In this section of Chapter 105, King David continues to unfold the chain of Divine providence: from the covenant with the Patriarchs, through Yosef's descent to Egypt, to the multiplication of the People of Israel in the land of Cham. The verses before us describe the end of Yosef's imprisonment, his staged rise to greatness, and the way all of this served as preparation for the arrival of Yaakov and his sons in Egypt.
עַד־עֵת בֹּא־דְבָרוֹ אִמְרַת יְהֹוָה צְרָפָתְהוּ׃ - Until the time that his word came, the word of the Lord refined him.
"Refined him" (tzerafat’hu) means he was tested, as in "I have refined you in the furnace of affliction": he was purged and purified through the suffering he underwent. Until the time came for the Holy One, blessed be He, to fulfill the decree that the People of Israel would descend to Egypt, there, in the prison, Yosef was refined.
Radak explains: "Until the time that his word came" refers to Yosef's word, namely the interpretation of the dream he gave to the chief cupbearer; and "the word of the Lord" was the decree that he remain in prison, which refined and tested him. Rashi explains: "Until the time that his word came" refers to the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, for it was decreed upon him to be there for twelve years, and the word of the Lord that decreed his confinement was what refined him.
In Midrash Shocher Tov, a dispute between Rabbi Chiya bar Abba and the Rabbis is cited: one says until the time came for Yosef's word, and one says until the time came for the word of the Holy One, blessed be He. When Yosef told the chief cupbearer, "Only remember me when it goes well with you," the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By your life, you shall endure suffering and imprisonment for another two years. This is the meaning of "And it came to pass at the end of two full years" - the two years allotted to him by the Holy One, blessed be He, came to an end. This is Rashi's interpretation. In contrast, the second opinion holds: "His word came" refers to Yosef's words before Pharaoh; until that moment when he stood and spoke before Pharaoh, "the word of the Lord refined him."
The Malbim explains that this refers to the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, mentioned earlier in the chapter: "The word He commanded for a thousand generations." Until that word of the Lord was aroused, which commanded that no one harm Yaakov's descendants and promised that He would ultimately redeem them - until then, they underwent refinement and purification, so that they would withstand that test and become truly worthy of that redemption.
שָׁלַח מֶלֶךְ וַיַּתִּירֵהוּ מֹשֵׁל עַמִּים וַיְפַתְּחֵהוּ׃ - The king sent and loosed him; the ruler of peoples released him.
Ibn Ezra notes that "sent" (shalach) serves for both clauses - that is, a single word at the beginning of the verse also applies to the second half, as though written twice. This is similar to the liturgical phrasing "that He did not set our portion like theirs, nor our lot like all their multitude," where although "nor did He set" is not repeated, the initial "that He did not" applies to both clauses. So too here: the king sent and loosed him; the ruler of peoples sent and released him. Rashi explains that the king is Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he is also the "ruler of peoples" who loosed him and unlocked his fetters.
The Malbim notes the precise distinction between "loosed him" (vayattirehu) and "released him" (vayefat’chehu). "The king sent and loosed him" refers to freeing him from the fetters, as mentioned earlier: "His feet they afflicted with fetters"; for this, an ordinary king suffices, as a king can release a person from the chains of slavery. "The ruler of peoples released him" refers to the iron, as it is written: "His soul came into iron," for he had been imprisoned for a capital offense regarding his master's wife. To overlook such a crime and release a person from prison without a trial at all, purely by full pardon - for this, a king is not enough; one must be a "ruler of peoples." Thus we understand why Scripture says "king" in one clause and "ruler of peoples" in the other.
שָׂמוֹ אָדוֹן לְבֵיתוֹ וּמֹשֵׁל בְּכׇל־קִנְיָנוֹ׃ - He made him master of his house, and ruler over all his possessions.
"He made him master of his house" - just as Pharaoh said to him, "You shall be over my house." The Malbim writes that he already explained in his commentary on the Torah that Pharaoh elevated Yosef in three successive stages. First, "You shall be over my house," regarding which it is said, "He made him master of his house, and ruler over all his possessions." Afterward, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt" - a minister over all the ministers of Egypt, not only over Pharaoh's personal household, and this was already a second level of greatness.
לֶאְסֹר שָׂרָיו בְּנַפְשׁוֹ וּזְקֵנָיו יְחַכֵּם׃ - To bind his ministers at his will, and teach his elders wisdom.
Rashi explains that "benafsho" is an expression of affection, like "and the soul of Yehonatan was bound to the soul of David": when he interpreted the dream, everyone grew fond of him, and all the ministers were bound in their souls to Yosef. Rashi also cites the words of Rav Idi: the written text has saro (his minister, in the singular) - referring to Potiphar, as will soon be explained.
One of the well-known questions regarding Yosef is: why did he see fit to add, "And now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man," advising him to appoint someone to store grain during the seven years of abundance? Who made him an advisor? After all, he was brought there solely to interpret a dream, and he was a youth, a Hebrew, a slave in the lowliest state - say what you were asked, and nothing more! A king's advisors are experts who have studied for many years, and suddenly you become an advisor?
