MiKayts מקץ – Famine for the Word of G-d

In parshas Mikayts Yosef is called upon to explain the meaning of Pharaoh's dream. In Pharaoh's dream seven very beautiful cows spring from the Nile. They are followed by seven very ugly cows that proceed to consume the beautiful cows but remain as ugly as ever. The theme is repeated but with stalks of wheat rather than with cows.

Pharaoh's dream resembles Joseph's dream of his brothers' sheaves bowing to his sheaf in that both use wheat as a metaphor. In addition what is essentially the same dream is repeated. It is also similar to the dream of birds eating the cake stacked on the royal baker's head in that it is a harbinger of destruction. It differs from the dream of the wine steward placing the cup of wine in Pharaoh's hand and Ya'akov's dream of a ladder to heaven in that these contain messages of ascension.

It is possible to interpret Pharaoh's dream and subsequent events as shedding light on the cycle of a tsadik especially when considered with the other dreams in the Chumash. The number seven is a symbol of the G-d that created the world in seven days. Beauty, whether it is bulls or barley, conveys the idea of attachment to the tsadik. When a person starts learning Torah he is happy and enthusiastic because of its many high and exquisite ideas.

As time goes by the student begins to feel a sense of obligation in regards to ideas that are not so pleasing. Among them is that special recognition is due to a tsadik. At that point he begins to rebel. Little by little he begins to abandon the Torah he has learned until it is as if he never learned Torah to begin with.

This is the meaning of that which is ugly entirely consuming that which is beautiful, but remaining as ugly as it ever was. It is alluded to in Ethics of our Fathers (6:3) which states that one is obligated to honor all people who have taught him something regardless of how small. It describes King David's praises of Achitophel who taught him two halachas. The source is Psalm 55 where David HaMelech laments Achitophel's fall. The personal betrayal is particularly bitter as it says, "that together we had sweet insights in the House of G-d where we went with feeling", (Ibid 15).

Because of societal corruption, the tsadik is slandered and isolated. This is the jealousy of the brothers towards Yosef and the false accusation against him by the wife of Potiphar. They are followed by the sale of Yosef into Egyptian slavery and his subsequent imprisonment there. However even in this miserable environment, he continues to excel and properly interprets the dream of Pharaoh's servants.

Two years later Yosef is fetched from jail to interpret an agitated Pharaoh's dream. The dream prophesies a famine after a time of plenty. Appreciating Yosef's wisdom and understanding, he gives him total control of the nation. Famine and life experiences have also brought Yosef's brothers over to his point of view. When the family is reunited, they also accept his leadership. Yosef then gives seeds to the people and the famine is over.

What we see is an elevation and descent of a tsadik then his firm establishment. The idea is that not even the difficult ideas of the tsadik can be permanently suppressed. On the contrary ultimately there is a famine for the words that at first were rejected.

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