Every now and then, after writing my weekly Dvar Torah, I come across an article written by Rabbi Sacks Z"L, in which he addressed similar motifs. To give a different example than the link below from this week, last year I came up with this clever title, only to discover later that Rabbi Sacks beat me to it by over 13 years. I did not see his piece before I wrote mine. Thus is the world. :)
This week, I came across this article by Rabbi Sacks after writing what you'll find below:
Parshat Miketz
by Rabbi Avi Billet
In Chapter 41, Yosef is taken out of prison and brought before Pharaoh. One message he conveys, loud and clear, is that he does not interpret dreams, but God does. Yosef mentions “God” five times over the course of his sharing the meaning of Pharaoh’s dreams, thus eliciting Pharoah’s own acknowledgment of God’s hand in Yosef’s interpretations – once in each of verses 38 and 39.
It is always interesting to note which name of God is invoked in any conversation, especially with “non-Jews.” (In Lavan’s case, for example, when he meets Eliezer, and in the first 14 years of Yaakov’s time in his home (24:31,50,51; 30:27), it is the 4-letter name of God י-ה-ו-ה, and here in chapter 41 it is א-ל-ה-י-ם)
In modern Hebrew, the “Elokim” name of God is often used as a generic word referencing God, while “Adonay” is presumed to be God’s name (even though it is not pronounced how it is spelled). This may have reverberations in the Yosef story.
As to how the names of God are referenced in the Torah, there is much discussion. Easily most famous is that Elokim references God’s attribute of Judgment, while Adonay references God’s attribute of Mercy.
Netziv points out (41:25) that when it comes to dreams, the dreamer himself knows when the interpretation is correct, because he hears it in his subconscious when he dreams, and an actual human interpretation triggers a reminder that the understanding is correct. Pharaoh’s necromancers understood interpretations through the method of demons (שדים). Yosef understood that what Pharaoh had received was a prophesy, similar in style to communication which came to Avimelekh (20:3,6), Lavan (31:24) and Bilaam (Bamidbar 22:9,12,20,22 etc) - all of which were heard from Elokim.
Netziv concludes that because Elokim appeared, only someone who has a רוח א-לקים (the spirit of Elokim in him) could understand and interpret the dreams. This puts Yosef on a much higher footing than necromancers who deal in the realm of שדים.
This suggests that the way that God appears to the Torah’s gentiles, in the realm of prophesy, is through using the name א-לקים.
The fact that the name י-ה-ו-ה makes an appearance with each of these gentiles also shows that there is an element of disconnect in how they relate to God and in how God relates to them. It is Elokim throughout chapter 20 (Avimelekh) until the last verse, when י-ה-ו-ה makes an appearance to reopen the wombs of the women in Gerar.
In Lavan’s case, he brings up י-ה-ו-ה again (for the first time in a long time) after he’s already decided to make peace with Yaakov (31:49). Aside from that, it’s been Elokim since he declared to Yaakov that “God (י-ה-ו-ה) has blessed me on your account,” which was right at the conclusion of Yaakov's 14 years of labor for his wives, just as Lavan was convincing him to stay to build his own fortune. (30:27)
In Bilaam’s case, as he speaks to Balak’s emissaries, he keeps referring to the relationship he has with י-ה-ו-ה, while every time God appears to him in a dream (as noted above) it is with the name Elokim. And yet, the angel that appears to him is a מלאך י-ה-ו-ה, and it is י-ה-ו-ה who opens the mouth of the donkey to speak to him. Bilaam, after angering א-לקים because he accompanied Balak’s emissaries, has contrition and comes to the clear understanding that even though he came for the wrong reasons, he will only get to say what God puts in his mouth to say. Once he understands and accepts that, all that is to follow is in י-ה-ו-ה’s hands (the Merciful side of God). Bilaam “embarrasses” himself over and over through blessing the Israelites, and through disappointing Balak, who had hired him for a different purpose.
And so it boils down to a message God is conveying to the gentiles in question. "You are worthy of receiving a message through the name of God that is א-לקים because you have a choice that lies before you insofar as what you will do with this message." When they accept what is before them and make the choice to treat Avraham, Yaakov, or the Bnei Yisrael (respectively) nicely, things turn around for them for the better.
Avimelekh’s family is cured of their ailment. Lavan returns home in peace, without having harmed anyone and without being harmed. Bilaam goes on his way and returns home (that he later dies in the war with Midian speaks of Bilaam returning to evil ways, but it is not attached to the story with Balak).
The question we are left with, is this something that was known at that time? If we assume that the way things are “reported” in the Torah, as either handed to Moshe Rabbenu by God or recorded by him at God’s instruction, is accurate, then the name of God that Yosef invoked was deliberate, and presumably a choice that was made based on his upbringing, and the way he felt would be most impactful in the conditions in which he found himself.
Rabbenu Bachaye focuses on the usage of the name Elokim, noting that “All comes from the power of א-לקים, and He is the Master of all powers. He will help you through the difficulties of the dream and processing its interpretation.”
Yosef understood from the dream, which took place at the יאר (River) that Egypt would eventually be stricken in the River (referring to the plague of Blood). This stems from a virtue that had been assigned to Pharaoh, in a famous statement recorded in Yechezkel 29:3 in Pharaoh’s name: “The River is mine and I created it.” This sentiment was not of just one Pharaoh, but of every Pharaoh. Yosef saw that the eventual downfall of Pharaoh in Egypt would begin with the River because eventually Pharaoh would say “Who is God (י-ה-ו-ה) that I should heed his voice?” - “מי ה' אשר אשמע בקולו” (Shmos 5:2) rejecting י-ה-ו-ה. Here Yosef made the attempt to align Pharaoh in a good direction through focusing on א-לקים. Elokim is the one Who has the power and the ability to not only interpret your dream, but to have given you that dream in the first place. והוא יענה את שלום פרעה – Elokim will answer Pharaoh’s dilemma. (See Iyov 5:8)
Knowing that Pharaohs in general viewed themselves as higher than י-ה-ו-ה, Yosef used the name א-לקים which is the name of God universally utilized in the creation of the world in Chapter 1 of Bereshis, reminding Pharaoh that א-לקים has the power and Elokim is the true Creator.
It is a message that the gentile world needs to heed. Contrary to any mistaken belief that Jews control the world, we will be the first to say that God controls the world. A few days ago, a Turkish MP named Hasan Bitmez delivered a powerful and impassioned 20-minute speech against Israel, aimed specifically at Turkish relations with Israel, but also against Israel’s actions in the current war, concluding that “Even if you escape the torment of history, you will not be able to escape the wrath of God.” He finished the speech, and immediately collapsed on account of a heart attack, and he died two days later.
Was this a sign from God? Was God showing Who runs the world?
Yosef’s message to Pharaoh, loud and clear, was that God runs the world. He used Elokim’s name for different reasons, partially to help Pharaoh, and partially to make God’s role acceptable to the Egyptians, perhaps in a more generic fashion than using God’s name of י-ה-ו-ה.
May we, who use the different names of God in different contexts, always be blessed to make clear that from our vantage point, God runs the world. We aim to do His will and have the best relationship with Him that we can. And hopefully, as for Yosef, we will be granted His good graces, He will shine His light upon us and our people, and we will be blessed with the ultimate blessing – ה' יברך את עמו בשלום, the blessing of Peace.
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