וַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ׃
Et Pharaon ôta son anneau de sa main et le passa à celle de Joseph; il le fit habiller de byssus et suspendit le collier d’or de son cou.
Rabbeinu Bahya
אני ה, “I am the Lord.” These words are a reminder that G’d’s stature as the Lord means that He either rewards or punishes those that observe or transgress the laws of the Torah. Wherever the words אני ה' appear they mean that the commandment they refer to is a very important commandment and that G’d is the one Who rewards or punishes people who observe it or ignore it. This is the reason that this portion concludes with these two important commandments. It is natural that a king commands his subjects to respect and honour him. He does not need to explain why he demands such obeisance. It is enough for him to remind his subjects that he is the king.
Tanchuma (Bereshit 12) in commenting on Genesis 41,44 draws a comparison for us from when Pharaoh said to Joseph: “I am Pharaoh but without you no one shall lift a hand or foot in the whole land of Egypt.” Pharaoh had already given Joseph his ring of office empowering him to exercise his authority. If the use of the word אני when spoken by a ruler who was only flesh and blood such as Pharaoh carried so much weight, imagine how much weight the word אני when spoken by G’d the ruler of the whole universe must carry. Solomon made a similar point in Kohelet 8,2 where he wrote: אני פי מלך שמור ועל דברת שבועת אלוהים, “whenever the word אני appears, I warn you to observe it carefully; it is an oath of G’d.”
Tanchuma (Bereshit 12) in commenting on Genesis 41,44 draws a comparison for us from when Pharaoh said to Joseph: “I am Pharaoh but without you no one shall lift a hand or foot in the whole land of Egypt.” Pharaoh had already given Joseph his ring of office empowering him to exercise his authority. If the use of the word אני when spoken by a ruler who was only flesh and blood such as Pharaoh carried so much weight, imagine how much weight the word אני when spoken by G’d the ruler of the whole universe must carry. Solomon made a similar point in Kohelet 8,2 where he wrote: אני פי מלך שמור ועל דברת שבועת אלוהים, “whenever the word אני appears, I warn you to observe it carefully; it is an oath of G’d.”
Midrash BeChiddush
6. The verse does not say ba’eitz u’va’even (singular), “in the tree and rock.” but ba’eitzim u’va’avanim, “In the trees and rocks,” in the plural to make known that the blood was present wherever people dwelled. This was because all matter is made up of the four basic elements: fire, wind, water and earth so that part of the water that was present in any place turned to blood. In this way their garments became soiled with blood - in particular the prince who wore garments of white linen, as we learn from Joseph, “And he had him dressed in robes of fine linen,” (Gen. 41:42) so that their clothes became disgusting.
Kli Yakar
And the linen turban atones for haughtiness of spirit, because the turban was like a crown that indicates authority, as it is written Remove the turban and lift off the crown (Ezekiel 21:31). And it is written And a royal diadem in the hand of your God (Isaiah 62:3). And it was made of linen because linen is appropriate for one who rises to greatness, as it is written regarding Joseph And he clothed him in garments of fine linen (Genesis 41:42).
And the sash atones for improper thoughts of the heart; therefore, the sash was thirty-two cubits long [the numerical value of “lev” [heart] is thirty-two], and contemplating sin is worse than the sin itself, because after one has committed the act itself, one becomes satiated from the travail of their soul and their soul is disgusted by it, but the improper thoughts cling to a person forever, just as a belt clings to a man’s loins. Therefore, the sash, which clung to him like a belt, came for atonement.
And make for them linen breeches — to atone for sexual immorality, which is practiced in private when people are alone together [bad vebad], for bad [linen] also connotes the meaning of solitude/isolation. The priestly garments atoned for these eight transgressions: four of them are the most severe of all transgressions dependent on action and speech, and they are: idolatry, sexual immorality, bloodshed, and evil speech, which equals them all. And four of them are comprehensive categories: Perversion of justice causes destruction of the world; and haughtiness of spirit, contemplation of sin, and brazenness include all transgressions, and they are the most common.
And the sash atones for improper thoughts of the heart; therefore, the sash was thirty-two cubits long [the numerical value of “lev” [heart] is thirty-two], and contemplating sin is worse than the sin itself, because after one has committed the act itself, one becomes satiated from the travail of their soul and their soul is disgusted by it, but the improper thoughts cling to a person forever, just as a belt clings to a man’s loins. Therefore, the sash, which clung to him like a belt, came for atonement.
And make for them linen breeches — to atone for sexual immorality, which is practiced in private when people are alone together [bad vebad], for bad [linen] also connotes the meaning of solitude/isolation. The priestly garments atoned for these eight transgressions: four of them are the most severe of all transgressions dependent on action and speech, and they are: idolatry, sexual immorality, bloodshed, and evil speech, which equals them all. And four of them are comprehensive categories: Perversion of justice causes destruction of the world; and haughtiness of spirit, contemplation of sin, and brazenness include all transgressions, and they are the most common.