Rather, Yosef was very apprehensive, for he was stepping into very large shoes. Present there were magicians, sorcerers, necromancers, and renowned figures of all kinds. Egypt was the center of wisdom and knowledge at that time, a tremendous empire; even today, Egyptologists are astounded to observe things for which we have no explanation - how they built the pyramids, how they mummified, and other vast bodies of knowledge that we do not possess. Very shrewd men were there, wielding actual supernatural power, the kind who turn a staff into a serpent. And suddenly, a slave youth arrives and solves what none of the experts could solve. Yosef sensed that everyone was looking at him with hostile eyes: What nonsense is he talking? He feared this would provoke antagonism, and that as a result Pharaoh would reject the interpretation - even though it was the true interpretation.
What did he do? He told Pharaoh that someone needed to be appointed, elevating a trusted official to high authority to manage the matter. Immediately, everyone began nodding: Indeed, an appointment is needed here, a promotion is called for. Each of them felt that he was the right candidate, being among the highest-ranking ministers of the realm - "Pharaoh, this youth speaks sense!" None of them imagined that the appointment would go to that very youth. Meanwhile, however, Yosef won their favor through this: suddenly everyone accepted his interpretation, since they saw in it an opportunity to receive an appointment. And this is "to bind his ministers in his soul" in Rashi's sense of affection - when he interpreted the dream, everyone grew fond of him, because each saw himself as worthy of the position, and consequently did not challenge his interpretation.
The Radak explains differently: "To bind his ministers benafsho" - that he had the power to imprison his ministers and nobles if necessary, just as Pharaoh himself had the power. That is, not that his soul was drawn close to theirs, but that he was granted the authority to send a minister to prison. "Benafsho" is like "at your desire (kenafshecha), until you are satisfied," and like "if it is your desire (nafshechem)" - meaning according to his will; at his pleasure he could take a minister and imprison him. And this is what Pharaoh said to him: "By your word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than you" - he gave him all authority, except for the royal throne alone.
And in the Midrash: "To bind his ministers benafsho" - these were the ones who said to Pharaoh, "Can a slave reign?", those who objected to his appointment. Yosef gave orders to imprison the ministers who opposed his reign and send them to prison.
Furthermore, the Midrash states, and this is the opinion of Rabbi Idi cited in Rashi: "To bind his princes" - this refers to Potiphar, whom Yosef commanded to be placed in prison. Potiphar was deeply corrupt. He knew that his wife was the guilty party, and he knew that Yosef had committed no sin. And how did he know? Because he went and consulted the necromancers, the sages and religious leaders. For she had placed egg white there to make it appear as though he had been intimate with her, and Potiphar brought it to the priests; they tested it and told him: this is not semen, but egg white. The Gemara explains how this can be distinguished - through a candle and fire, as egg white congeals and coagulates. They defended Yosef and spoke in his favor. And how did Yosef repay them? "Only the land of the priests he did not buy" - he remembered their kindness, for they were the only ones who declared that nothing had occurred.
Thus, Potiphar knew his wife was corrupt, knew that nothing had happened, and yet sent his righteous servant to prison for ten years - for what? Just to keep his wife's reputation spotless. How utterly corrupt he was! Therefore, what he truly deserved was to be thrown into prison himself. And this is "To bind his princes" - Yosef now sent Potiphar, who was an officer of Pharaoh, to the prison house.
The wise are called "elders" (zekenim), and even a young man who possesses the mature judgment of elders is included in this, for wisdom is found mostly among the aged, as it is written, "And with the aged is wisdom." This, of course, does not refer to ignorant or wicked elders. Yosef was so wise that he instructed Pharaoh's own sages: "And teach his elders wisdom" - he imparted wisdom to Pharaoh's elders and was wiser than all of them. As Pharaoh himself said to him, "There is no one as discerning and wise as you" - not merely among ordinary people, but among all my sages here, there is none as wise and discerning as you.
The Malbim adds the third stage here: subsequently Pharaoh said to him, "I am Pharaoh, yet without your consent no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt" - elevating him level by level until he placed him above all the counselors and elders, and this is "and teach his elders wisdom." Thus, there were three stages in Yosef's ascent.
The Tiferes Shlomo on Parashas Mikeitz explains "To bind his princes at his soul's pleasure" - that he subjugated the celestial ministers and the forces of spiritual impurity beneath him. This is the meaning of the verse, "And Yaakov saw that there was corn [shever] in Egypt" - he saw that the kelipah had been broken [shever], the power of the husk of impurity in Egypt was shattered, and consequently the time had arrived for the People of Israel to go down there to accomplish their rectification. For as long as the kelipah was in full force, "You shall not do according to the practices of the land of Egypt," for it was the nakedness of the earth, the most defiled and abominable place.
