This week’s portion is the 37th-Reading of the 3-year Torah Reading Cycle (STAR-37). And it is a familiar passage. For it is the story of Yosef interpreting the dreams of the cupbearer and baker in the Egyptian prison.
If we recall STAR-36, Yosef was cast into prison on trumped-up charges because he stood firm and remained true to Yah’s moral standards of righteousness. As the story in our reading unfolds before us, we have no clue as to how much time has passed since Yosef was first cast in the “pit.” But it is a fair bet that we’re talking about a significant amount of time.
But I brought up the issue of the unknown amount of time that had passed since last reading and today’s reading only to set the stage for the theme that I have selected for this post. And that has to do with Yah’s people experiencing Yah’s wisdom even in the midst of despair. For Yah’s wisdom has no shelf-life. It has no prescribed period of time in which it will operate in one’s time of despair. Yah’s wisdom works according to His perfect timing. And it works in the manner that Yah prescribes it to work so as to fulfill His perfect will and plan.
So, let’s look at some of the highlights of this reading and see where it takes us from a practical, Messianic halachic perspective:
40.1-3. The cupbearer (aka butler) and baker were both noted officials in ancient courts. The cupbearer/butler was tasked with seeing that the king/pharaoh received drink whenever called for by him. Consequently, the butler/cupbearer wielded a great amount of political influence in the court, having in many cases, the ear of the king. Thus, this official would be viewed as a confidant of the king. Nehemiah held this position during his enslavement in Persia.
The baker on the other hand prepared meals for the king. These two positions were positions of trust in the king’s court; similar to the trust Yosef enjoyed with Potiphar prior to his imprisonment. This trust extended to each in their respective roles protecting the king from any enemy efforts to poison him.
Some scholars have surmised that the offense–with some translation translating the Hebrew verb as “sin”–that landed the cupbearer and the baker in prison was their roles in plotting to kill or poison the king. Both officials had access to the king. And both would have had adequate means by which to carry out such a plot. But whatever these two officials did, according to the text, outraged the king (vs. 2).
Now, there is indeed a notable contrast, whether intentional or not, between the “sin” of Yosef and these court officials. The court officials’ sin–whatever it truly was–was truly an offense worthy of imprisonment and even death. While Yosef’s alleged sin was in every sense of the word, undeserved. Yosef vehemently sought to avoid “sinning” against his Elohim. His refusal to sin against his Elohim landed him in prison alongside those who were guilty of various offenses against the state and the king. Criminals. And thus, the righteous one of Yah, is named among criminals and workers of evil.
What does this say about us today? As obedient, covenant-keeping people of Father Yah, just as common as it is to find favor with folks of the world by walking in covenant with Yah, it is equally common to fall out of favor with these same folks, and even face some form of punishment from them, simply by remaining obedient to Yah and His righteous ways.
Simply look at how many brethren, just recently, have had to endure tremendous trials and tribulations because Yah’s elect refused to bow their knees to the Ba’al’s of this world. Brethren’s livelihoods and freedoms forever ruined because they stood firm and refused to have poison injected into their “temples” (i.e., their bodies), or because they stood firm against the hellish efforts of the LGBTQ crowd and woke America. Unfortunately, this is the dichotomous life consequences that we as Yah’s set-apart people are forced to contend with. So, Yosef’s story should hold tremendous meaning for us all who are the redeemed of the Most High. For it was our Master Yeshua HaMashiyach who encouraged us accordingly:
“(11) Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. (12) Rejoice and be exceeding glad: For great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12; KJV).
Of this, Kefa (aka Peter) wrote:
“If ye be reproached for the Name of Messiah, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of Yah resteth upon you: On their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified” (1 Peter 4:14).
40:3-4. The high chamberlain assigns Yosef to attend to the imprisoned cupbearer and baker. This suggests that by this time in the Yosef chronology, Yosef had been imprisoned long enough to earn or warrant him being given such a trust position and assignment (39:21-23).
Recall Yosef had gained favor in the eyes of the prison warden–house warden (Robert Alter’s interpretative terminology, Hebrew of “sar beyt hasohar as written in chapter 39, compared to high chamberlain or “sar hatobahim” as mentioned in chapter 40), as he experienced with Potiphar, his former master. Why? Because Yah was with him. And this is an important Netzari-Messianic principle to be drawn from these grand stories of the patriarchs: The relevance of Yah’s presence and wisdom operating in a Netzer’s/Messianic’s life, even in times of despair.
Interestingly, this high chamberlain would most likely have been his former house Master, Potiphar (chapter 39). So then, is there a discrepancy between the two titles or persons? No. Because it is likely that Potiphar, the “high chamberlain,” held administrative oversight of the prison along with his other honored positions in the Egyptian high court, while the warden, a separate, lower official held operational oversight of the prison. And this seems to jive with 39:22-23, where Moshe informs us that the warden did not have to see to any operational matters in his prison because Yosef saw to its smooth operation.
