Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz explains the meaning of a profound midrash (commentary) pertaining to Faith.
“Jacob represents the Divine in man, while Pharaoh represents the animal in him-yet both have dreams. In regard to both of these dreams, the Midrash makes a very profound statement, which displays the two different aspects of the world of faith, possibly of all religious faith, of the perception of man’s status before God.”
” We have people who are aware of man’s status before God-both men had faith. Pharaoh, too who worshipped idolatry, was a man of faith, but he regarded his god as a means to supply his needs. His god existed for him. He had a god that carried him; a god for his needs, to do good for him and to enable him to survive. But Jacob accepted upon himself to carry his God; he did not demand that God should keep him alive, but accepted upon himself to keep his faith in God. Jacob’s God is not a tool for human interests; Jacob sees man, abd consequently the entire world, as tools for the maintenance of the worship of God.This is the difference between true religious faith and between idolatrous faith, or in the language of the Sages-between “for its own sake” and “not for its own sake”. ”
(Yeshayahu Leibowitz “Accepting the Yoke of Heaven – commentary on the weekly Torah portion. Urim Publications)
” The Rise to Power: Dreams(40:1-41:52): Continued are the themes of Yosef’s success in adversity and skill in interpreting dreams.”…Yosef’s self-assurance and reliance on God, already evident in 39:9, here mean that it will not be long before he stands at the pinnacle. ” (The Five Books of Moses. The Schocken Bible:Volume I, commentary and notes by Everett Fox.)
The quote from the Torah/bible refers to the illustration appearing on Israelseen courtesy of international artist Phillip Ratner ratnermuseum.com
Now there was a Hebrew lad there with us, a servant of the chief of the guard;
we recounted them to him, and he interpreted our dreams to us,
for each-man according to his dreams he interpreted.
And thus it was: As he interpreted to us, so it was-
I was restored to my position, and he was hanged.
Pharaoh sent and had Yosef called.
They hurriedly brought him out of the pit;
he shaved, changed his clothes, and came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Yosef:
I have dreamt a dream, and there is no interpreter for it!
But I have heard it said of you
that you but need to hear a dream in order to interpret it!
Yosef answered Pharaoh, saying:
Not I!
God will answer what is for Pharaoh’s welfare.(41:12-16)
Pharaoh said to Yosef:
Since a god has made you know all this,
there is none as wisw and discerning as you;
you shall be the One Over My House!(41:39-40)
Pharaoh said to Yosef:
I am Pharaoh,
but without you, no man shall raise hand or foot in all the land of Egypt! (41:44)
(The Five Books of Moses. The Schocken Bible:Volume I, commentary and notes by Everett Fox.)
