The
dungeon scene, which ended last week’s Parasha, shifts almost instantaneously
to a palace, and it is there that the present Parasha opens up. A short phrase acts
as a bridge, connecting these two very dissimilar places, yet making it clear
that the events happening in the palace are not entirely removed from the afore-mentioned
prison cell and its occupants.
And
so we read: “At the full end – “miketz” - of two years of days” (literal
translation)… "Miketz" signifies here the “full end”
(to the very last day) of the two years following the fulfillment of the dreams
interpreted correctly by Yoseph, for which he was hoping to be rewarded… “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph,
but forgot him" (40:23). "Did not remember, but forgot,” is an
emphatic and decisive double statement that ended last week’s Parashat
Va’yeshev and seemed to seal off Yoseph's fate. Moving on to the next chapter
(and Parasha), we find that it begins where the former left off; that is, with
dreams. Moreover, Par’oh’s dreams could not have come before the period
allotted by YHVH for Yoseph’s prison experience. Thus, the thread connecting
the 'dreamer' of this Parasha (Par’oh) to the interpreter of dreams (himself a
renowned dreamer, ref. 37: 5 – 10) in last week’s Parasha, begins to unravel.
Consequently, that which appears to be the protagonist’s sealed fate takes a
sharp and immediate turn, as the times (ref. Ps. 31:15) and events of his life
are being directed from above (ref. Prov. 20:24). For whatever reason, it is
only when the two years fully expire that change can come about in Yoseph's
life circumstances. And as is so often the case, once change sets in, its gathers
momentum (ref. v. 41:14).
In Parashat Miketz we will encounter certain Egyptian names, words, and
terms. Although in most cases they are not directly related to the Hebrew
language, their Hebrew transliterations happen to have clear meanings. Even if
these are mere happenstances or coincidences, they are intriguing!
Let
us begin with the king of Egypt ,
Pharaoh, “Par'oh” in Hebrew; a title used for all the kings of
that land, and means a "great house" in Ancient Egyptian.1. Correspondingly, the Hebrew consonants for
this title, p.r.a (pey, resh, ayin), form a word which, according to some
linguists means "leader" (Judges 5:2, "for the leading of
the leader"; also Deut. 32:42). Others disagree, believing it to mean,
"annul, do away with, or unruly," while
it also means the “loosening"or “untying
of hair" (e.g. Lev. 13:45; Num. 5:18). Pieced together these images
create a picture of disorder; perhaps even of an unruly, or unscrupulous ruler,
which was true of quite a few of the Pharaohs. In Mishley (Proverbs) 15:32, for
example, we read: "He who neglects discipline despises himself," with
the verb for "neglect " being “pore'ah.” And in chapter
29 of the same book, verse 18, it says: "Where there is no vision, the
people are unrestrained ("unrestrained" – “yipara”).
The consonants P or F and R (remember, in Hebrew P and F are signified by the
same letter), seem to be common in the ancient Egyptian tongue – last week we
read about Potiphar - and this week we meet Yoseph's father-in-law whose name
is Potiphera (41:45). Later on these consonants will be found in another
well-known Hebrew-Egyptian name.
As
Par'oh continues to endow Yoseph with honor and material wealth, "he had
him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him: "Bow
the knee" - or “av'rech” (41:43). “Av'rech” does contain
the word for "knee," “berech,” which, as we have seen before (in
Parashat Lech Lecha, Gen. 12 – 17), is also the root for the verb "to
bless." Indeed, Yoseph is a great blessing to the people of Egypt . “Av'rech,”
however, can also be read as “av-rach,” a "tender father"
(ref. Prov. 4:3). In next week's Parasha, Yoseph will be seen telling his
brothers that, "Elohim made [him] a father to Pharaoh" (45:8).
"Tender" in this case may be pointing to his age (he was 30 at the
time, 41:46), while the term "father" denotes a venerated figure, one
whose wisdom and counsel are relied upon.
