Print This Post Print This Post

Smile for the redepmtion flash

Written by d fine

We are told that when Pharaoh asked for Yosef to be taken out of prison to interpret his dreams, they ‘quickly’ brought Yosef out (41:14). Why do we need to know that Yosef was granted his freedom so speedily? The Chofetz Chaim answers with two points. Firstly, it’s important to note that the removal of Yosef from prison was actually the start of the redemption of the Jewish People from Egypt. For Yosef coming out of jail led to his interpreting of Pharaoh’s dream, which in turn guaranteed Yosef’s rise to power – and thus the ultimate safety and separation of the Jewish People in Egypt was sorted even before the brothers came down to Egypt. This is why Rashi (Psachim 108a ‘arba’) writes that the four cups of wine on seder night represent the four cups in the butler’s dream. Why the butler’s dream; what does that have to do with the Exodus? For, as we have said, Yosef’s being freed from prison was the first step in our redemption – which was facilitated by the butler’s dream. For Pharaoh only knew about Yosef’s dream-interpreting skills from this butler who had seen Yosef successfully interpret his dream two years earlier. Based on this, the Chofetz Chaim writes that the reason we are told that Pharaoh’s officers hurried Yosef out of prison, is to teach us that when the time for the redemption comes, HaShem will not delay it by even a second – just as the time of Yosef’s redemption was calculated and precisely on time, so too will our ultimate geulah not be delayed by an instant; bimheirah beyomeinu – literally…

Leave a Comment