George Washington. Imagine any
elementary school student today not knowing who the first president
of our great country was. His name and legacy is taught to all
school aged children. L’havdil, the same would be true of Yosef
Hatzaddik. Imagine how the Egyptians were taught about Yosef who was
known as Tzaphnat Pa’nayach (the one who explains things that are
hidden). Yet after a passage of time, the Torah informs us: A new
king arose over Egypt, who did not know Yosef. (Shmot 1:8)
Rashi quotes Sotah 11a: Rav and Shmuel:
One said it was a real new king and one said that it was the same
king, however his decrees were new.
Rabbeinu Bachaya says that the king the
Torah is referring to was born while Yosef was in prison. He quotes
the following passuk to support his contention: And it came to pass
on the third day, Pharaoh’s birthday, that he made a feast for all
of his servants (Braishis 40:20). The birthday party was not for the
Pharaoh in power, rather in honor of the birth of his son. As
Rabbeinu Bachya points out, the kings in Egypt at that time were all
called by the name Pharaoh. When Yosef ultimately came to power,
“this Pharaoh” was too young to be aware of his greatness.
The Kli Yakar offers an
interpretation that rings true today. The Jewish people have a
multitude of enemies. The one thing that our enemies do not realize
or even know is that Hashem has been, is and will always be with His
chosen people, Israel. The mistake that Pharaoh made was not to be
informed about the background of Yosef. The king was unaware of how
Yosef’s brothers attempted with all of their might and strength to
negate the dreams of Yosef. They did not want him to ascend to any
greatness at all. However, HaShem was with Yosef at all times to
strengthen him and raise him to heights of power and prestige.
The Kli Yakar is hinting that all the
decrees that Pharaoh was about to promulgate against the Jews, he
did so without realizing the power of HaShem. This is borne out by
the following response by Pharaoh: “Who is HaShem that I shall
listen to His voice to send out Israel, I do not know HaShem (Shmot
5:2).” If Pharaoh had realized the success that Yosef enjoyed was
due solely to the will of HaShem, he would not have been so quick to
forget the legacy of Yosef.
Imrei Emes has a novel interpretation by
maintaining that the dispute between Rav and Shmuel is not a dispute
at all. In reality, the old king and the new king were in actuality
the same Pharaoh. Pharaoh was removed from office by the populace
because he would not embitter or enslave the Jews in deference to
the memory of Yosef.
However, after being out of office for
three months, Pharaoh came back begging for his former position and
title which the populace was more than willing to return. His power
was returned to him under one condition: enslave the Jews. Pharaoh
sold his soul for the sake of power, pretending he did not know
Yosef and passed new decrees against the Jews as the “new” Pharaoh.
The Chidushei HaReem poses a powerful
question on the Gemara, quoted by Rashi. The word “Chadosh” is
reserved exclusively for the Jewish people, as it says in Parshot
Bo: “This month (Chodesh) shall be to you,” meaning the idea of
newness and rejuvenation belongs exclusively to the Jewish people.
How did this power transfer from the Am Yisroel to that of the
Egyptians, a decadent people, bent upon the destruction of the
Jewish people?
The Midrash explains, based upon a
passuk in Hoshea, that as soon as Yosef died, the Jewish people
became lax in the mitzva of bris milah. When this occurred, the
power of Yosef was severed from his descendants in Egypt and unable
to offer them any assistance. This power was transferred to the
Egyptians.
The lesson is very clear: forgetting can
be injurious to the Jewish people in two ways. The first pertains to
our enemies. If our enemies forgot the power of HaShem and how He
will aid his nation, then they will feel emboldened to attack, harm
or try to destroy the Jewish people. However, when the Jewish people
themselves forget HaShem and disregard the very sign that separates
us from the rest of the world, the power that was once granted and
given to the Jewish people can be in fact transferred to our
enemies. In this second case we have no one to blame but ourselves.
When one then looks at this passuk, it is clear that it was not only
Pharaoh who did not know Yosef, but it was Bnai Yisroel who forgot
about everything he stood for, especially the mitzvah of bris milah.
It behooves each and everyone one of us today to never forget who we
are and the tremendous power of the bris we have between ourselves
and Hakodesh Baruch Hu. Shabbat Shalom!
