Pharaoh's Dream

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Pharaoh's Dream Shapes Destiny

TANAKH

Pharaoh's dream is a vivid and detailed narrative that sets the stage for Joseph's rise to power and the eventual descent of the Israelites into Egypt. The book of Genesis recounts Pharaoh's dream of seven handsome and sturdy cows being devoured by seven ugly and gaunt cows.

After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, when out of the Nile there came up seven cows, handsome and sturdy, and they grazed in the reed grass. But presently, seven other cows came up from the Nile close behind them, ugly and gaunt, and stood beside the cows on the bank of the Nile; and the ugly gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome sturdy cows. And Pharaoh awoke.

Genesis 41:1-4

Joseph's Insight into Pharaoh's Dream

COMMENTARY

Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams may have been influenced by his knowledge of ancient Egyptian traditions about seven-year famines. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explores the possibility that Joseph's wisdom and rise to power were rooted in his understanding of Egyptian history and traditions.

In the case of Pharaoh’s dreams, Joseph may have known ancient Egyptian traditions about seven-year famines. Nahum Sarna quotes an Egyptian text from the reign of King Djoser (ca. twenty-eighth century BCE):

Lessons in Leadership; A Weekly Reading of the Jewish Bible, Miketz; The Power of Dreams 6

The Spiritual Layers of Pharaoh's Dream

MUSAR

Pharaoh's dream is not just a political prophecy but a spiritual allegory of purity and impurity. Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz, in his 17th-century work Shenei Luchot HaBerit, offers a mystical interpretation of the seven good and bad cows and ears of corn.

Rabbi Yitzchak says that the seven "good" cows represent seven spiritual levels in the "upper" regions, each one higher than the other, whereas the seven "bad" cows represent seven levels of successively lower degrees. The former refer to regions of purity, holiness, the latter to regions of impurity, pollution. Concerning the seven ears of corn, Rabbi Yehudah says the first seven ears were from the right side of the scheme because they were described as "good", whereas the latter seven bad ears of corn were below the former ones. Pharaoh saw all of them in his dream.

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Vayeshev, Miketz, Vayigash, Torah Ohr 32

The Nature of Dreams

MIDRASH

The dreams of the righteous are both in the heavens and on the earth, while the dreams of the wicked are neither in the heavens nor on the earth. The Midrash Tanchuma, an early medieval collection of midrash, explores the deeper meanings and moral lessons from biblical narratives, including the distinction between the dreams of the righteous and the wicked.

Let our master instruct us further: What is the difference between the dreams of the righteous and the dreams of the wicked? The dreams of the wicked are neither in the heavens nor on the earth. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 41:1): PHARAOH DREAMED, AND THERE HE WAS STANDING ON THE NILE. So also it is written of Nebuchadnezzar (in Dan. 4:2): {IT WAS} [I SAW] A DREAM, AND IT MADE ME AFRAID, for he was neither on the earth nor in the heavens (cf. vss. 7-8). However, the dreams of the righteous are < both > in the heavens and on the earth…

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Vayetzei 6:2

The Mystical Significance of Seven in Pharaoh's Dream

COMMENTARY

The number seven in Pharaoh's dream holds deep numerical and mystical significance, connecting to divine names and historical prophecies. Rabbeinu Bahya, a medieval Jewish commentator, delves into the hidden meanings and numerical symbolism in the Torah.

You will find that the number seven appears three times each in connection with both the cows and the ears of corn. Once it appears in the Torah’s report of Pharaoh’s dream, once in the dream as related by Pharaoh, and the third time when Joseph refers to this number when he interprets the dream. When you multiply the number 14 (seven cows plus seven ears of corn) you get the number 14. When you multiply this number by three you get 42, [an allusion to the numerical value of one of the names of G’d, the first 42 letters in the Book of Genesis until the letter ב in ובוהו — Ed…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bereshit 41:16:3

Pharaoh's Test

KABBALAH

Pharaoh intentionally tested Joseph by altering the details of his dream, but Joseph's profound insight allowed him to interpret it correctly. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, delves into the esoteric meanings behind the Torah, including the story of Joseph and Pharaoh's dreams.

