Comentario sobre Génesis 47:14

בשבי אשר הם שוברים FOR THE CORN WHICH THEY BOUGHT — they gave him the money.

AND JOSEPH GATHERED UP ALL THE MONEY, etc. Scripture relates this and goes on to complete the subject in this entire section in order to make known Joseph’s excellence in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge,²⁴¹Exodus 31:3. and that he was a faithful man²⁴²Proverbs 20:6. in that he brought all money into Pharaoh’s house and did not accumulate for himself treasures of money and secret hiding places for wealth in the land of Egypt, or send it to the land of Canaan. Instead, he gave all money to the king who trusted him and purchased the land for him, and even the bodies of the Egyptians. Through this endeavor, he found grace even in the eyes of the people, for it is G-d Who causes those who fear Him to prosper.

ויבא יוסף את הכסף ביתה פרעה, because he did not permit himself to recompense himself on his own accord without being given his compensation by Pharaoh

וילקט יוסף את כל הכסף, Joseph collected all the silver (money), etc. The reason the Torah uses the expression לקט, gleaned, for the manner in which Joseph collected the money, is to tell us that after Joseph had collected there was absolutely no money left anywhere.

וילקט יוסף, he did this at the end of the first two years of the famine and during the remaining years of the famine At the beginning of the famine people were mostly eating from private stores they had accumulated during the years of plenty. Subsequently, they used their money to purchase food until their money ran out. Yaakov came to Egypt during the second year as Joseph had said to him: כי זה שנתים הרעב, “for these two years have been famine.” (45,6)

וילקט יוסף את כל הכסף, “Joseph collected all the money,” the Torah reports some of Joseph’s astuteness as a ruler, as well as his fairness and faithfulness in that whatever he collected he handed over to Pharaoh’s treasury. He did not amass a private fortune of his own.

They gave him the money. Rashi is saying that we should not think שבר means selling, because if it did, the verse should have written בשבר אשר הוא שובר, referring to Yoseif, who sold to them. Since it is written בשבר אשר הם שוברים, it refers to the people who purchased from Yoseif.

ויבא יוסף, in order to demonstrate his integrity. He did not need to do this and could have stored it in the granaries. Pharaoh had never demanded an accounting from Joseph, knowing that he was absolutely trustworthy. Nonetheless, Joseph was concerned not to allow anyone to suspect him of pocketing anything for his own private purposes.