Dvar Torah - Miketz 5785

The beginning of the parsha tells us an astonishing story. Because no one was able to satisfy Pharaoh with an interpretation of his dreams, Yosef was brought out of prison and given an opportunity to interpret them. Yosef explained that the dreams foretold that there would be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of severe famine. He also advised Pharaoh to store up the grain from the good years in order to provide food during the seven years of famine. The Torah tell us that “the matter appeared good in Pharaoh’s eyes and in the eyes of all his servants.” (Beraishis 41:37). However, Pharaoh does not just reward Yosef for his interpretation. He further tells him: “You shall be in charge of my palace and by your command shall all my people be sustained; only by the throne shall I outrank you.” (Ibid. 41:40). This is puzzling. Yosef had only proven that he could interpret dreams. On what basis did Pharaoh believe that Yosef had the ability to administer an entire country, the most powerful country in the ancient world? Moreover, Yosef was not an Egyptian aristocrat. On the contrary, he was a slave and an alleged criminal, on the lowest strata of Egyptian society. Indeed, the Chief Butler disparaged Yosef in front of Pharaoh, calling him: “a Hebrew youth, a slave to the Chamberlain of the Butchers.” (Ibid. 41:12). What gave Pharaoh the confidence to bypass his Egyptian advisors and appoint a Hebrew slave, an alleged criminal, to be the second most powerful man in the world?

Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, Z”TL (Sichos Mussar 22) explains that when Yosef was first brought to the palace, Pharaoh did not immediately relate his dreams to Yosef. Instead, he told Yosef: “Now I heard it said of you that you comprehend a dream to interpret it.” (Ibid. 41:15). Yosef responded in an unusual way: “That is beyond me (בלעדי); it is G-d Who will respond with Pharaoh’s welfare.” (Ibid. 41:16). Why did Yosef use the word בלעדי? Rashi explains that the word בלעדי means that it is not my wisdom (Sifsei Chachaim בלי עדי – it is not mine). Yosef refused to take any credit for his abilities, and attributed everything to G-d. Even when Pharaoh and his advisors were heaping praise on him for interpreting the dreams, Yosef stayed incredibly humble. Pharaoh recognized that Yosef was a rare person with a character that he could trust and therefore bypassed all of his ministers to appoint Yosef.

Hashem provides everyone with unique abilities and strengths. The Torah warns us not to think that “my strength and my power has created all this,” (Devarim 8:17), which leads to arrogance and overconfidence. The path to greatness is not to take credit for those strengths, especially when one becomes highly successful. Pharaoh recognized Yosef’s greatness; “Could we find another like him - a man in whom is the spirit of G-d?” (Ibid. 41:38). We learn from Yosef that when one recognizes that all our talents and skills come from Hashem and communicates that to others, it not only raises up one’s own esteem in the eyes of others, but also becomes a Kiddush Hashem that raises up the esteem of the Jewish people in the eyes of the entire world.