R. Hiya said: ‘Pharaoh wished to put Joseph to the test, and so changed the tenour of his dreams. But Joseph, knowing, as he did, the grades, saw clearly each object of the dream, and said, “thus and thus didst thou see”, point by point.

Zohar, Miketz 5:58

Faulty Interpretations

MIDRASH

The biblical text notes that the magicians and wise men of Egypt could not interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Sefer HaYashar, a medieval work of midrash, elaborates on the content of the various interpretations suggested by these people, none of which were deemed accurate.

And the king commanded after this, and they summoned other wise men, and they came and ‎stood before the king. And the king related unto them his dream, and they gave him the same ‎interpretation. And the anger of the king burned, and he was very wroth. And the king said ‎unto them: Verily, you have spoken lies, and your words are false hoods. And the king ‎commanded and they proclaimed throughout the whole land of Egypt, saying: It is the ‎pleasure of the king, and of his great men, that every wise man who knoweth and ‎understandeth to interpret dreams…

Sefer HaYashar (midrash), Book of Genesis, Miketz 2

The Transformative Power of Humility and Righteousness

CHASIDUT

Pharaoh's dream about standing by the Nile reflects his failure to seek divine mercy to prevent the famine. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev explains that Joseph’s role highlights the need for a tzaddik, a righteous individual, to intercede and seek God's compassion to change the divine decree.

At the time when Joseph advised Pharaoh to appoint wise and ‎insightful men to collect parts of the harvest of the good years ‎and store it for use during the seven years of famine, thus ‎implying that the hardship of these years could be counteracted ‎by human endeavor, (Genesis 41,33-36) all the commentators ‎question who had appointed Joseph to volunteer advice to ‎Pharaoh?
However, we must examine Pharaoh’s dream and the manner ‎in which he related it to Joseph in greater detail. The Torah’s ‎objective report of the dream describes him as dreaming that he ‎stood “above” the river…

Kedushat Levi, Genesis, Vayigash 17

The Forgotten Joy of Abundance

COMMENTARY

The interpretation of Pharaoh's dream reveals that the joy of the abundant years will be forgotten during the years of famine. The Siftei Chakhamim, a supercommentary on Rashi’s commentary on the Torah, explains the significance of the term 'ate' in Pharaoh's dream.

Symbolizing that all the joy of the abundant years will be forgotten. Rashi is answering the question: The cows’ eating can be understood in two ways. Either that the joy will be forgotten in the hunger years, or that there will be food to eat in the hunger years, which is a good sign. How do we know which it is? Thus Rashi explains: “Symbolizing that all the joy... will be forgotten.” This [i.e., Rashi’s] explanation is right, [despite Ramban’s objections] — for later on, we see clearly that Yoseif explained it so…

Siftei Chakhamim, Genesis 41:4:1

Divine Orchestration in Pharaoh's Dream

TARGUM

Pharaoh's inability to interpret his dreams was divinely orchestrated to bring Joseph out of imprisonment. The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Torah, emphasizes divine intervention in Joseph's rise to power in Egypt.

And in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called all the magicians of Mizraim and all the wise men; and Pharoh told them the dreams; but no man was able to interpret it; for it was occasioned by the Lord, because the time had come that Joseph should come forth from the house of the bound.

Targum Jonathan on Genesis 41:8

A Masterclass in Strategy

JEWISH THOUGHT

Joseph's approach to Pharaoh's dream was a masterclass in strategic thinking and self-promotion. In his medieval work, Akeidat Yitzchak, Rabbi Isaac Arama explores the multifaceted strategy Joseph employed to interpret the dream and secure his position.

(2) Whereas both Joseph, the butler and the baker were central figures in their respective dreams, Pharaoh had dreamt about things which seemed of no particular concern to him. This was sufficiently strange to trouble his mind. The other unusual feature was his waking and then having a second dream in which the same numbers played a central role. He felt that there was some symbolism in this. Pharaoh's magicians failed to understand the subject matter of the dream, because they concentrated only on the numbers. The subject matter was not really part of their art…

Akeidat Yitzchak 29:1:11

The Vividness of Pharaoh's Dream

COMMENTARY

Pharaoh's dream was so vivid and realistic that he might have thought he was awake, which is why the Torah specifies that 'Pharaoh awoke.' Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar, in his 18th-century commentary Or HaChaim, delves into the extreme clarity of Pharaoh's dream in the story of Joseph.