But it is also interesting that it was the high chamberlain, presumably Potiphar, who placed the former court officials, i.e., the cupbearer and his sidekick the baker, under Yosef direct care. These two would have been “high profile prisoners” requiring special oversight. And seeing that it was likely Potiphar directing Yosef be assigned to these two former courts officials, one has to wonder why Potiphar didn’t either have Yosef executed for the alleged, trumped-up crime he was accused of committing against his wife. Or at the very least, throw Yosef entirely “under the prison” so to speak so that he would never be heard from again. But rather, Potiphar signs off on Yosef’s privileged position and responsibilities in the prison. Hmm. Makes me wonder if maybe Potiphar suspected Yosef’s innocence all along, as well as suspected that his wife orchestrated the events that forced Potiphar to throw Yosef in prison.
Did Potiphar know that his wife was a flaming adulterer? Did she possibly have a rabid history of flirting and possible sexual misconduct with the other male servants of Potiphar’s house? Because she says to Yosef that none of his fellow servants were as physically put together as he was. So, it stands to reason that Potiphar’s hand was forced, such that he had to act in his wife’s favor, despite knowing the type of woman she was, in order to maintain some integrity and peace in his home. But then, seeming to be a reasonable, albeit pagan man, he made the best of an impossible situation and saw to it that Yosef was taken care of even in an Egyptian prison.
But we can give too much credit to Potiphar or even the prison warden. For what we obviously see happening here is Yah’s divine wisdom at work. Orchestrating events in real time that would ultimately lead to Yosef’s exaltation and Yisra’el’s salvation.
40:5. Both the baker and butler/cupbearer dream dreams in the same night. Each one’s dream was unique and had distinct meanings that would ultimately lead to Yosef’s exaltation and Yisra’el’s salvation.
Clearly the dream that each one had troubled them as evinced by their facial expressions and downcast demeanors that Yosef quickly picked up on (40:6).
40:8. When Yosef queries the pair about their downcast dispositions, the two explain that they’d each had a perplexing dream that they could not make heads nor tails of (i.e., neither of them could not get an interpretation of their dream). Seems that Egyptian officials had the luxury of having their dreams interpreted or deciphered by professional dream interpreters or soothsaying. But being in prison and having lost their social status meant such benefits were no longer accessible to them.
Most translations use the term “interpret”/ “interpretations” as it relates to the pair seeking to understand the meaning of their respective dream. Robert Alter, author of the “Five Books of Moses,” chose to settle on the term “solution” or “solutions” instead of interpretation or interpretations. And he uses solution instead of interpretation back in verse five as well.
At question here, at least in Alter’s mind, is the Hebrew term or verb “patar” and its cognate noun that he believes means to “decipher.” And thus, Alter conjures up this sense of the mysterious and a “cloak and dagger” paradigm to address the issue of dream interpretations. Such that dreams required “decoding” as opposed to simple “interpretation.” For every dream, according to Alter, has a specific code that has to be unlocked if it is to be truly, and accurately understood. And Father yah has in place in this world whom He has “granted insight to break those codes” (pg. 227).
Thus, Yah is the ultimate holder of the meaning of dreams that He keeps locked up unto Himself. And He employs certain of His people to decode or unlock the meaning of certain dreams in accordance with His Will and Plan.
Therefore, we who are Yah’s people, should never discount dreams as being a facet or form of Yah’s wisdom at work. Whether those dreams be dreams that we dream, or dreams that brethren dream and share with the Body. And we should seek to understand the meaning of those dreams as Yah provides so that we may seek Yah’s Will. For Yah will provide the meaning to those dreams in accordance with His perfect will and plan, if we are diligent to seek His help in having those dreams decoded.
Yosef, likely through Holy Spirit (aka Ruach HaKodesh) wisdom, knew that he was a chosen vessel of Yah that possessed the spiritual “chops” to decipher dreams as Yah permitted.
Let us not forget beloved of Yah, that Yosef himself was an avid dreamer of dreams. And it was his dreams and his explanation or revealed meaning of those dreams that got him into the hot mess he found himself in at this time of his young life.
As it relates to the importance of dreams in the life of Yah’s chosen ones, we find that the Prophet Joel wrote of a coming time in human ecclesiastical history when the dreams of Yah’s set-apart people will bear great importance and influence over and within the Congregation of Yisra’el (2:28). It was Yah who revealed to us that the prophetic comes to the one He has chosen to give it to by way of dreams (Numbers/Bemidbar 12:6).
Regarding dreams and the prophetic, Maimonides (Guide of the Perplexed, 3.36-38), dreams allow one’s imagination to be awakened so that Yah may speak of glorious things to the would-be prophet.
The rabbis, however, were not all that united on the relevance or applicability of the dreams of Yah’s people. Many of them discounted dreams as nothing more than a reenactment of that which a person thinks throughout their day. But our Torah reading suggests otherwise.
Other rabbinic sources such as the “Resposa of Solomon Ibn Adret” go so far as to provide procedures for the Jew to follow in order for him to interpret both their good and bad dreams.
Our modern, progressive mindset and worldview has all be relegated the decoding or interpretation and significance of dreams to the realm of “fortune telling.” But as evinced by what we see in Torah and in the Book of Joel, dreams and the decoding of them remains an important element of the true Body of Mashiyach that should not be overlooked or marginalized.
