מ״א
ל״טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר פַּרְעֹה֙ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֔ף אַחֲרֵ֨י הוֹדִ֧יעַ אֱלֹהִ֛ים אוֹתְךָ֖ אֶת־כׇּל־זֹ֑את אֵין־נָב֥וֹן וְחָכָ֖ם כָּמֽוֹךָ׃
39So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is none so discerning and wise as you.
אין נבון וחכם כמוך. לְבַקֵּשׁ אִישׁ נָבוֹן וְחָכָם שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ, לֹא נִמְצָא כָמוֹךָ:
אין נבון וחכם כמוך THERE IS NONE SO DISCREET AND WISE AS THOU ART — If we do seek for a discreet and wise man as you suggested (v. 33) we shall find none like you).
מ׳אַתָּה֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה עַל־בֵּיתִ֔י וְעַל־פִּ֖יךָ יִשַּׁ֣ק כׇּל־עַמִּ֑י רַ֥ק הַכִּסֵּ֖א אֶגְדַּ֥ל מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
40You shall be in charge of my court, and by your command shall all my people be directed;bbe directed In contrast to others “order themselves” or “pay homage”; meaning of Heb. yishshaq uncertain. only with respect to the throne shall I be superior to you.”
ישק. יִתְּזַן, יִתְפַּרְנֵס – כָּל צָרְכֵי עַמִּי יִהְיוּ נַעֲשִׂים עַל יָדְךָ, כְּמוֹ נַשְּׁקוּ בַר (תהילים ב'), גרני"שון בְּלַעַז:
ישק —The Targum renders it by יתזן which means SHALL BE FED — all my people’s needs shall be provided through you. Similar are (15:2) “and the steward (ובן משק) of my house”, and (Psalms 2:12) “Provide yourselves (נשקו) with purity” old French garnison.
רק הכסא. שֶׁיִּהְיוּ קוֹרִין לִי מֶלֶךְ:
רק הכסא ONLY IN THE THRONE — only in the fact that they shall call me king.
כסא. לְשׁוֹן שֵׁם הַמְּלוּכָה, כְּמוֹ וִיגַדֵּל אֶת כִּסְאוֹ מִכִּסֵּא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (מלכים א א'):
כסא THRONE is a metaphorical term for royal rank, like (1 Kings 1:37) “And he has made his throne (כסאו) greater than the throne of my lord king”.
מ״אוַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף רְאֵה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי אֹֽתְךָ֔ עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
41Pharaoh further said to Joseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Egypt.”
נתתי אתך. מַנֵּיתִי יָתָךְ, וְאַעַ"פִּ 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'):
נתתי אתך The Targum translates it by— “I have appointed thee”; nevertheless even in this sense it really means “giving”, as (Deuteronomy 26:19) “and to make thee (ולתתך) high”. To express either the idea of raising to high rank or of degrading the term “to give” may be used. An example of the latter is (Malachi 2:9) “I have made thee (נתתיך) contemptible and base”.
מ״בוַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ׃
42And removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.
ויסר פרעה את טבעתו. נְתִינַת טַבַּעַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הִיא אוֹת לְמִי שֶׁנּוֹתְנָהּ לוֹ לִהְיוֹת שֵׁנִי לוֹ לִגְדֻלָּה:
ויסר פרעה את טבעתו AND PHARAOH TOOK OFF HIS RING — When the king gives his ring it is a sign that the person to whom he hands it is to be second to him in rank.
בגדי שש. דְּבַר חֲשִׁיבוּת הוּא בְּמִצְרַיִם:
בגדי שש FINE LINEN — this is a material much valued in Egypt (cf Rashi on Genesis 2:11).
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:
רביד means A CHAIN — it is termed רביד because it is made up of links placed in a row. The root is the same as that found in (Proverbs 7:16) “I have decked (רבדתי) my bed with coverings of tapestry (מרבדים)” — i.e. I have placed on my couch rows of rugs. In Mishnaic Hebrew (Mishnah Middot 1:8) we have, “was surrounded with rows (רובדין) of stone”, and (Yoma 43b) “on the (רובד) row of stones that was in the Temple Court” — referring to the pavement (רצפה).
מ״גוַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אַבְרֵ֑ךְ וְנָת֣וֹן אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
43He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command, and they cried before him, “Abrek!”cAbrek In contrast to others “Bow the knee,” as though from Heb. barakh “to kneel”; perhaps from an Egyptian word of unknown meaning. Thus he placed him over all the land of Egypt.
