Commentary for Genesis 41:32
וְעַ֨ל הִשָּׁנ֧וֹת הַחֲל֛וֹם אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה פַּעֲמָ֑יִם כִּֽי־נָכ֤וֹן הַדָּבָר֙ מֵעִ֣ם הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וּמְמַהֵ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Rashi on Genesis
נכון —means PREPARED.
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Ramban on Genesis
AND FOR THAT THE DREAM WAS REPEATED UNTO PHARAOH TWICE. The verse is explaining the reason for the repetition of the dream — i.e., that it occurred twice in one night55Ramban’s intent is to point out that there are two aspects to the dreams. They depicted two subjects — the cows and the ears of corn — and they were shown in two separate dreams although they might have been shown to Pharaoh in one continuous dream. Ramban will explain that these double aspects indicated two things: the fulfillment of the dream and its speedy realization. — although it would have been possible for both the cows and the ears of corn to be shown in one dream and make known that there shall neither be plowing nor harvest.56As Ramban explained above, at the beginning of Verse 2, the cows symbolize the plowing, and the ears of corn the harvest. Yet He showed them in two separate dreams, one after another, in one night — an unusual circumstance for dreamers in order to make known that the matter is prepared, and G-d hasteneth to do it. This is the meaning of the word pa’amayim (twice) as the dreams concerning the cows and the ears of corn were not presented at one time.
But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explains that the repetition of the theme of the dream — through the medium of the cows and the ears of corn — attested to the fact that the matter is set and established. And the fact that the dream occurred twice in one night attested that G-d hasteneth to do it. But if so,57That is, if both the cows and the ears of corn symbolize, as is the opinion of Ibn Ezra, that the matter is set and established, and not as Ramban has it, i.e., that the cows symbolize that there will be no plowing, and the ears of corn that there will be no harvest, what was the necessity of the dream about the cows? The dream concerning the corn would have indicated the impending famine, and showing that G-d hasteneth to do it could have been accomplished by repeating the same dream. we would say that the dream concerning the ears of corn would have been sufficient since that dream informed Pharaoh of the famine.
But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explains that the repetition of the theme of the dream — through the medium of the cows and the ears of corn — attested to the fact that the matter is set and established. And the fact that the dream occurred twice in one night attested that G-d hasteneth to do it. But if so,57That is, if both the cows and the ears of corn symbolize, as is the opinion of Ibn Ezra, that the matter is set and established, and not as Ramban has it, i.e., that the cows symbolize that there will be no plowing, and the ears of corn that there will be no harvest, what was the necessity of the dream about the cows? The dream concerning the corn would have indicated the impending famine, and showing that G-d hasteneth to do it could have been accomplished by repeating the same dream. we would say that the dream concerning the ears of corn would have been sufficient since that dream informed Pharaoh of the famine.
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Rashbam on Genesis
ועל השנות החלום, if Joseph’s dreams of the stars and the sheaves of corn respectively, would have been dreamt by him in the same night, he would not have had to wait for 13 years until they would prove themselves as a true forecast of his rise to power.
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