Par'oh’s respect for Yoseph is also expressed by the name that he gives
him, “Tzafnat Pa'a'ne'ach” (Zaphnath-Paaneah). The root
tz.f.n is not new to us; we examined it when we looked at the four directions
of the wind (again in Parashat Lech Lecha), and found that this root forms the
word for "north," but also for that which is “hidden" or
"stored up." Thus, the man who was kidnapped from Egypt ’s
northern neighbor, fits well the description ascribed to "wise men [who] store
up knowledge" (Pro. 10:14, italics added)… and also food and
provisions. In Ancient Egyptian the two words that make up this name mean, “The
god speaks and he lives.”2
In chapter 41:51, 52, mention
is made of Yoseph's sons, whose names are explained according to their Hebrew
meanings. However, these names (also) happen to sound like Egyptian names,
which may have been another reason why Yoseph chose them. Let us begin with the
name of the youngest, Ephraim, meaning, "multiplicity
of fruit" (41:52). As we can see, the same consonants that
we just noted above: P/F and R, make up that name. Obviously, Yoseph did not
want to stand out as a foreigner in the land of his benefactors, but at the
same time also wished to express his faith in the promise of the multiplication
of the seed that was given to his ancestors. In the blessing and promise to
Ya'acov, in 35:11 (Parashat Va’yishalch), Elohim says: "Be fruitful
and multiply, a nation and a company of nations shall come from you" (italics
added), and likewise in the prayer that Ya'acov prays and blesses Ephraim with,
in Parashat Va’ye’chi (ref. 48:4). Thus "fruit"
("pri", of the root p.r.a), is found in this name, and also in the
title that Ya’acov, while blessing Yoseph (in Parashat Va’yechi), will confer
upon him - “ben porat,” that is,
"son of fruitfulness" (49:22). Prophetically significant is also the
fact that “Ephraim” contains the consonants, e.f.r (alef, pey/fey, resh),
forming the word “efer” which means "ashes." Interestingly, the
prophet Hoshe’ah (Hosea) describes Yisrael/Ephraim, while in their state of sin,
as “smoke from a chimney” (13:3).
Yoseph
names his firstborn “Mena'she,” because Elohim had caused him to forget
his past, (thereby easing his pain of separation from his family, 41:51), since
n.sh.h is the root of a verb which means “to forget.” The “sinew of the
thigh” which is not eaten by the sons of Yisrael because of the maiming
inflicted upon Ya’acov when he fought the “man” at P’niel, is called in Hebrew
“gid ha’nasheh” (ref. Gen. 32:32). Some rabbis and commentators
are of the opinion that this title for the thigh (exclusively connected with
the above-mentioned episode) - “nasheh” - is of the same root as “forgetfulness,”
because it was meant as a ‘remembering device.’ That is, by not partaking of
what is symbolically a “sinew of forgetfulness,” the Israelites were to
remember their Elohim, His commandments, and their own identity. But try hard
as the nation may have done, forgetfulness did set in quickly, resulting in
dire consequences. Never the less, in our Parasha it is evident that
forgetfulness and remembering are also subject to YHVH’s sovereignty. Thus, the
cupbearer’s forgetfulness (different word in this case than the above n.sh.a. This
one is sh.ch.ch – shin, chaf, chet) and subsequent remembrance, are used by YHVH
in order to set His plan into motion. Yoseph also makes use of the same verb when
interpreting Par’oh’s dream: “But after
them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten
in the land of Egypt
Back
to Menashe… whose name sounds much like "Moshe" (Moses), which in
spite of its Hebrew meaning is most likely also of Egyptian origin, as it was Par’oh’s
who daughter gave it to the foundling. Thus, Yoseph’s sons names, which
although of significant Hebrew meaning, most likely would not have sounded
strange in their own surroundings.
The book of Hoshe'ah (Hosea)
deals at great length with the northern kingdom of Israel 13, in a specific address to
Ephraim, some of the same words, or roots, which we have just encountered, are
repeated. "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his sin is stored up"
- "stored up" is “tzfoona” (Hos. 13:12); of the same
root which is in Yoseph's Egyptian name “Tzafnat.” In the following verse (13)
mention is made of the "opening of the womb," literally "the
breaking [forth] of the sons," the word being “mishbar” of the root
sh.v/b.r (shin, vet/bet, resh). The word for "grain" and the
verb for "supplying food" appear many times in our
Parasha; both of them are founded in this very root, which in our story is utilized
in the sense of the "breaking" of hunger or famine, like the breaking
of a fast. Yoseph, the one supplying provender, is called “mashbir.”