And how did Yosef rectify Egypt? Specifically in the very realm where the Egyptians were corrupted. In what were they corrupted? "You shall not do according to the practices of the land of Egypt" - the realm of forbidden relationships (arayos). Yosef, who was holy of holies, began to rectify reality there and make the land fit to serve as a dwelling place for the Children of Israel through the power of his own triumph over forbidden relationships. This is also part of why he instructed the Egyptians to circumcise themselves, for as the Rambam writes, the purpose of circumcision is to weaken lustful desire, and in circumcised men the power of lust is diminished. This was part of the rectification of Egypt - weakening their lustful desire. And this is "there was a break [shever] in Egypt": the kelipah was broken, the force of impurity was no longer at its peak, and consequently "to bind his princes at his soul's pleasure" - "his princes" refers to the celestial ministers of Egypt above, and he subjugated the forces of impurity beneath him.
וַיָּבֹא יִשְׂרָאֵל מִצְרָיִם וְיַעֲקֹב גָּר בְּאֶרֶץ־חָם׃ - Israel came to Egypt, and Yaakov sojourned in the land of Cham.
The entire sequence of events involving Yosef brought about Israel's arrival in Egypt, caused by the famine, in order to fulfill the decree of the Covenant Between the Parts: "For your descendants shall be strangers." "In the land of Cham" - Mitzrayim was the son of Cham, and therefore the land of Egypt is referred to as the land of Cham.
The Malbim explains that everything described up to this point was preparation for Israel's entry into Egypt. Our Sages illustrated this with a parable of a cow that refused to leave: they led her calf to another place, and she followed after it. In the same way, Yaakov did not want to descend to Egypt, so they drew his son - taking Yosef down to Egypt - and through this the cow followed after him.
The Malbim further notes the precision in the shift between names. "Yisrael" connotes dominion and prestige, reflecting our elevated spiritual state; "Yaakov" connotes an ankle or heel (akev), the lowest part of the body, expressing our reality when we are on a lower level. Scripture teaches that when we first arrived in Egypt, we came at the level of Yisrael - with prestige and authority; but afterward, "and Yaakov resided in the land of Cham," reflecting the lower dimension of Yaakov. Furthermore, "ger" (resided as a stranger) does not denote permanent, settled dwelling, but rather alien status: he does not dwell in the royal cities, but in the land of Cham, a place distant from the center of power. Initially, we were in the status of Yosef - authority and prestige - and gradually the situation deteriorated; after Yosef, all his brothers, and that entire generation died, the decline set in, until they were no longer on the level of Yisrael, but on the level of Yaakov.
וַיֶּפֶר אֶת־עַמּוֹ מְאֹד וַיַּעֲצִמֵהוּ מִצָּרָיו׃ - "And He made His people very fruitful, and made them mightier than their adversaries."
"And He made [them] fruitful" - He made His people exceedingly fruitful and multiplied them, as it is written: "And the Children of Israel were fruitful, and swarmed, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty." "And made them mightier than their adversaries" - He made them mightier than the Egyptians who were their oppressors. From here stemmed the fear of the Egyptians: they are already multiplying faster than us, "and they felt a dread before the Children of Israel."
And this is nothing new; history repeats itself. In our own days as well, there are those who see the Torah-observant community growing and multiplying, and they panic: in the settlements and in Bnei Brak people are having large families, while in other places there is one child at best - so they seek all sorts of artificial solutions, such as the "grandchild clause" and the like, to import votes as a kind of antibiotic against religious Jews. As long as they believed the judicial system would have the final say, they were not worried: no matter what you decide or whom you elect, in the end the last word belongs to us. Democracy, in their view, is fine for the "masses below"; among us there are no elections. But when the golem turned on its creator, and someone began to think about escaping this servitude - immediately came protests, threats, and pouring out money, as if we depend on their goodwill to exist.
And to this we say: we have survived for thousands of years despite people like these, and even though there has been a fifth column among us - those who receive funds from the European Union and from all manner of hostile forces, boycott organizations, and slanderers, inciting the nations of the world against us and threatening their own brothers. You know how these things start, but you never know how they end: the Gentile will take your advice seriously. But with them, it is "after me, the deluge" - if I am not in control here, let the country burn. Just as Ben-Aharon once said when told that the public had voted differently: then we must replace the people. If it were possible, they would have replaced the people long ago. But there is a nation here that came home, wants to stay, and has no intention of going anywhere.
Returning to our subject: the Egyptians saw them being fruitful and multiplying and panicked, "and they felt a dread before the Children of Israel." But observe, says the Malbim: Hashem made them exceedingly fruitful until they were mightier than their adversaries, and this very reality ultimately led to Israel's redemption, as we will see further in the psalm.
The verses before us teach how every stage of Yosef's descent and ascent was a link in a single divine plan: the refinement in the dungeon until the word of Hashem arrived; the release from fetters and liberation from iron at the hands of a king and ruler of nations; the three stages of his ascent - master of Pharaoh's house, ruler over the land of Egypt, and teaching wisdom to his elders; "to bind his princes at his will" - whether through the affection won by his wisdom, through the authority granted to him, or by breaking the forces of impurity in Egypt. And all of this was preparation for Israel's honorable descent into Egypt, followed by their descent to the level of Yaakov residing in the land of Cham, until Hashem made them fruitful and mightier than their adversaries - which itself was the beginning of the road to redemption.