Mikeitz (At the End)
(Sefer Bereishit) Genesis 41:1-44:17

41:1- “And it happened at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and behold, he stood by the river.
14- Then Pharaoh sent and called Yoseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he
shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
15- And Pharaoh said unto Yoseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I
have heard say of thee, that thou can understand a dream to interpret it.
16- And Yoseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: Elohim shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
32- And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by
Elohim, and Elohim will shortly bring it to pass.
38- And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find one like this man, in whom the Spirit of Elohim is?
40- Thou shall be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the
throne will I be greater than thou.
42:5- And the sons of Yisrael were among those who came to buy: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6- And Yoseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and
Yoseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
8- And Yoseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9- And Yoseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to
see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
15- Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest
brother come hither.
21- And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish
of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
22- And Reuven answered them, saying, Spoke I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and
ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
23- And they knew not that Yoseph understood them; for he spoke unto them by an interpreter.
44:1- And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they
can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
2- And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did
according to the word that Yoseph had spoken.
12- And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in
Benyamin's sack.
13- Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
15- And Yoseph said to them, What is this ye have done? Know ye not that a man like I can certainly divine?
16- And Yehudah said, What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear
ourselves? Elohim has found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants,
both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.”

“And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient
people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them show unto them. Fear ye not, neither be
afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there an
Elohim beside me? yea, there is no Elohim; I know not any.”
(Isaiah 44:7-8)

“The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him master of his
house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure and teach his Elders wisdom.”
(Psalms 105:20-22)

“Because thine heart was tender, and thou did humble thyself before Elohim, when thou heard his
words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbled thyself before me, and did
rend thy clothes and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, says YHVH..”
(2 Chronicles 34:27)

“When men are cast down, then thou shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.”
(Job 22:29)

“Remember these, O Yaakov and Yisrael; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou are my servant:
O Yisrael, thou shall not be forgotten of me.”

(Isaiah 44:21)

Mikeitz Summary:
1. Favored Famines to Provoke the Search for True Bread:
Like Yoseph, his brothers, and all who been bestowed with the opportunity to walk before the Holy One, Blessed be He, the beginning of the road to receive HaShem’s favor takes place in Mikeitz, i.e. at the end. Here, the Torah confirms a common need that often we must arrive at the end of self-reliance, recognizing our exhaustion of human resources to properly appreciate the Provider and thus turn to Him. In Deuteronomy 32:36, Moshe’s song about Yisrael’s plight, the value of human limitation is described:
“For YHVH shall judge His people, and repent Himself for His servants, when He sees that their
power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.”
Although bringing lack on His covenant people may seem extreme, the Elohim of Yisrael does afflict in faithfulness. Even as the sons of Yaakov unwittingly thrust the answer to the oncoming famine down to Egypt, the descent of Yoseph would soon precede their own. As they were compelled to leave the loftiness associated with the Promised Land, they would illustrate a spiritual truth, not to be denied; this paucity of bread became the catalyst that would ultimately bring them to a proper posture, men fallen their faces, pleading for mercy. Isaiah 57:15 illuminates this most critical stature of humility, as it is written:
“For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, Whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high
and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
Indeed, this was the Divine plan from the start. Knowing what was in the hearts of men, and realizing
the dire need for a deliverer, the childhood dreams of Yoseph were to be wondrously fulfilled for the good
of all men. Even as his brothers became quite estranged from him, the life of Yoseph would epitomize the
conflict that faces a people, who had betrayed the terms of HaShem’s covenant yet were now hungry enough
to repent. 2 Chronicles 7:14 identifies the appropriate actions for those who cherish this reconciliation:
“If My people which are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn
from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
While we, too, may see ourselves depleted of the nourishment that kept our fathers alive from generation to generation, we must not lose heart. The leanness of soul, which each has experienced at one time or another has not been ordained for our annihilation but for our awakening. Even though our circumstances seem to foster an air of Divine retribution, their appointment is to demonstrate Elohim’s great Redemption. For this to occur, we, like Yoseph’s brothers, must likewise acknowledge His Sovereignty. In Psalms 33:18-19, King David offers hope to those who behold the Majesty of HaShem and accept His rule over us, as it is written:
“Behold, the eye of YHVH is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy, to deliver
their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.”

2. Food for Thought, Deceived by Deceptive hearts:
As Tzaphnat-paneach carries out a series of “mind games” upon his brothers, one is tempted to reprove such a deceptive exhibition of Justice. However, as HaShem’s ways are higher than ours, so should the actions of Yoseph be seen as on a higher plane and with a Sovereign purpose. Jeremiah 20:7 admits,
“O YHVH, Thou has deceived me, and I was deceived: Thou art stronger than I, and has prevailed...”
Likewise, we must remember the unshakeable and unchallengeable dominion of Elohim, Job 12:16 declares:
“With Him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are His.”
May we humbly fear HaShem and consider His righteous ways and perfect vision, as 1 Samuel 16:7 avers: “...YHVH sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but YHVH looks on the heart.”