Midrash su Genesi 41:42

Observe the reward given for the observance of the Torah from the example of Pharaoh. Because Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh (Gen. 41:44), Joseph was exalted by him exceedingly, as it is said: And Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it upon Joseph’s hand (ibid., v. 42). How much greater, then, is the reward bestowed by the Holy One, blessed be He, who with every commandment declares, I am the Lord (Exod. 31:13). (What else do we learn from this?) We learn from this that there is no limit to the reward given for the observance of the Torah. David foresaw this and declared: Oh how abundant is Thy goodness which Thou has laid up for them that fear Thee (Ps. 31:20).

“When they [the king’s servants] spoke to him [Mordekhai] daily and he did not heed them, they told Haman, to see whether Mordekhai’s words would prevail; for he had told to them that he was a Jew” (Esther 3:4).
“When they spoke to him daily” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Binyamin bar Rabbi Levi: The children of Rachel, their miracles are equal and their ascent to greatness is equal. Their miracles are equal; that is what is written: “It was when she spoke to Joseph day after day” (Genesis 39:10). Here it written: “When they spoke to him daily and he did not heed them,” and there it is written: “And he did not heed her to lie with her, to be with her” (Genesis 39:10). And their ascent to greatness is equal; that is what is written: “Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and he gave it to Joseph, and he garbed him in garments of linen” (Genesis 41:42). Here it is written: “The king removed the ring that he had taken from Haman, and he gave it to Mordekhai” (Esther 8:2). There it is written: “He had him ride in his second chariot, and they cried before him: ‘Avrekh’”³The meaning of avrekh is unclear. One opinion, based on the ancient Egyptian, is that it means “pay attention.” (Genesis 41:43); here, it is written: “And let the garments and the horse be placed…and they will proclaim before him: So shall be done to the man whose honoring the king desires” (Esther 6:9).

And all the princes answered unto the king saying, and is it not written in the laws of Egypt, ‎which should not be violated, that no man shall be the king of Egypt, nor second to the king, ‎unless he knows all the languages of the sons of man? and now, oh my lord and king, this ‎Hebrew man speaketh only the Hebrew tongue, and how can he be second to the king, who ‎does not even know our language? but send thou for him, I pray thee, and let him come ‎before thee and examine him in all matters, and as thou seest best so do. And the king said: ‎Let it be done so to-morrow, for the words you have spoken are good. And all the princes ‎went away from the presence of the king on that day. And in that night the Lord sent an angel ‎from the angels that are ministering for him, and he came unto the land of Egypt unto Joseph, ‎and the angel stood before Joseph and behold Joseph was lying on his bed in the dungeon of ‎his master's house; for he had Joseph put back into prison on account of his wife. And the ‎angel woke him up from his sleep, and Joseph arose and stood upon his feet and behold an ‎angel of the Lord was standing before him. And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Joseph and ‎he taught him all the tongues of the sons of man on that night, and he called his name ‎Jehoseph, and the angel of the Lord left him, and Joseph returned to his bed, and he was ‎greatly astonished at the vision which he had seen. And in the morning the king sent for ‎Joseph, and the servants of the king went and brought Joseph before Pharaoh. And the king ‎went unto all his princes and servants who were to sit before the king, and Joseph ascended ‎the steps of the throne, and Joseph spoke unto the king in all the tongues, speaking unto the ‎king in his going up, until he reached the king on the seventieth step, and he sat down before ‎the king. And the king rejoiced greatly over Joseph, and all the king's princes rejoiced ‎exceedingly with their king on hearing the words of Joseph. And it seemed good in the eyes of ‎the king and his princes to appoint Joseph second to the king, over the whole land of Egypt. ‎And the king spoke unto Joseph, saying: Thou hast advised me to set a wise man over the land ‎of Egypt that he might save the land from famine with his wisdom. And now forasmuch as God ‎hath shown unto thee all this, and since he hath made known unto thee all these things of ‎which thou hast spoken, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art in the whole land. And ‎thy name shall no more be called Joseph, but Zaphnath paaneah shall be thy name, and thou ‎shalt be my second, and according to thy order shall everything be done in my kingdom and at ‎thy word shall my people go out and come in, and from thy hands shall my servants and ‎princes receive their hire which is given unto them each month, and all the people of the land ‎will bow down before thee, and only on the throne will I be greater than thou.‎