במרכבת המשנה. הַשְּׁנִיָּה לְמֶרְכַּבְתּוֹ, הַמְהַלֶּכֶת אֵצֶל שֶׁלּוֹ:
במרכבת המשנה means — the chariot second in order to his chariot — that which drove next to his own.
אברך. 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':
אברך Render this as the Targum does: “This is the father (counsellor) of the king”. In Aramaic (some editions read in Roman i.e. Latin) רך means king (rex). Thus in the chapter beginning with השותפין (Bava Batra 4a) we have: “neither a noble (ריכא) nor the son of a noble (ריכא)”. In the Midrash (Sifré Devarim 1:1) Rabbi Judah explained: אברך is appellation for Joseph who was אב “a father” in wisdom and רך “tender” in years. Whereupon Rabbi Jose the son of a woman of Damascus said to him: “How much longer will you pervert for us the meaning of Scripture? The word אברך can only be connected with the word ברכים knees (i.e. “Bend the knee”), for all came in and went forth only by his permission, just as it states “and he set him [over all the land of Egypt]”.
מ״דוַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲנִ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבִלְעָדֶ֗יךָ לֹֽא־יָרִ֨ים אִ֧ישׁ אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְאֶת־רַגְל֖וֹ בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; yet without you, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
אני פרעה. שֶׁיֵּשׁ יְכֹלֶת בְּיָדִי לִגְזֹר גְּזֵרָה עַל מַלְכוּתִי, וַאֲנִי גּוֹזֵר שֶׁלֹּא יָרִים אִישׁ יָדוֹ בִלְעָדֶיךָ, – שֶׁלֹּא בִּרְשׁוּתְךָ. דָּ"אַ אֲנִי פַרְעֹה, אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה מֶלֶךְ, וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ וְגוֹ' וְזֶהוּ דֻּגְמַת רַק הַכִּסֵּא:
אני פרעה I AM PHARAOH in whose power it is to issue decrees for my kingdom, and I order that no man shall lift up his hand בלעדיך — without your permission. Another explanation of אני פרעה: I AM PHARAOH — I shall be king, but without thy permission etc. It is exactly similar in meaning to (v. 40) “only in the throne [will I be greater than thou]”.
את ידו ואת רגלו. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ:
את ידו ואת רגלו HIS HAND OR HIS FOOT — Understand it as the Targum does: no man shall raise his hand to gird on a sword or raise his foot to mount a horse.
מ״הוַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֣ה שֵׁם־יוֹסֵף֮ צָֽפְנַ֣ת פַּעְנֵ֒חַ֒ וַיִּתֶּן־ל֣וֹ אֶת־אָֽסְנַ֗ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֛רַע*(בספרי תימן פּֽוֹטִיפֶ֛רַע בתיבה אחת) כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיֵּצֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
45Pharaoh then gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah;dZaphenath-paneah Egyptian for “God speaks; he lives,” or “creator of life.” and he gave him for a wife Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On. Thus Joseph emerged in charge of the land of Egypt.—
צפנת פענח. מְפָרֵשׁ הַצְּפוּנוֹת; וְאֵין לְפַעְנֵחַ דִּמְיוֹן בַּמִּקְרָא:
צפנת פענח signifies "Explainer of hidden things". There is no other example in Scripture of the word.
פוטיפרע. הוּא פּוֹטִיפַר, וְנִקְרָא פּוֹטִיפֶרַע עַל שֶׁנִּסְתָּרֵס מֵאֵלָיו, לְפִי שֶׁחָמַד אֶת יוֹסֵף לְמִשְׁכַּב זָכָר (סוטה י"ג):
פוטי פרע — POTIPHERAH — he is identical with Potiphar. And he is called Potipherah (pherah meaning, disturbed or cut) as he became naturally castrated, since he desired Yosef for male intercourse (Sotah 13b).
מ״ווְיוֹסֵף֙ בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעׇמְד֕וֹ לִפְנֵ֖י פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיֵּצֵ֤א יוֹסֵף֙ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
46Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.—Leaving Pharaoh’s presence, Joseph traveled through all the land of Egypt.
מ״זוַתַּ֣עַשׂ הָאָ֔רֶץ בְּשֶׁ֖בַע שְׁנֵ֣י הַשָּׂבָ֑ע לִקְמָצִֽים׃
47During the seven years of plenty, the land produced in abundance.
