כִּ֧י אִם־זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי אִתְּךָ֗ כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּ֥א עִמָּדִ֖י חָ֑סֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֙נִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהוֹצֵאתַ֖נִי מִן־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃
Si tu te souviens de moi lorsque tu seras heureux, rends-moi, de grâce, un bon office: parle de moi à Pharaon et fais moi sortir de cette demeure.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Job 28:3): HE PUTS AN END TO THE DARKNESS. All the afflictions which come upon humankind have an end to them, as stated (ibid., cont.): AND HE SEARCHES OUT EVERY LIMIT. < The verse > speaks about Joseph when he was bound in the prison. He had been there ten years, and he was to get out in eleven. Ergo (in Job 28:3): HE PUTS AN END TO THE DARKNESS. What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.): AND HE SEARCHES OUT EVERY LIMIT? That, when his time arrived to get out, the Holy One sat down, searched out, and saw that he was required to be in the prison two more years because he had trusted in the chief of the cupbearers in that he said to him two times (in Gen. 40:14): BUT KEEP ME IN YOUR REMEMBRANCE (rt.: ZKR) … AND MENTION (rt.: ZKR) ME UNTO PHARAOH.3Tanh., Gen. 9:9; Gen. R. 89:2; Exod. R. 7:1; M. Pss. 18:28. The Holy One said to him: You trusted in him with two rememberings (rt.: ZKR). By your life, do two more years < in prison > . Thus it is stated (in Gen. 41:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF TWO FULL YEARS.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Prov. 14:23): IN ALL TOIL THERE IS PROFIT. This was Joseph, who suffered in prison and had gain.6Gen. R. 89:2; Exod. R. 7:1. NOW (according to Gen. 42:6) JOSEPH WAS THE GOVERNOR. (Prov. 14:23:) BUT TALK FROM THE LIPS < LEADS > ONLY TO A LOSS. Because he had spoken < merely > with his lips and said < to a cupbearer rather than to God > (in Gen. 40:14): BUT KEEP ME IN YOUR REMEMBRANCE, the Holy One said to him: By your life, inasmuch as you spoke improper words with your lips; by your life, you are doing two years more in the prison. Thus it is stated (in Genesis 41:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF TWO FULL YEARS.
Shemot Rabbah
“The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and commanded them concerning the children of Israel and concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt, to take the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:13).
“The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and commanded them concerning the children of Israel” – that is what is written: “In all toil there is profit, but the talk of the lips brings only lack” (Proverbs 14:23). For all matters in which a person expends effort for the sake of Torah, he is rewarded. Could it be so even in matters of futility? The verse states: “But the talk of the lips brings only lack.”
You find that Joseph was deserving to be placed in prison for only ten years because he slandered his ten brothers; but because he said to the butler: “If only you remember me with you…and mention me to Pharaoh” (Genesis 40:14), two additional years were added for him, as it is stated: “It was at the end of two years” (Genesis 41:1). Likewise you find in Moses’s regard; initially, he was worthy to have the divine speech commune with him by himself, but because he said: “Please…send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13), it was stated to him: “Is there not Aaron your brother the Levite?” (Exodus 4:14). Here, too, “[Moses spoke before the Lord saying:] Behold, the children of Israel did not heed me…” (Exodus 6:12); he was worthy to have all the miracles performed through him, but because of this the divine speech communed with [both] him and Aaron, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron.”
“The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and commanded them concerning the children of Israel” – that is what is written: “In all toil there is profit, but the talk of the lips brings only lack” (Proverbs 14:23). For all matters in which a person expends effort for the sake of Torah, he is rewarded. Could it be so even in matters of futility? The verse states: “But the talk of the lips brings only lack.”
You find that Joseph was deserving to be placed in prison for only ten years because he slandered his ten brothers; but because he said to the butler: “If only you remember me with you…and mention me to Pharaoh” (Genesis 40:14), two additional years were added for him, as it is stated: “It was at the end of two years” (Genesis 41:1). Likewise you find in Moses’s regard; initially, he was worthy to have the divine speech commune with him by himself, but because he said: “Please…send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13), it was stated to him: “Is there not Aaron your brother the Levite?” (Exodus 4:14). Here, too, “[Moses spoke before the Lord saying:] Behold, the children of Israel did not heed me…” (Exodus 6:12); he was worthy to have all the miracles performed through him, but because of this the divine speech communed with [both] him and Aaron, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron.”