And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and the king ‎dressed Joseph in royal garments, and he placed a golden crown upon his head, and a golden ‎chain around his neck. And the king made him ride in the second chariot which he had which ‎went by the side of the king's chariot, and he made him ride upon a great and powerful horse ‎of the king's horses, and to be thus con ducted through the streets of the land of Egypt. And ‎the king ordered that all those that played on musical instruments should go along with ‎Joseph, and a thousand drums, and a thousand harps, and a thousand flutes followed him. ‎And five thousand men with their flashing swords drawn in their hands marched before ‎Joseph. And twenty thousand men of the great men of the king went to the right of Joseph ‎and twenty thousand to his left, all wearing girdles of skin richly covered with gold. And all the ‎women and the maidens ascended the roofs. And they also lined the streets, joyfully cheering ‎at Joseph’s appearance and in admiration of his beauty. And all the rest of the king's people ‎went in the front and in the rear of Joseph burning frankincense and cassia and other ‎perfumeries all along the road, and they strew myrrh and aloes all over the road before ‎Joseph, and twenty men exclaimed before him with a loud voice through all the land: Have ‎you seen this man whom the king hath chosen for his second? All the affairs of the king are left ‎to his command, and whosoever will disobey his orders or fail to bow down before him the ‎same will surely die for having rebelled against the king and his second. And when those words ‎were heard all the people of Egypt bowed down to the ground before Joseph and they ‎shouted: May the king live and also his second And as the heralds approached all the people ‎bowed down amidst great rejoicing in behalf of Joseph, with drums, lutes and harps. And ‎Joseph, seated upon that beautiful horse lifted up his eyes to heaven and he exclaimed: He ‎raiseth up the poor man from the dust, from the dunghill he lifteth up the needy, oh Lord God ‎of hosts, happy is the man that trusteth in thee. And Joseph marched with the servants of ‎Pharaoh and all his princes, through the entire land of Egypt, and they showed unto him all the ‎land and all the treasures of the king. And Joseph returned and he came before Pharaoh on ‎that day; and the king gave unto Joseph a possession in the land of Egypt, fields as well as ‎vineyards. And the king gave unto Joseph likewise, three thousand talents of silver and ‎thousand talents of gold and onyx stones, and bdellium and many other gifts.‎

Everything fortunate that occurred to Joseph likewise happened to Zion. It is written of Joseph: And Joseph was of beautiful form and fair to look upon (Gen. 39:6), and of Zion it is stated: Fair in situation, the joy of the whole earth (Ps. 48:3). Concerning Joseph it is written: He is not greater in this house than I (Gen. 39:9), and of Zion: The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former (Hag. 2:9). Joseph: The Lord was with him (Gen. 39:2), Zion: And My eyes and My heart shall be there (II Chron. 7:15). Joseph: And showed kindness unto him (Gen. 39:21), Zion: I remember for thee the affection of thy youth (Jer. 2:2). Joseph: And he shaved himself and changed his raiment (Gen. 41:14), Zion: And the Lord shall have washed away (Isa. 44:4). Joseph: Only in the throne will I be greater than thou (Gen. 41:40), Zion: At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord (Jer. 3:17). Joseph: And arrayed him in vestures of fine linen (Gen. 41:42), Zion: Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments (Isa. 52:1). Joseph: He sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:29), Zion: Behold, I send My messenger (Mal. 3:1).

