Parashat Miketz
December 16, 2022
Seth Pertain, High School Talmud Teacher
The History of the Future
Alexander of Macedonia plays an interesting role in the Talmud: the antagonist to the Rabbinic protagonists. Tamid 32a tells of Alexander interrogating our Sages. At one point, he asks the question, “איזהו חכם”, “Who is wise?” Instead of answering, “One who learns from everyone” — the better-known answer from Pirkei Avot — the Rabbis take a different approach. They respond with “הרואה את הנולד”, “The one who can anticipate what is going to happen.” Most ancient religions viewed anticipation of what will happen as a recognition of the fate to which one was subject. However, Parashat Miketz contains an innovation for ancient times. Last week we finished the Torah reading with a cliffhanger. Joseph was in jail and his ticket out had forgotten about his existence. Now, Pharaoh is having dreams beyond his magicians’ ability to interpret. Some fresh blood is needed with a fresh approach, and Joseph is extricated from prison to serve that role. However, Joseph introduces a new element into the world. Whereas oracles had predicted the future with varying degrees of accuracy, Joseph goes beyond a simple prediction. Joseph recognizes a problem, understands how it will affect the world around him, and proposes a reaction that will change the impact of the problem. The famine may not be avoidable, but a proactive approach can mitigate the effect.
In Judaism’s Life-Changing Ideas, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks זצוק”ל sees this as a revolution in the history of approaching the future:
[Joseph] sees this not as a fate to be endured but as a problem to be solved . . . What can be changed need not be endured. Human suffering is not a fate to be borne, but a challenge to be overcome. This is Joseph’s life-changing idea. What can be healed is not holy. God does not want us to accept poverty and pain, but to cure them. (Sacks 2020, 49)
This seems to reflect the message that our Sages were trying to convey to Alexander. Wisdom is the ability to understand how the future is affected by our actions today. Not only are we not supposed to see ourselves and others as “victims of fate,” but we need to combat that ideology. Don’t accept the injustices around you, do something to change them. Joseph changed history. You can change the future!
Shabbat Shalom, Chanukah Sameach!
Alexander of Macedonia plays an interesting role in the Talmud: the antagonist to the Rabbinic protagonists. Tamid 32a tells of Alexander interrogating our Sages. At one point, he asks the question, “איזהו חכם”, “Who is wise?” Instead of answering, “One who learns from everyone” — the better-known answer from Pirkei Avot — the Rabbis take a different approach. They respond with “הרואה את הנולד”, “The one who can anticipate what is going to happen.” Most ancient religions viewed anticipation of what will happen as a recognition of the fate to which one was subject. However, Parashat Miketz contains an innovation for ancient times. Last week we finished the Torah reading with a cliffhanger. Joseph was in jail and his ticket out had forgotten about his existence. Now, Pharaoh is having dreams beyond his magicians’ ability to interpret. Some fresh blood is needed with a fresh approach, and Joseph is extricated from prison to serve that role. However, Joseph introduces a new element into the world. Whereas oracles had predicted the future with varying degrees of accuracy, Joseph goes beyond a simple prediction. Joseph recognizes a problem, understands how it will affect the world around him, and proposes a reaction that will change the impact of the problem. The famine may not be avoidable, but a proactive approach can mitigate the effect.
In Judaism’s Life-Changing Ideas, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks זצוק”ל sees this as a revolution in the history of approaching the future:
[Joseph] sees this not as a fate to be endured but as a problem to be solved . . . What can be changed need not be endured. Human suffering is not a fate to be borne, but a challenge to be overcome. This is Joseph’s life-changing idea. What can be healed is not holy. God does not want us to accept poverty and pain, but to cure them. (Sacks 2020, 49)
Shabbat Shalom, Chanukah Sameach!