Torah Portion
Tradition And Identity
Are Judaism's Backbones
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Genesis 41:38, 39: "And Pharaoh
said to his servants, Is there found a
man like this in whom is the Spirit
of God?" And Pharaoh said to
Joseph, "Since God has made known
to you all of this, there is none as
understanding and wise as you."
Even when Joseph, as lord, dealt
with those foreigners coming to buy
his week's Torah portion
food in Egypt during the famine, he
continues the story of
uses the phrase (Genesis 42:18) "... I
Joseph. After having been
am God fearing ..."
sold into slavery, unjustly
When Joseph was in prison he
accused and imprisoned for more than
stated (Genesis 40:8), "Do not.dream
two years, he is appointed to
interpretations belong to
the position second only to
God?" And, as a slave, he
the king of Egypt.
repels the advances of his
The one thing that
master's wife by proclaim-
remains constant in Joseph's
ing (Genesis 39:19), "...
life is his relationship with
how can I do this great evil
God. Whether as the
and sin against God!" This
mighty ruler of Egypt or
public display of his own
the abject slave in prison,
humility and of his faith in
not only does he maintain
God must have made a
his faith in God, but con-
remarkable impression on
stantly makes it public.
RABBI ELIEZER those with whom he had
When he is brought out
contact, because both his
COHEN
of prison to interpret the
master, Potifar, and the
Special to the
Pharaoh's dream, at the very
warden
of the prison
Jewish News
outset Joseph proclaims
acknowledge it is God's
(Genesis 41:16), "It is not I,
help that makes Joseph
but may God answer Pharaoh with
successful in his endeavors. Genesis
peace." And in his interpretation of
39:3 says: "His master saw that God
the dream, Joseph again emphasizes
was with him and all that he did
three times (Genesis 41:25, 28, 32)
God made successful." And in
that the prophecy of the dream is
Genesis 39:23: "The warden of the
prison did not super-
, vise anything that
was in his (Joseph's)
,hand because God
aiwas with him and
whatever he did God
made successful."
Thus, it was with
z5 Joseph whether as an
a- exalted lord of the
empire or a despised
imprisoned slave: He
acknowledged and
taught others of his
relationship with
God. Even as an alien
in a strange land,
alone and estranged
from his own family
Joseph and his brothers from a 1st century engraving
(as indicated by the
meaning of the
God communicating to Pharaoh His
names of his sons), Joseph demon-
future plans by means of Joseph's
strated in word and deed his reliance
interpretation.
on God; and this, it seems, made a
In fact, it is Joseph's relationship
very great, positive impression upon
with God, rather than his own abili-
others. Joseph's behavior is what
ties that so impresses Pharaoh, caus-
would later be characterized as kid-
ing him to appoint Joseph a lord.
dush HaShem — sanctifying God's
name — by impressing upon others
Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation
the greatness of God and His rela-
Or Chadash.
tionship with human beings.
Shabbat Miketz:
Genesis 41:1-44:17;
Numbers 7:54-8:4;
I Kings 7:40-50.
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