[Gen. 46:28:) NOW HE HAD SENT JUDAH.] The text is related (to Mal. 3:1): BEHOLD, I AM SENDING MY MESSENGER TO CLEAR A WAY BEFORE ME…. Come and see. Everything which happened to Joseph happened to Zion.³⁷Tanh., Gen. 11:10. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:3): NOW ISRAEL LOVED JOSEPH; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 87:2): THE LORD LOVES ALL THE GATES OF ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:4): THEY (Joseph's brothers) HATED HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 12:8): < MY HOUSE > HAS SET ITS VOICE AGAINST ME, THEREFORE I HAVE HATED IT. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:7): AND HERE WE WERE BINDING SHEAVES; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 126:6): HE SHALL SURELY COME BACK BEARING HIS SHEAVES WITH REJOICING. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:8): THEN HIS BROTHERS SAID TO HIM: SHALL YOU INDEED REIGN OVER US? And it is written about Zion (in Is. 14:7): WHO SAYS TO ZION: YOUR GOD REIGNS. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:5): ONCE JOSEPH DREAMED A DREAM; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 126:1): WHEN THE LORD BROUGHT BACK THE RESTORATION OF ZION, WE WERE LIKE DREAMERS. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:10): ARE WE TO COME, I AND YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR BROTHERS, AND BOW DOWN TO THE GROUND FOR YOU? And it is written about Zion (in Is. 49:23): THEY SHALL BOW DOWN FOR YOU, NOSE TO THE GROUND, AND LICK THE DUST OF YOUR FEET. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:11): SO HIS BROTHERS WERE JEALOUS OF HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Zech. 8:2): I AM JEALOUS FOR JERUSALEM WITH A GREAT JEALOUSY. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:14): PLEASE GO AND SEE HOW YOUR BROTHERS ARE FARING (shalom); and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 29:7): AND SEEK THE WELFARE (shalom) OF THE CITY. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:18): NOW THEY SAW HIM FROM AFAR; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 51:50): REMEMBER THE LORD FROM AFAR. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:18): THEY CONSPIRED AGAINST HIM TO KILL HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 83:4 [3]): THEY DEVISE INTRIGUE AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:23): THEY STRIPPED JOSEPH < OF HIS TUNIC > ; and it is written about Zion (in Ezek. 23:26): AND THEY SHALL STRIP YOU OF YOUR CLOTHES. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:24): AND THEY CAST HIM INTO THE PIT; and it is written about Zion (in Lam. 3:53): AND THEY HAVE DESTROYED MY LIFE IN THE PIT. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:24): BUT THE PIT WAS EMPTY WITH NO WATER IN IT; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 38:6): AND THERE WAS NO WATER [IN THE PIT], ONLY MUD. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:25): THEN THEY SAT DOWN TO EAT BREAD; and it is written about Zion (in Lam. 5:6): < WE HAVE HELD OUT A HAND TO EGYPT >, TO ASSYRIA TO BE FILLED WITH BREAD. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:28): THEY PULLED AND RAISED JOSEPH FROM THE PIT; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 38:13): {AND EBED-MELECH THE ETHIOPIAN BROUGHT JEREMIAH UP}…. [AND THEY RAISED JEREMIAH BY THE ROPES AND BROUGHT HIM UP FROM THE PIT]. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:34): THEN JACOB RENT HIS GARMENTS AND PUT SACKCLOTH ON HIS LOINS; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 22:12): AND IN THAT DAY [THE LORD] GOD OF HOSTS CALLED TO WEEPING AND MOURNING, TO BALDNESS AND TO GIRDING WITH SACKCLOTH. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:35): BUT HE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 22:4): PRESS NOT TO COMFORT ME. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:36): BUT THE MIDIANITES SOLD HIM INTO EGYPT; and it is written about Zion (in Joel 4:6 [3:6]): AND YOU HAVE SOLD THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH AND THE CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM TO THE CHILDREN OF THE GREEKS. All the bad things which happened to Joseph happened to Zion and likewise the good things. It is stated about Joseph (in Gen. 39:6): NOW JOSEPH WAS BEAUTIFULLY BUILT WITH A BEAUTIFUL APPEARANCE; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 48:3 [2]): BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE, JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH, < EVEN MOUNT ZION >.³⁸Cf. above, 9:18. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 39:21): THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH; and it is written about Zion (in I Kings 9:3): MY EYES AND MY HEART SHALL BE THERE FOR ALL TIME. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 39:9): HE IS NO GREATER < IN THIS HOUSE THAN I > ; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 99:2): THE LORD IS GREAT IN ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 39:21): AND HE EXTENDED HIS FAITHFULNESS UNTO HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 2:2): I HAVE REMEMBERED IN YOUR FAVOR THE FAITHFULNESS OF YOUR YOUTH. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 41:14): HE SHAVED AND CHANGED HIS GARMENTS; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 4:4): WHEN THE LORD SHALL HAVE WASHED AWAY THE FILTH OF THE CHILDREN OF ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 41:40): ONLY WITH RESPECT TO THE THRONE SHALL I BE GREATER THAN YOU; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 3:17): THEY SHALL CALL JERUSALEM THE THRONE OF THE LORD. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 41:42): AND HE CLOTHED HIM WITH CLOTHES OF FINE LINEN; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 52:1): AWAKE, AWAKE, PUT ON YOUR SPLENDOR, O ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 46:28): NOW HE HAD SENT JUDAH AHEAD OF HIM < UNTO JOSEPH TO SHOW THE WAY BEFORE HIM >; and it is written about Zion (in Mal. 3:1): BEHOLD, I AM SENDING MY MESSENGER TO CLEAR A WAY BEFORE ME.