ותעש הארץ. כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, וְאֵין הַלָּשׁוֹן נֶעֱקָר מִלְּשׁוֹן עֲשִׂיָּה:
ותעש הארץ AND THE EARTH BROUGHT FORTH — understand it as the Targum does: the inhabitants of the land gathered. Still the word ותעש does not really lose its meaning of “doing” or “making”.
לקמצים. קֹמֶץ עַל קֹמֶץ, יָד עַל יָד, הָיוּ אוֹצְרִים:
לקמצים BY HANDFULS — they stored up the grain handful upon handful, fist upon fist.
מ״חוַיִּקְבֹּ֞ץ אֶת־כׇּל־אֹ֣כֶל ׀ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָיוּ֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּתֶּן־אֹ֖כֶל בֶּעָרִ֑ים אֹ֧כֶל שְׂדֵה־הָעִ֛יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר סְבִיבֹתֶ֖יהָ נָתַ֥ן בְּתוֹכָֽהּ׃
48And he gathered all the grain of the seven years that the land of Egypt was enjoying,ethe seven years that the land of Egypt was enjoying Lit. “the seven years that were in the land of Egypt.” and stored the grain in the cities; he put in each city the grain of the fields around it.
אכל שדה העיר אשר סביבתיה נתן בתוכה. שֶׁכָּל אֶרֶץ וְאֶרֶץ מַעֲמֶדֶת פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ, וְנוֹתְנִין בַּתְּבוּאָה מֵעֲפַר הַמָּקוֹם, וּמַעֲמִיד אֶת הַתְּבוּאָה מִלִּרְקֹב:
אכל שדה העיר אשר סביבתיה נתן בתוכה THE FOOD OF THE FIELD WHICH WAS ROUND ABOUT EVERY CITY LAID HE UP IN THE SAME — for every district preserves its own produce; and for this people always put amongst the grain some of the earth of the place in which it grows and this prevents it decaying (Genesis Rabbah 90:5).
מ״טוַיִּצְבֹּ֨ר יוֹסֵ֥ף בָּ֛ר כְּח֥וֹל הַיָּ֖ם הַרְבֵּ֣ה מְאֹ֑ד עַ֛ד כִּי־חָדַ֥ל לִסְפֹּ֖ר כִּי־אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃
49So Joseph collected produce in very large quantity, like the sands of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.
עד כי חדל לספר. עַד כִּי חָדַל לוֹ הַסּוֹפֵר לִסְפֹּר, וַהֲרֵי זֶה מִקְרָא קָצָר:
עד כי חדל לספר UNTIL THEY CEASED NUMBERING — until the one who was numbering stopped numbering — it is an elliptical phrase
כי אין מספר. לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מִסְפָּר, וַהֲרֵי כִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בְּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא:
כי אין מספר means because it was without number — The word כי has the meaning of because (Rosh Hashanah 3a).
נ׳וּלְיוֹסֵ֤ף יֻלַּד֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים בְּטֶ֥רֶם תָּב֖וֹא שְׁנַ֣ת הָרָעָ֑ב אֲשֶׁ֤ר יָֽלְדָה־לּוֹ֙ אָֽסְנַ֔ת בַּת־פּ֥וֹטִי פֶ֖רַע*(בספרי תימן פּֽוֹטִיפֶ֖רַע בתיבה אחת) כֹּהֵ֥ן אֽוֹן׃
50Before the years of famine came, Joseph became the father of two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Poti-phera, priest of On, bore to him.
בטרם תבא שנת הרעב. מִכָּאן שֶׁאָדָם אָסוּר לְשַׁמֵּשׁ מִטָּתוֹ בִּשְׁנֵי רְעָבוֹן (תענית י"א):
בטרם תבא שנת הרעב BEFORE THE YEAR OF FAMINE CAME — from here we learn that a man must practise continence during times of famine (cf. Taanit 11a).
נ״אוַיִּקְרָ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם הַבְּכ֖וֹר מְנַשֶּׁ֑ה כִּֽי־נַשַּׁ֤נִי אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כׇּל־עֲמָלִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית אָבִֽי׃
51Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, meaning, “God has made me forgetfhas made me forget Heb. nashshani, connected with “Manasseh” (Menashsheh). completely my hardship and my parental home.”
נ״בוְאֵ֛ת שֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖י קָרָ֣א אֶפְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־הִפְרַ֥נִי אֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥רֶץ עׇנְיִֽי׃
52And the second he named Ephraim, meaning, “God has made me fertileghas made me fertile Heb. hiphrani, connected with “Ephraim.” in the land of my affliction.”