Shabbat Mikeitz 5784
By Rabbi Daniel Reich
LA JOLLA, California — Yosef endured 12 years of imprisonment, Pharaoh, troubled by two similar dreams, sought an interpretation, leading to Yosef’s release from prison. The Pharaoh’s butler, recalling Yosef’s exceptional skill in deciphering dreams, hastened to bring him before Pharaoh.
In Pharaoh’s presence, Yosef not only interpreted the dreams but also provided strategic counsel on effectively managing the impending seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Impressed by Yosef’s wisdom, Pharaoh appointed him as viceroy over Egypt, entrusting him with the implementation of the proposed plan. Subsequently, Yosef married Potiphar’s daughter, Osnat, and they were blessed with two sons, Menashe and Ephraim.
The Torah sheds light on the reasoning behind the names of Menashe and Ephraim:
“Yosef named the first-born Manasseh, meaning, ‘God has made me completely forget my hardship and my parental home.’ And the second he named Ephraim, meaning, ‘because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.'” (Bereshit 41:51-52)
However, the Daas Zekeinim M’Baalei HaTosfot raises two intriguing questions about Ephraim’s name. Firstly, why use the root word “aphar,” which technically means “dust?” Secondly, if we are to get very technical, “Ephraim” means “multiple dusts.” What is the deeper meaning behind Ephraim’s name and these multiple “dusts?”
The Baalei Tosfot suggest a profound interpretation, proposing that Yosef named his son Ephraim to symbolize his success in Egypt, attributing it to two “dusts” — those of his great-grandfather and grandfather, Avraham and Yitzchak.
Avraham’s “dust” refers to his humble declaration, “Anochi Afar V’Efer,” displaying true humility. When he submits to Hashem’s judgment of the people in Sedom and says: “Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes.” (Bereshit 18:27)
The second “dust,” says the Baalei HaTosfot, is from Yitzchak’s Akeida, the “dust” left on the Mizbeach, the altar, he was bound on, representing his tremendous sacrifice for Hashem.
Rav Ahron Leib Steinman ZT”L (whose 6th yahrzeit was just before Chanukah) adds a key insight, emphasizing that Yosef’s success was rooted in the legacy of his ancestors encapsulated in the metaphorical “dust” of Avraham and Yitzchak — humility and total devotion to Hashem.
Drawing parallels, the Chashmonayim’s (Hasmoneans’) rebellion against the Greeks also exemplified total devotion to Hashem. Their victory was of unparalleled proportions, the small Maccabees against the mightiest army in the world — a true miracle of mighty proportions! Nevertheless, it manifested in a humble jug of oil, symbolizing the culmination of their dedication in the most unassuming of places — total devotion and humility, reminiscent of Yosef.
This legacy of humility and devotion endures in our great chayalim (soldiers) who, since Oct. 7th, like their predecessors, engage in holy work with total devotion to Hashem and His people with unique humility. Their strength lies not only in physical prowess but in the humility inherited from the “dust” of their forefathers.
In the narrative of Yosef and the symbolism embedded in Ephraim’s name, we find a profound lesson about the enduring power of devotion to Hashem with humility. Whether in ancient Egypt, during the times of the Chashmonayim, or in the contemporary dedication of our chayalim, the “dust” of our forefathers serves as a timeless guide to success rooted in humility and unwavering devotion to Hashem.
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Rabbi Daniel Reich is the rabbi of Congregation Adat Yeshurun of La Jolla.