In Psalm 105 16, 17 we read about Yoseph and his mission: “Moreover He called
for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent a
man before them -- Joseph -- who was sold as a slave.” “He destroyed all
provision” is rendered in the Hebrew by “shavar” (literally, “broke”) of the
root, sh.b.r. Amos deplores those who do not “grieve for the
breaking – or affliction - of Joseph” (6:6),
which in Hebrew is “shever Yoseph.” It seems that ‘shever’ accompanies Yoseph,
both the man and his descendants, in their successes and failures. Back to
Hoshe’ah. In 14:8 we read: “Ephraim [doubly fruitful], 'What
have I to do anymore with idols?' I have heard and observed him. I am like
a green cypress tree; Your fruit
[“pri”] is found in Me" (italics added).
Last
week we saw that Yoseph made YHVH's name known in his foreign environs. He
certainly continues to do so when standing before the king (41:16, 25). And
like Potiphar before him, Par'oh too acknowledges Yoseph's Elohim: "’Can
we find a man like this, in whom is the spirit of Elohim?’ So Pharaoh said to
Joseph, 'Since Elohim has informed you of all this…'" (41:38, 39).
Par’oh
not only acknowledges Yoseph’s Elohim, he also honors Yoseph by having him ride
his "second chariot" (v. 43), or “mirkevet ha'mish'neh.” “Mish'neh”
is from the root sh.n.h (shin, noon, hey), the primary meaning of which is
"to repeat" or "extra." In 43:12 we read that
Ya'acov gives his sons “extra” or “double” money to take with them to Egypt , in order
to be prepared for any eventuality. Number two, being a repetition of number
one, is also seen in 41:32, "Now as for the repeating [“hishanot” - of the
same root] of the dream twice…." In
Par'oh's dreams there were two seven-year periods. The word for
"year" is “shana,” being again of the root sh.n.h, (‘that which
repeats itself’ or ‘is repeated’), but its additional meaning is "to
change," as seen for example in Malachi 3:6, "For I, YHVH, do not
change [shaniti], therefore you, O sons of Israel are not consumed."
Thus, although number two is seemingly a repeat of number one, there is always
bound to be a change, or a difference the second time round, seen by the dual
meaning of this word. Yoseph, for example, who is second only to Par'oh, is
certainly very different from ‘number one’!
Part
of Yoseph's advice to Par'oh was to "exact a fifth of the produce… in the
seven years of abundance" (41: 34). "Exacting a fifth"
appears here in verb form, “chimesh.” Number five is “cha'mesh”
(ch.m.sh.- chet, mem, shin) in Hebrew, and the verb which stems from it means
"to arm" or "to be armed," such as when “YHVH led the
people around… and the sons of Israel went up in martial array
[“chamushim”=”armed”] from the land of Egypt" (Ex. 13: 18). In the verse
following this one, that is in Sh’mot (Exodus) 13:19, mention is made of Yoseph’s
request to have his bones brought to the Land. Was it the memory of how Yoseph ‘armed’
Egypt
that inspired Moshe to use this unique term (“martial array” = “chamushim”) immediately
after the reference to “being armed”? Thus, Yoseph's advise to Par'oh, here in
verse 34, could be read as, "let Pharaoh arm the land of Egypt in
the seven years of plenty" (italics added). And, having followed Yoseph's
wise and Godly counsel, Par'oh certainly does (in a manner of speaking) arm his
land.
The
figure seven, “sheva,” as pertaining to the two seven-year blocks of time, with
their abundance on the one hand, and the lack thereof on the other, is repeated
time and again in chapter 41. Abundance,
or "plenty" appear here as “sova” (ref. vs. 29 ,30 ,31)
which we have already noted as meaning "fullness" (as in a full belly),
or “satisfaction,” as well as its closeness to the figure seven – sheva. YHVH's precise order within humanity and over
nature, as He makes provision for “sova” in the two periods of “sheva,” is
evident even in the very words themselves.
When "Ya'acov saw that
there was grain [“shever,” referred to above] in Egypt , he said to his sons: 'why
are you staring at one another?'" (42:1). Ya'acov's "seeing"
and his sons' "staring" - are both of the root "to see,"
r.a.ah (resh, alef, hey). But whereas Ya'acov is looking around and is aware of
the situation, his sons are looking at one another, thereby failing to see the
reality about them. This is not the first time that these lads are found busy
examining one another, instead of being attentive and productive. Last week we
read in 37:4: “And when his brothers saw - “va’yir’ou” - that their father
loved him [Yoseph] more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not
speak peaceably to him” (italics added).
