The story of Yosef HaTzaddik in Egypt – the imprisoned servant-boy who became second-to-the-king in an instant – is inspiring in many ways. Let us see how he overcame, among many other trials and tribulations, the scorn of the Minister of Drinks; how he took pride in his Hebrew background even though this increased the Egyptians' contempt for him; and how his love for the Land of Israel shone through in all that he did.

The Torah portion of Miketz (B'reshit 41,1-44,17) begins with King Pharaoh's confusion at having dreamt a double dream of skinny cows swallowing fat cows and withered wheat stalks devouring strong ones. The Minister of Drinks remembered Yosef – who had interpreted the minister's own dream for life and prosperity – and recommended him to Pharaoh, in less than glowing terms: "There with us [in prison] was a Hebrew youth, a slave to Potiphar" (41,12).

Rashi explains, in the name of Chazal (our holy Sages): "Accursed are the evil ones, whose goodness towards others is incomplete. He mentioned Yosef in mocking terms, saying he was a foolish youth unworthy of greatness; a Hebrew, who doesn't even know our language; and a slave, about whom Egyptian culture says cannot become a ruler." That is, even when the evil ones try to do a favor, they do so in a miserly way; their heart does not allow them to do so whole-heartedly without casting aspersions upon him.

Let us understand these points that Chazal saw fit to mention in the butler's words. For one thing, why should he call him a youth, given that Yosef was already 30 years old (41,46)? The explanation given by the Matnot Kehunah commentary is that the reference is to Proverbs 22,15, which speaks of the "foolishness of youth;" the butler wished to denigrate not his age, but his character.

Next: Did Yosef truly not speak the local language? The answer is mostly yes, as the Zohar says (Part III, 213b). Yosef purposely made sure not to learn the language, in order to save himself from assimilating into the local culture. He did know a few dozen words that he needed to run Potiphar's household, but not all the nuances of the words. 

Why did Chazal tell us that the butler called Yosef a "Hebrew?" It is well-known that the Egyptians worshiped sheep, and therefore viewed all shepherding and shepherds, as the Israelites were, as nothing less than an abomination (46,34). They couldn't even bring themselves to eat at the same table with the Hebrews (43,32)! It was therefore with evil intentions that the Minister of Drinks referred to Yosef as a Hebrew, in order to pre-empt any thought by the king to promote Yosef to greatness.

The Torah also wishes to tell us here the maliciousness of the butler's sin of ingratitude, so that we may learn to recognize it if we detect it in ourselves. Yosef had done him a great favor, after helping him for years in prison – and even when he then pleaded with him to remember him and ask the king to pardon him, the butler totally put it out of his mind. The Torah tells us, "The Minister of Drinks did not remember Yosef, and he forgot him" (40,23). Why is it emphasized that not only did he not remember him, but also forgot him? Rashi says: This teaches that he forgot him the very same day that Yosef asked to be remembered!

Why did Yosef even tell the Minister of Drinks that he was a Hebrew? In his plea to be remembered, he said, "For I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews, and was wrongfully placed in the pit" (40,15). Wouldn't he have saved himself much grief had he not mentioned that extra detail?

The answer is that Yosef placed his pride in his background, and his love for his homeland, ahead of other considerations. Chazal say that "Yosef acknowledged his Land," and therefore was buried there and not in Egypt where he lived and ruled. What does it mean that he "acknowledged" it? It means that he was thankful for his Land, and took pride in it. [The words for "acknowledged" and for "thanked" are of the same root.]

We find that Yosef's descendants similarly loved Eretz Yisrael. The daughters of Tzlofchad, for instance, requested to receive a share in the Land because of their love for it (Bamidbar 27); they were of the Tribe of Menashe, son of Yosef. In addition, one of our two future redeemers – Mashiach ben Yosef, of the tribe of Yosef's son Ephraim – was chosen for this task because of his love for the Land. Similarly, the Scroll of Esther emphasizes that Mordechai arrived in Persia from the Holy Land not at all out of choice, but because he "was exiled from Jerusalem" (Esther 2,6).

We know that Yosef, when sending his brothers back to the Holy Land to inform their father Yaakov of the good news that Yosef was alive and very well in Egypt, told them: "Do not rush along the way" (45,24). As Chazal explain, this was because "it could lead to vision problems" (Taanit 10b). Why is it that Yaakov himself did not earlier give his sons a similar warning when they set off for Egypt?

The answer is that there is a big difference between one who leaves Eretz Yisrael and one who returns to it. The former will certainly not rush – for why would he hurry to leave a holy place? But there is a definite fear that those who return to Eretz Yisrael would do so with such great happiness and zeal that they might endanger themselves. This is why Yosef HaTzaddik, who loves and appreciates his Land so much, is the one who gave this warning.

How much we have to learn from Yosef HaTzaddik, in his love for the Land of Israel, and more!

Translated by Hillel Fendel

In order to get Shiurim like this every week directly to your Inbox, click here