Portion of the Week; Miketz 51-1, Rabbi Adler

[empty] been [Hebrew chanting] [Hebrew chanting] [Host]: Portion of the Week: the Bible as read in the synagogue with Rabbinic commentary. This evening, we hear Rabbi Jacob Adler, spiritual leader of the Orthodox Congregation of Young Israel of Kingsbridge, Bronx, New York. [Rabbi]: Last week's portion, Parashat Miketz, forms part

of a larger narrative that extends over three weekly portions: Va-Yeshev, Miketz, and Vayigash. It deals with Joseph forced departure from his family and his country, his life in Egypt, where he succeeds in rising from the lowly position of slave to that of viceroy to the king; and the circumstances that finally forced his family to follow him and migrate into Egypt. As the drama unfolds in the beginning of our portion, we find Joseph of being called from his prisoner cell and the royal dungeon, where he had languished for a number of years, to the king's chamber of the royal palace.

And here, Pharaoh hopes to receive from him a proper interpretation for a series of dreams which having haunted him during the night, had caused them to be uneasy and frightened. Let us choose for a careful reading and analysis, verses thirty three through thirty nine of chapter forty one. Hereafter Joseph had interpreted Pharaoh's dreams to his satisfaction, and had pointed out that the seven lean cows which swallowed the seven well-fed cows, and the seven blasted years of corn which swallowed the seven full years of corn had represented seven years of plenty

to be followed by seven years of relentless famine. Joseph makes the following additional suggestion: [Hebrew] V-atah yireh pahroh ish navohn v-chacham v-yishisehhu al-eretz mitzrahim. Ya-ahseh pahroh v-yapahked p-kidim al-haaretz; *hebrew* ve-shahmaru. Now therefore let Pharaoh choose a man who is discrete and wise, and sent him over the land of Egypt, Let him furthermore appoint overseers over the land and let them gather food during these good years to

come and store it. Now, the question that we must ask ourselves upon careful analysis of this text, is that this advice, advanced by Joseph although brilliant, was nevertheless uncalled for, as indicated earlier in verse fifteen of this chapter, Pharaoh had merely requested an interpretation of his dreams, that Joseph had successfully accomplished. The interpretation was given; nothing further was required of him. Why then, the additional words of advice? Neither

Pharaoh, nor his counselors, make any attempt to stop him from giving this advice. On the contrary: they patiently listen to his recommendations, and when Joseph has concluded his entire statement le'tovah comments in verse thirty seven, [Hebrew] Va-yitav hahdavar *hebrew* And pharaoh and his servants were pleased with the entire thing. They were pleased both with the way he had interpreted the dream, and they were pleased with the advice he had given. As a matter of fact, Pharaoh was so impressed that he appoints Joseph himself to take charge over the program which he had so wisely recommended. As we are told:

[hebrew] Vayomer pahroh el-yoseph ayn nahvohn vchacham kamohchah. Ahah: si-hiyeh albehsi. And he said to Joseph, there is none other so discreet and so wise as you, Therefore, you shall be in charge over my house, et cetera. Now isn't it strange, that Pharaoh and his circle of advisers should so easily accept the council of this young man who, after all, was still a criminal and a slave and particularly, since all that they have asked for was an interpretation of the dream and no advice. However, it seems clear to me

that we have here an important point which is being brought out by the Torah; namely, that Joseph's success in impressing Pharaoh, was due not merely to the fact that he had been able to correctly interpret the dreams. As Rashi points out in his commentary on verse eight, others have made an attempt to interpret Pharaoh's screens before but they had left no impression. Joseph's success, it seems to me, was due precisely to the fact that, in addition to being able to interpret a dream, and in addition to being able to recognize a problem, he was able to offer concrete and practical solutions to the problem as well. Joseph was more than the man of wisdom,

the man of knowledge, Joseph was also a practical man, a man who knows how to apply his knowledge and it was precisely his practical sense that lent credibility to his interpretation of the dream, and had caused Pharaoh to believe him to accept his interpretations, to be impressed. And perhaps the very proof that this is the idea which the Bible wants to stress here, that a wise man must also be a practical man, that a wise men must also be able to apply his wisdom in order to be accepted. That may be

recognized in the twice-repeated double expression *hebrew* which is used first by Joseph in verse thirty three and then later again by Pharaoh in verse thirty nine. Pharaoh says there, *hebrew* *hebrew* *hebrew* Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discreet and wise as you. Perhaps the very fact that the Torah has added [Hebrew] vin-navon, "and understanding and wise," to the word Chochom, is to emphasize this very idea that the true "Chochom," the true scholar, in order to be effective

must in addition possess the quality of being a “Navon" or what our sages call perhaps *hebrew* one who is able to see the practical value of knowledge so that it can be applied in practice as well. And Joseph, the Bible informs us, possessed this unique gift of being both call Hakham and Navon at the same time. This was the secret of his success and it was because of this, that he was able to save Egypt and the world. [Host]: You have been listening to Portion of the Week, the Bible, as read in the synagogue

with Rabbinic commentary. This evening, you heard Rabbi Jacob Adler, spiritual leader of the Orthodox Congregation of Young Israel Kingsbridge, Bronx, New York The cantor for Portion of the Week is Elizar Krumbein, his allies are combined is of the Congregation Beth Shalom of Kings Bay, Brooklyn, New York. [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting] [Hebrew Chanting]

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