R. Simeon stated: Joseph was rewarded in kind for his behavior. Because his mouth had not indulged in sinful kissing, he was told: According to thy word shall all my people be kissed (i.e. ruled)(Gen. 41:40); because he had not lowered his neck to sin, He placed a gold chain about his neck (ibid., v. 42); because he had not used his hand to fondle sinfully, Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand (ibid.); because his body had not clung to another in sin, he arrayed him in garments of fine linen (ibid.); because his feet had not led him to her, He caused him to ride in the second chariot (ibid., v. 43); because he did not entertain wicked thoughts, he was called understanding and wise (ibid., v. 39); and because his heart had not reflected upon committing evil, they called before him: “Abrech”⁴²The Targum translates Abrech as “father of the king.” and Zaphenath-paneah⁴³Rashi translates Zaphenath-paneah as “explainer of things.” (ibid., vv. 43, 45). Upon the Sodomites, however, He rained fire and brimstone, as it is said: The Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone (ibid. 19:24), and it likewise says: I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast and creeping things, and fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them (Gen. 6:7).

"One such day, he [Yosef] came into the house to do his work and none of the men of the household were there" (Genesis 39:11). Is it possible that in the house of such a man it was deserted with no man there? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Nechemyah [explain this]. Rabbi Yehuda says, it was a Nile festival and all had gone to see it, and he did not go. Rabbi Nechemyah says, it was a day of the theatre [teiatiron] and all had gone to see it, and he did not go. Rather, "he came into the house to do his work", to calculate his master's calculations. Rabbi Shmuel son of Nachman says, "to do his work literally", except there was no man there -- he searched himself, and he did not find himself to be a man. Another explanation, Rabbi Shmuel says, the bow is stretched and returned. For is it not written: (Genesis 49:24) "Yet his bow [קשתו] remained taut" -- his hardness [קשיותו]. Rabbi Yitzchak says, his seed [זרע] was scattered and went out by way of his fingernails, as it says (Genesis 49:24) "and the arms of his hands [זרעי ידיו] were made firm". Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Matna says, images of his father appeared and chilled his blood, as it is written (Genesis 49:24) "From there, the Shepherd, the Rock of Yisrael". Who does such? (Genesis 49:25) "The God of your father who helps you [...] blessings of breast and womb" -- (Onkelos Genesis 49:25) "blessings of father and mother."