40:8. When the butler and baker tell Yosef their dilemma, such that they had no one to interpret, or as Alter writes it, solve or decode or decipher their dreams, Yosef, without missing a beat, and seemingly having a matter-of-fact attitude attached to his reply, sort of re-orients the two’s pagan understanding of dreams and their interpretations by stating to them that “solutions come from Yah.” For these two no longer had privileged access to the court’s professional interpreters or soothsayers. So, it’s quite conceivable that they believed any interpretation or solving of their dreams was impossible.
In other words, this idea that humans solve or decipher dreams is inaccurate. Yah is the only solver or decoder or interpreter of dreams.
And so, by Yosef reaching out to the butler and baker and urging them to tell him their dreams, Yosef naturally concluded that the one Elohim who is the source of many dreams would possibly solve or decipher their dreams through him. For Yosef knew, however, that on his own, he did not possess the Godly wisdom to solve these men’s dreams. So, he put that job of solving in Yah’s hands.
The Chizkuni reads: “Pray, tell me the dream, perhaps He (Yah) will favor me with wisdom to explain its import.”
Yosef indeed knew which side his spiritual bread was buttered.
40:9-15. The butler of course tells Yosef his dream. Yosef’s decipherment of it was that the cupbearer would be restored to his former office three-days hence. and all Yosef asked in return or in compensation for rendering unto him the positive meaning or solution to the butler’s dream was that he remember him once he was reinstated to his former office. That he put in a good word for him with the king.
As an aside, Yosef made it a point to let the two know that he did not belong there in prison and that he was a victim of terrible mistreatment by others.
40:16-19. Jazzed by his partner’s positive resolution to his dream, the baker wasted no time putting forth his dream to Yosef. Unfortunately, Yosef’s solution was a negative one, such that the baker, three-days hence, would be executed and his body impaled on a stake for the birds to consume.
40:20-23. And true to Yosef’s solutions or interpretations, three days later the butler was restored to his former office while the baker was executed. Unfortunately, the butler for an unstated reason did not remember Yosef. Many have speculated as to why the butler did not throw Yosef a bone. But the reason why really doesn’t matter in the long run. Because, whether intentional or unintentional, Yah’s wisdom was at work and was the reason behind the butler not remembering Yosef.
And thus, Yosef would continue to be worked on Yah’s pottery-wheel for another two-years (41:1).
Practical Halachic Nuggets
Our covenant relationship with Yah does not in an any way guarantee that we will enjoy a life of comfort and pleasure. In fact, Yah takes some of us through trials and tribulation to equip us for the work that He has planned for us to do, as well as to fashion us into the image of His Son and our Master Yahoshua Messiah. Thus, Yah’s wisdom at work.
So, regardless how gloomy our situation may appear at times, Abba intends only good towards us as revealed to us in the Book of Jeremiah/Yermi’Yahu:
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (29:11; KJV).
You see beloved, we are as clay in the hands of a skilled potter molding us on his pottery wheel. As clay, we have no clue of the potential we have or what will be achieved through and in us by the wisdom and working hands of our glorious and sovereign Potter.
As we the case with the patriarchs, we are subject to the Eternal’s providence–His sovereignty. Yah orders our steps, and He controls the affairs of His human creation. So, even in the darkest of situations (e.g., Yosef’s enslavement and imprisonment), Yah is orchestrating circumstances and situations in and around us in order to ultimately bring about our salvation, conform us to the image of our Master Yahoshua Messiah, and glorify and image Him in the earth.
We may not realize it during those darkened, gloomy, trying hours, but we can rest assured that Yah is about a good work in our lives. And the length of time we are going to have to endure Yah’s molding and refining is uncertain. Could be just a day or two. Could be a few days even. Maybe some weeks. Even years of fashioning as was the case with Yosef.
Yosef describes his situation to the butler/cupbearer as that of being in a pit. Recall back in chapter 37, Yosef was cast into a cistern, which is a pit in the desert, its purpose to capture water for the landowner. Well, Yosef was cast into one of those cisterns just prior to him being sold into slavery. And now, in our reading here, Yosef describes his prison surroundings as that of a “pit” in the house of the Egyptian chamberlain. Two pits used to work out Yah’s wisdom and plan.
Yosef is a type of Mashiyach/Messiah on so many levels. His brothers–his kinsmen–sorely mistreated him and they cast him into sort of a grave. Our Master, Yeshua, was sorely mistreated by His earthly brethren/kinsmen and ultimately His body was put into a grave. Yosef before he would be exalted to the number two-position of leadership over Egypt would have to endure a season of hardships and fashioning by the Eternal. Likewise, our Master Yahoshua, before He would be exalted to the number two position in heaven, would endure much sorrow and grief and troubles:
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:4-5 KJV)
Despite the pressures each experienced during their lives, both held their peace and endure their trials and sorrows. Indeed, during the greatest times of their respective testings, these two were the loneliest men in all the earth. But we know that Yah was with them both throughout their times of testings, just as Yah promises to be with each of us as we endure His molding and refining fire. For Father Yah’s wisdom will not only rule the day ultimately, but it will also carry us through.
Shabbat Shalom.
Faithfully.