וייקץ פרעה והנה חלום, Pharaoh awoke and it had been a dream. It is possible that when Pharaoh dreamed the section about the ears of corn he had not noticed during the dream that he was only dreaming. He may have thought that he was awake due to the extreme clarity with which he saw that scene. After he got up from his sleep, however, he realised in retrospect that he had been dreaming. This is why the Torah had to add: "Pharaoh awoke."

Or HaChaim on Genesis 41:7:1

Joseph's Wisdom Recognized

COMMENTARY

Pharaoh's dream and Joseph's interpretation led to immediate action and recognition of Joseph's wisdom. Radak, a medieval Jewish commentator, provides insight into the approval of Joseph's plan by Pharaoh and his ministers in Genesis 41:37.

וייטב הדבר, Pharaoh approved of Joseph’s suggestion as did his ministers as they all understood that it was a wise and practical plan. They realised that it was very likely that Joseph’s interpretation of the dream was correct. They were furthermore very impressed by the chief of the cup-bearers who had told them how Joseph’s interpretation of both his and the chief baker’s dreams had come true. Moreover, Joseph had not claimed that the realisation of the dream would be in the distant future, but by seizing on the word והנה twice at the very beginning of Pharaoh’s dream and again in verse 29…

Radak on Genesis 41:37:1

Qualities of a Crisis Leader

COMMENTARY

Effective management during a crisis requires a leader with insight, understanding, and wisdom. Rabbi Jacob ben Asher, in his medieval commentary Tur HaArokh, discusses the qualities necessary for leadership and resource management in both times of plenty and times of famine.

ירא פרעה איש נבון, “let Pharaoh see (find) a man of insight and understanding, etc.” a leader who is able to run the state in a manner which will assure adequate bread for each of its citizens in accordance with the size of their respective families, dependents. He should also possess חכמה, the wisdom to store and preserve the surplus of the good years so that they would not rot before the seven years of famine commenced. Clearly, this would not be a task for a single individual but would require a number of officials, פקידים, for each region of Egypt…

Tur HaArokh, Genesis 41:33:1

The Uninterpreted Dreams of Pharaoh

SECOND TEMPLE

Pharaoh's inability to find an interpreter for his dreams among the Egyptian magicians and wise men highlights the limitations of their wisdom and sets the stage for Joseph's rise. The Book of Jubilees, an apocryphal retelling of the events of the books of Genesis and Exodus, retells the story of Genesis and parts of Exodus with unique additions and interpretations.

and he awoke from his sleep and called all the interpreters of dreams that were in Egypt, and magicians, and told them his two dreams, and they were not able to declare (them).

Book of Jubilees 40:2

Interpreting Pharaoh's Dream

SECOND TEMPLE

Pharaoh's dream, as interpreted by Joseph, foretold seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, a pivotal moment in Jewish history. Philo of Alexandria provides a clear and direct interpretation of the dream, linking the seven fat oxen and well-grown ears to years of abundance, and the seven thin oxen and shrunken ears to years of famine.

[108] For both the seven fat oxen and the seven well-grown and flourishing ears indicate seven years of abundance and prosperity, while the seven oxen that came up after, thin and loathly, and the seven blasted and shrunken ears mean seven other years of famine.

On Joseph 20:4

The Symbolism of Pharaoh's Dream

COMMENTARY

The physical description of the seven cows in Pharaoh's dream is rich with symbolism and foreshadows significant events in Jewish history. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible offers a clear and engaging interpretation of this pivotal moment.

Behold, seven cows, fat fleshed and fair, come up from the Nile, and they grazed in the pasture.

Steinsaltz on Genesis 41:18

Koeien (Cows), Samuel Jessurun de Mesquita, 1916

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