאשִֽׁי׃
16When the chief baker saw how favorably he had interpreted, he said to Joseph, “In my dream, similarly, there were three openwork basketsbopenwork baskets In contrast to others “baskets with white bread” or “white baskets”; meaning of Heb. ḥori uncertain. on my head.
סלי חורי. סַלִּים שֶׁל נְצָרִים קְלוּפִים חוֹרִין חוֹרִין, וּבִמְקוֹמֵנוּ יֵשׁ הַרְבֵּה, וְדֶרֶךְ מוֹכְרֵי פַת כִּסָּנִין, שֶׁקּוֹרִין אובל"יש בְּלַעַז, לְתִתָּם בְּאוֹתָם סַלִּים:
In our country there are many such baskets and sellers of fancy rolls — old French oublies — usually put them in these baskets.
י״זוּבַסַּ֣ל הָֽעֶלְי֗וֹן מִכֹּ֛ל מַאֲכַ֥ל פַּרְעֹ֖ה מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה אֹפֶ֑ה וְהָע֗וֹף אֹכֵ֥ל אֹתָ֛ם מִן־הַסַּ֖ל מֵעַ֥ל רֹאשִֽׁי׃
17In the uppermost basket were all kinds of food for Pharaoh that a baker prepares; and the birds were eating it out of the basket above my head.”
י״חוַיַּ֤עַן יוֹסֵף֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר זֶ֖ה פִּתְרֹנ֑וֹ שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַסַּלִּ֔ים שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִ֖ים הֵֽם׃
18Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation: The three baskets are three days.
י״טבְּע֣וֹד ׀ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֗ים יִשָּׂ֨א פַרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־רֹֽאשְׁךָ֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ וְתָלָ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ עַל־עֵ֑ץ וְאָכַ֥ל הָע֛וֹף אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ֖ מֵעָלֶֽיךָ׃
19In three days Pharaoh will lift off your headclift off your head Lit. “lift up your head.” Cf. at vv. 13, 20. and impale you upon a pole; and the birds will pick off your flesh.”
כ׳וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י י֚וֹם הֻלֶּ֣דֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכׇל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ ׀ שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֗ים וְאֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ שַׂ֥ר הָאֹפִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲבָדָֽיו׃
20On the third day—his birthday—Pharaoh made a banquet for all his officials, and he singled outdsingled out Lit. “lifted the head of.” Cf. at vv. 13, 19. his chief cupbearer and his chief baker from among his officials.
יום הלדת את פרעה. 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:
יום הלדת את פרעה HIS (PHARAOH’S) BIRTHDAY. It is called (Avodah Zarah 10a) “The birthday festival”. The causative passive form (הלדת) is used because the infant is born only by the assistance of others, for the midwife delivers the woman. On this account a midwife is called מילדת a Piel form “one who brings to birth”. This passive form occurs similarly (Ezekiel 16:4) “And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born (הולדת אתך)”. A similar passive form is used in (Leviticus 13:55) “after the plague (הכבס) is washed away”, because the washing is done by others).
וישא את ראש וגו'. מְנָאָם עִם שְׁאָר עֲבָדָיו, שֶׁהָיָה מוֹנֶה הַמְּשָׁרְתִים שֶׁיְּשָׁרְתוּ לוֹ בִּסְעוּדָתוֹ וְזָכַר אֶת אֵלּוּ בְתוֹכָם, כְּמוֹ שְׂאוּ אֶת רֹאשׁ (במדבר א'), לְשׁוֹן מִנְיָן:
‘וישא את ראש וגו means he counted them amongst his other servants — because he counted those who might serve him at his feast — and he remembered these amongst them. The phrase is similar to (Numbers 1.2) “שא את ראש” which signifies counting.
כ״אוַיָּ֛שֶׁב אֶת־שַׂ֥ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֖ים עַל־מַשְׁקֵ֑הוּ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן הַכּ֖וֹס עַל־כַּ֥ף פַּרְעֹֽה׃
21He restored the chief cupbearer to his cupbearing, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand;
כ״בוְאֵ֛ת שַׂ֥ר הָאֹפִ֖ים תָּלָ֑ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר פָּתַ֛ר לָהֶ֖ם יוֹסֵֽף׃
22but the chief baker he impaled—just as Joseph had interpreted to them.
כ״גוְלֹֽא־זָכַ֧ר שַֽׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ׃ {פ}
23Yet the chief cupbearer did not think of Joseph; he forgot him.
ולא זכר שר המשקים. בּוֹ בַיּוֹם:
ולא זכר שר המשקים AND THE CHIEF OF THE BUTLERS DID NOT REMEMBER HIM on that day,
וישכחהו. 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:
וישכחהו AND HE FORGOT HIM afterwards. Because Joseph had placed his trust in him that he should remember him he was doomed to remain in prison for two years. So it is said (Psalms 40:5) “Happy is the man who maketh the Lord his trust and turneth not to (רהבים) the arrogant” — i.e. doth not trust in the Egyptians who are called arrogant (Genesis Rabbah 89:3 cf. Isaiah 30:7).