Комментарий к Берешит 41:16

בלעדי NOT I— (the word is compounded of בל and עדי, it does not extend to me) The wisdom to interpret dreams is not my own, but God will answer — He will put in my mouth an answer that will be for Pharaoh’s welfare.

בלעדי, this matter does not depend on me but on G’d; He may let me know how to put your mind at ease.

בלעדי. Even though you have said ופותר אין אותו, that there is no one who knows how to interpret it, as if I were the only exception who possesses the necessary wisdom, I am convinced that there is certainly someone beside me who knows the answer.

ויען יוסף את פרעה לאמור, Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, etc. The word "לאמור" here refers to Pharaoh's claim that Joseph claimed he only had to hear a dream and he already had its interpretation ready. בלעדי, "this does not depend on me." Joseph corrects the impression Pharaoh entertained about him. He explains that G'd knows the interpretations of dreams and informs certain human beings of this. The same had taken place when Joseph had told the chief butler and the chief of the bakers that the interpretations were G'd's, not his. He had invited those men to tell him their dreams in the hope that an interpretation could be found. He had never claimed an exclusive on that knowledge. This is also why he added: אלוקים יענה, "G'd may provide the answer." He added the word שלום in order to warn Pharaoh not to take offence if perchance the interpretation would not be to his liking and would presage something unpleasant. He should not accuse Joseph on the basis of "the dreams follow the interpretation chosen by the mouth" (of the interpreter). Even if he were to come up with an interpretation that forecast trouble, he was only G'd's mouthpiece, the source was G'd.

בלעדי, “I cannot do this based on my intelligence.

בלעדי, אלוקי יענה את שלום פרעה, “this is not up to me; may G’d provide a reply which will put Pharaoh’s mind at rest.” Ibn Ezra says that seeing Pharaoh had asked Joseph to interpret the dream, Joseph told him that the interpretation was not up to him, but that it was up to G’d. He was confident that G’d would put Pharaoh’s mind at rest when he would hear the interpretation. One could also understand Joseph’s words to simply mean that there is a greater interpreter of dreams than he, namely G’d, with whom the dream originated. He wished and prayed that G’d would put Pharaoh’s mind at rest. Seeing that Joseph had given G’d credit by prefacing his interpretation with the word בלעדי, “it is not up to me,” this word is repeated when Pharaoh appoints him to high office and adds that without Joseph’s approval, בלעדיך, “without your (approval) no one will lift a foot in this country. (verse 44).”

This wisdom is not mine, but God will answer... [Rashi knows this] because here it cannot mean as it did in (14:24), “Except (בלעדי) what the lads have eaten.” Here, how could it mean: “Except for Hashem”? It also cannot mean, “Rather, Hashem will respond,” because Yoseif indeed intended to interpret the dream for him. Perforce, בלעדי consists of two words: בלי (not), and עדי, which means “from me,” as Rashi explains.

בלעדי: "das ist nicht bis zu mir", dazu bin ich viel zu geringe, als dass ich solches von mir zugestehen dürfte.

אלוקים יענה, G’d will provide the answer, i.e. whatever I will interpret has been revealed to me by G’d.

אלוקים יענה, G’d will provide the answer and thereby put Pharaoh’s mind at rest.” The meaning of the word יענה here is similar to Kohelet 5,19 מענה בשמחת לבו, “G’d provides him with the joy of his heart.” He will display goodwill and His concern with Pharaoh’s peace of mind. Or, Joseph may have meant that G’d will put in my mouth words which will provide Pharaoh with peace of mind. This would be analogous to Proverbs 16,1 ומה' מענה לשון, “but the answer of the tongue comes from G’d.”

Joseph may also have had something quite different in mind when he said: "may G'd answer the peace of Pharaoh." He emphasised that in contrast with ordinary interpreters who are able to bend the meaning of the dream according to their choice, he, Joseph, could not do so. He could only relate the objective meaning of what Pharaoh had seen in his dream. [Berachot 56 lists a variety of dreams and how the interpretation which seemed to contradict the impression left on the dreamer came true, thus proving that much depends on the person who interprets the dream. Ed.]

את שלום פרעה, I will utter words which will restore Pharaoh’s peace of mind, seeing that the realisation of matters foretold in a dream is determined largely by the words of the interpreter. (Berachot 55)