In Parshas Miketz, the drama, intrigue, passions, and suspense in the Yosef narrative continues.  After languishing for twelve years in prison, Yosef’s fortune suddenly changes.  When Pharaoh dreams of seven gaunt, sickly cows consuming seven robust, healthy cows, and seven withered ears of corn consuming seven healthy ears of corn, his spirit is greatly agitated and disturbed.  When none of the Egyptian wise men or sorcerers can interpret the dreams to his liking, the butler suddenly remembers that there is a lad, a Hebrew, a servant, who is in prison and can interpret dreams.  

When Pharaoh hears this, Yosef is rushed from the dungeon, he shaves, changes his clothing, and is brought before the king.  When Yosef interprets the dreams to Pharaoh’s liking - there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine - and Yosef further advises Pharaoh to stockpile food during the years of plenty to survive the years of famine, Yosef is stunningly appointed viceroy over all of Egypt. 

He has gone from rags to riches, from prisoner to prince, in the seemingly blink of an eye of Pharaoh’s dreams.  Of course, this is all according to Hashem’s plan to bring Yosef to his position of leadership.

During the seven years of plenty, Yosef marries and has two sons: Ephraim and Menashe.  During the seven years of plenty, there is so much grain, it cannot be counted from abundance, and Egypt - under the rule of Yosef - stockpiles and amasses vast amounts of grain.  

When the famine begins, people from neighboring countries descend upon Egypt to buy food, the only country that has provisions during the famine.  Amongst those coming to buy food are the brothers of Yosef.  Thus begins the next chapter in the life of Yosef and the brothers.  He is viceroy, and unbeknownst to them, the brother that they sold so many years ago, and they, a group of ten brothers, are bowing down to, and dependent upon, him. 

The parsha ends with the goblet of Yosef found (having been planted) in the saddle-pack of Binyamin, which is their greatest fear come true.  Yosef declares they are free to go back to Canaan and the one who ‘stole’ the goblet will remain his servant.

Let us go back to the beginning of the parsha, and Pharaoh’s first dream of sickly cows consuming healthy cows alongside the Nile River.  The parsha opens by telling us: וַיְהִי, מִקֵּץ שְׁנָתַיִם יָמִים; וּפַרְעֹה חֹלֵם, וְהִנֵּה עֹמֵד עַל-הַיְאֹר - and it was at the end of two years, and Pharaoh dreamed, and behold, he stood by the river (Bereishis 41:1).  

Interestingly, when Pharaoh relays this dream to Yosef, he says: בַּחֲלֹמִי, הִנְנִי עֹמֵד עַל-שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר, in my dream, I was standing by the shore of the river (41:17). 

If we carefully examine the lashon in these two verses, we will note something most curious indeed.  When Pharaoh actually dreams, he sees himself עֹמֵד עַל-הַיְאֹר.  If we translate this literally, it means: standing ON the river.  Pharaoh, who considered himself a god of Egypt (see Rashi to Shemos 7:15), was one who believed he was so mighty, so powerful, and so great, that he was one who could actually stand ON the water!  Such was his elevated, haughty, godly view of self.

However, since no lashon in the Torah is without meaning… when Pharaoh relays his dreams to Yosef, he says: הִנְנִי עֹמֵד עַל-שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר, behold I was standing by the SHORE (or banks) of the river.  Apparently, Pharaoh is not so godly, not so super-natural, and no longer able to stand ON the water.  Like a mere mortal, he now stands NEXT to the river.

Why the change? 

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt’l teaches about Yosef and Pharaoh:  “Pharaoh had a great understanding of spirituality.  We know that Joseph’s presence had an enormous impact upon him.  Joseph humanized and sensitized him (emphases added).  He succeeded in making Egypt the provider of food for the Mideast without discriminating between Egyptians and foreigners.  There was a humanitarian aspect to the distribution system introduced by Joseph.  The peasants retained eighty percent of the harvest for themselves; only twenty percent was given to the treasury (Gen.47:24) - a pretty decent agreement for antiquity!  Joseph convinced Pharaoh that justice and charity must prevail, that a civilized country cannot exist on technology alone.  A moral system is indispensable.  In their long conversations, Joseph certainly told Pharaoh about the covenant, about his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, about the strange community they had established in Canaan, about their way of life, about hesed and mishpat, about hospitality and visiting the sick, about the Akedah and total commitment to the Almighty, Who is concerned with man and his way of life.  He most probably told him about imago Dei” (Vision and Leadership, p.52).

Perhaps the answer to our question lies in understanding the greatness of Yosef and the impact he had upon Pharaoh.  Pharaoh may have believed that he was godly and that he could certainly stand upon water… until he found himself in the presence of someone who truly represented the Divine.  At that moment, as Yosef stood before Pharaoh, the Divine image was sensed immediately.  Humbled before this great man of G-d - before Yosef for whom the name of Hashem was always in his mouth (Rashi to 39:3) - Pharaoh was abruptly faced with his very humanity.  Not so godly at all, he is forced by the sheer presence of Yosef to admit: And behold, like any other mortal, I only stood by the shore of the river.

May we always recognize the Divine image within each one of us, may we live up to our own potentials as ovdei Hashem, and may we appreciate the tremendous greatness of our talmidei chachamim, rabbonim, and gedolim, who Hashem graces us with, to lead and to guide us.  As we stand before them, may we be humbled to accept their leadership, drink with thirst their teachings, and follow their paths of Torah with passion and alacrity.  

May the holy lights of the chanuka neiros herald days of redemption, salvation, and miracles for our entire nation and beloved Land.   בברכת חג אורים שמח ושבת שלום.

LZ”H HaRav HaGaon Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt’l, zy’a, whose 7th yarzheit was 24 Kislev.