Yoseph,
on the other hand, sees and recognizes his brothers, although he acts as a
stranger toward them (ref. 42:7). “Va'yitna'ker” – “he made himself
as a stranger” - since “nochri” is “stranger” and “nechar” is a “foreign
land,” with the root being n.ch.r (noon, kaf/chaf, resh). However, it is also
this very root that forms “nikar,” which means "seen" or
"apparent" (the sounds "k" and "ch" are denoted
sometimes by the same letter, in this case the letter kaf/chaf). And thus, “to
know” or “recognize” is “haker.” The paradoxical meaning imbedded in this root,
which is shared both by words pertaining to recognition and by those which have
to do with estrangement, is made very real in the scene before us. Yoseph’s
recognition of his brothers, on the one hand, and his estrangement from them,
on the other, is summed up well by these two verbs (stemming from the one root)
– “va'ya'kirem,” - “vayitna'ker.” Thus, seeming opposites are
actually two sides of the same coin! This act of estrangement is in fact a tool
that Yoseph uses in order to find out more about his brothers, as he desires
to become re-acquainted with them and their present disposition.
The
brothers return home, yet it is not long before the provisions come to an end.
If they are to go down again to the 'land of plenty,' Ya'acov's sons need to
convince their father to send their youngest brother, in accordance with the
demand of the ‘Egyptian ruler.’ Yehuda, therefore, pleads with Ya’acov:
"Send the lad with me… I myself
will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring
him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you
for ever" (43:8,9). Yehuda is willing to “guarantee” his brother,
or to become an “era'von.” Last week, in Parashat Va’yeshev, we saw
Yehuda as he was learning something about the principle of redemption from his
daughter-in-law. At the time, Tamar used a "pledge," also an “era'von,”
in order to force her father-in-law into acknowledging his duty (ref. 38:17,
18). A wiser Yehuda now offers up himself as the pledge or surety, in
the process of qualifying for the position of firstborn-redeemer of the family.
When
in Egypt ,
Binyamin is accused of having stolen Yoseph's cup. Yehuda immediately takes
responsibility, albeit a collective one, for his brother. His words "Elohim
has found out the iniquity of your servants" (44:16) lead us to believe
that it is not the alleged crime of stealing to which he is referring. Already
in 42:21, while meeting Yoseph for the first time, the brothers acknowledge
amongst themselves their guilt toward him.
But whereas at that time Yoseph kept quiet, here he puts Yehuda on the
spot, testing him to the utmost: "Far be it from me to do this. The man in
whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you,
go up in peace to your father" (44:17).
With this situation unresolved, and portending the worst, the narrator
seals off, leaving us to wonder until the next episode!
But
just before closing, let us examine one more term. When Ya'acov acquiesces and
commits Binyamin to the mercy of his brothers, he makes his sons take an
offering "to the man" (43:11), in spite of the famine and their own
great want. That which is translated as
"best produce of the land" is “zimrat ha'aretz.”
While “ha'aretz” is "the land" or “the earth,” “zimra” stems
from the verb “zamor” (z.mr., zayim, mem, resh),"
to cut off vine branches,” but in many more instances it is
"song" or "music." According to the Theological Wordbook of
the Old Testament 3, "the vast majority of occurrences of this verb and
its derivatives focus upon praising the Lord; The people of Israel lift their
voices and their instruments to praise their God as long as they live” (Ps.
104:33; 146:2). [Several times this praise is tangibly directed toward the
"name of the Lord” - the "name," as representing YHVH Himself
(Ps. 18:49; 66:4; 135:3)]. What exactly
does Ya'acov have in mind when selecting this particular and uncommon choice of
words? Do these words reveal something that is perhaps beyond what Ya’acov
himself is aware of: the praise that is to be brought to the ‘man’ (ref. John
19:5), who is the vine (John 15:1.5), by the ones who are the proverbial
branches? The verb “zamru” (“sing”) is repeated a number of times in T’hilim
(Psalms) 66, and so we read in verse 4: “Kol ha’aretz (the whole earth)…
ye’zamru (“will sing praise”) lach (to you),” echoing the term “zimrat ha’aretz,”
as coined by our father Ya’acov.
Notes
1.The New Brown, Driver, Briggs, Gesenius
Lexicon, Francis Brown Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody , Mass.
2..
Ibid
3. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament,
vol. 1, R. Laird Harris ed. Moody Press, Chicago .
1980.
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