Parshas Mikeitz



This is in the merit of my grandmother Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.



A note: Comments within double brackets, [[abc]], are notes I write for myself so that when I look back later on the topics I discussed, I see all the sources I looked at and how I understood them. Readers are encouraged to skip them.





Question:



While Joseph ruled as Pharaoh's second in command, why did he not attempt to contact his family?





Cause and Effect



In last week's Torah portion, Joseph was thrown into prison. There, he interpreted the royal cupbearer's dream that he would be released and restored to his position. This indeed happened. In this week's reading, two years after his encounter with the cupbearer, the King of Egypt has a dream and, turning to Joseph to interpret it for him, Joseph is released from jail.





Why was Joseph released? On the surface, we would say because Pharaoh needed Joseph to interpret the dream. However, the Beis HaLevy cites a medrish that gives a different reason.



"And it was at the end of two years that Pharaoh dreamt…" (Genesis 41:1).

This alludes to the idea in the verse 'He put an end to darkness…' (Job 28:3). [G-d] put an end [set a limit] to Joseph's time in prison. Once the end came, 'Pharaoh dreamt'" (Translation from the English Beis HaLevy, page 153)



The Beis HaLevy says that instead of Pharaoh's dream being the reason that Joseph was freed, in reality, the medrish says that Joseph needing to be freed was the reason Pharaoh dreamt.



We don't and can't know how Divine providence works on a daily basis but we need to realize that what we see may not be correct.



Food for thought and discussion:

How is this idea related to Chanukah?

Also, does this idea pose a problem for the idea of free will and reward and punishment?





Biography of the Beis Halevy

http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/rabbis/ybsolov.htm



Have a good Shabbas and happy Chaunkah,
Mordechai