Comentario sobre Génesis 41:12

נער עברי עבד A LAD, AN HEBREW, A SLAVE — Cursed be the wicked for the favours they do are never really complete! He mentions him in disparaging language.

TO EACH MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DREAM. He interpreted it in accordance with the dream and consistent with its contents. Thus the words of Rashi. A more correct interpretation would be for Rashi to say that “he interpreted it in accordance with the truth of the dream as it was destined to befall him, for as he interpreted it, so it befell us.” Similar in thought is the verse, Every man according to his blessing he blessed them,⁴²Further, 49:28. In the case of Jacob’s blessing to his sons. i.e., according to the blessing which was destined to come upon him.
But in my opinion there is no need for this. Instead, the verse is stating that “he interpreted his dream for each man, and as he interpreted it to each one, so it came upon us.” The chief of the butlers is thus saying that these were different dreams with different interpretations, as he would explain, so that Pharaoh should not think that the two [the butler and the baker] dreamed one dream having one interpretation. In my opinion, a similar thought is conveyed in the verse, Every man according to his blessing he blessed them,⁴²Further, 49:28. In the case of Jacob’s blessing to his sons. meaning that he did not bless them with one blessing common to all, but with a unique blessing for each one, as he explained to each son and spoke to him.

איש כחלומו פתר, “according to the meaning of the dream he interpreted.” [this could only be said with hindsight, of course, after the interpretation had proven itself as correct. Ed.] The words following prove this.

נער, seeing that he performed personal valet duties for them in the prison he referred to him as a נער, [describing his function. Ed.] He added that Joseph was also עבד לשר הטבחים, he had been informed about Joseph’s immediate past before he was thrown into jail. He gave this information so that anyone enquiring about him would know the name of the person they were trying to locate.

A fool, and is not fit for greatness. I.e., נער in gematria equals שוטה.

נער עברי, עבד, “a Hebrew lad, a slave;” the chief of the cupbearers was afraid that he might become the cause of Joseph being promoted to an elevated status if he succeeded in interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams. Therefore, he mentioned two adjectives that should militate against any promotion for him, a) his youth and inexperience, b) his status as a slave. An alternate explanation: he wanted to protect himself against the accusation why he had not come forward before with the information he revealed now. This is why he explained that Joseph had two strikes against him; 1) youth, 2) status as slave.

נער a lad, unwise and unfitted for a high position.

איש כחלומו, the prefix ל is missing here in front of the word איש. The word איש has to be understood as if the cup-bearer had said: לאיש, meaning that each of the two received an interpretation tailored to his particular dream. One dream had been appropriate for a cup-bearer, the other for a baker. One dream dealt with a drink, the other with food, baked goods.

He does not even know our language. And surely not other languages. And it is written in the laws of Egypt that the ruler must know seventy languages; see Sotah 36b. (Nachalas Yaakov)

עברי a Hebrew, who does not even know our language;

And it is written in the laws of Egypt that a slave can never rule... [Rashi knows this] because the word “slave” is also superfluous. Once it was said that there was a Hebrew lad in the prison, why mention also that he was a slave? Surely, no Hebrew lad was there other than Yoseif. Perforce, the word “slave” is to be expounded.

עבד a slave — and it is written in the laws of Egypt that a slave may neither become a ruler nor dress in princely robes (Genesis Rabbah 89:7).

איש כחלמו EACH MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DREAM — He interpreted in accordance with the dream and approximating to its contents.