Daf 251a (דַּף רנ״א ע״א)
Come and see the Wisdom of Yosef (תָּא חֲזֵי חָכְמְתָא דְּיוֹסֵף),p1-23 as it is written: “And from the end of his brothers he took five men” (דִּכְתִיב, וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו לָקַח חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים) (Bereshit 47), and he taught them to say: “Your servants are shepherds” (וְאוֹלִיף לוֹן לְמֵימַר, אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ). And would a king, who ruled over all the land, and was a father to the king, act thus, and make his brothers to be hated, and not esteemed (וְכִי מַלְכָּא דְּהֲוָה שַׁלִּיט עַל כָּל אַרְעָא, וְאַבָּא לְמַלְכָּא, עָבִיד כְּדָּא, וְעָבִיד לַאֲחוֹי דְּיִשְׂנְאוּן לְהוֹן, וְלָא יַחְשְׁבוּן לְהוֹן). To make them shepherds of sheep (לְמֵעֲבַד לְהוֹן רוֹעֵי צֹאן). Rather, certainly the abomination of Egypt, their idol and their god, is called thus (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם, דַּחֲלָא וְאֱלָהָא דִּילְהוֹן אִקְרֵי הָכִי). And therefore it is written: “Behold, we will sacrifice the abomination of Egypt” (וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב, הֵן נִזְבַּח אֶת תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם) (Exodus 8). Yosef said: “All the best of the land of Egypt is the land of Ra‘amses” p1-24(אָמַר יוֹסֵף, כָּל מֵיטַב מִצְרַיִם הִיא אֶרֶץ רַעְמְסֵס) (Bereshit 47). And that land they set aside for their idol, for the Shepherd, and to go with all the delights of the world (וְהַהִיא אַרְעָא אַפְרִישׁוּ לְדַחֲלָא דִּלְהוֹן, לְרַעְיָא וּלְמֵיהַךְ בְּכָל עִנּוּגִין דְּעָלְמָא). And all the Egyptians considered those who shepherded their idol, like their idol itself (וְכָל מִצְרָאֵי חָשִׁיבוּ לְאִינּוּן דְּרָעָאן לְדַחֲלֵיהוֹן, כְּדַחֲלֵיהוֹן). I will make my brothers inherit that land, and the Egyptians will bow to them, and they will esteem them as is fitting (אַעֲבִיד לְאַחַי דְּיַרְתּוּן הַהִיא אַרְעָא, וְיִסְגְּדוּן לוֹן מִצְרָאֵי, וְיַחְשְׁבוּן לוֹן כַּדְּקָא יָאוּת). And this is what is written: “For every shepherd of sheep is an abomination to Egypt” (וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב, כִּי תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל רוֹעֵה צֹאן) (Bereshit 46), meaning they esteem them as their idol (מְחַשְּׁבִין לוֹן כְּדַחֲלֵיהוֹן).
Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי),p1-25 and behold we have learned (וְהָא תָּנֵינָן), just as Kudsha Berikh Hu exacts retribution from those who worship idolatry (כְּמָה דְּאִתְפְּרַע קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מֵאִינּוּן דְּפַלְחֵי לְעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), so too He exacts retribution from the idolatry itself (הָכִי אִתְפְּרַע מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מַמָּשׁ). And would Yosef make his brothers serve idolatry (וְכִי יוֹסֵף עָבִיד לַאֲחוֹי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה). He said to him: Yosef did not make his brothers serve idolatry, rather he made them rule over the idolatry of Egypt, and subjugate their idolatry under their hands, and to chastise them with the staff (אָמַר לֵיהּ, לָא עָבִיד יוֹסֵף לַאֲחוֹי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אֶלָּא עָבִיד לוֹן לְשַׁלְּטָאָה עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דִּילְהוֹן, וּלְאַכְפְּיָא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דִּילְהוֹן תְּחוֹת יְדַיְיהוּ, וּלְרַדָּאָה לוֹן בַּמַּקֵּל).
Yosef said: If my brothers rule over their idolatry, then certainly they will rule over themselves (אָמַר יוֹסֵף, אִי יִשְׁלְטוּן אַחַי עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דִּילְהוֹן, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן דְּיִשְׁלְטוּן עַל גַּרְמַיְיהוּ). And because of this, I settled them in the best of the land, and I gave them dominion over all the land (וּבְגִין כָּךְ אוֹתִיב לוֹן בְּמֵיטַב אַרְעָא, וְאַשְׁלִיט לוֹן עַל כָּל אַרְעָא). And concerning this, the lamb, which is Pesach - why (וְעַל דָּא אִמְרָא דְּאִיהוּ פֶּסַח אֲמַאי). Rather, the idol of the Egyptians and their god was the lamb (אֶלָּא דַּחֲלָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי, וְאֱלָהָא דִּילְהוֹן הֲוָה אִימְרָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu said: From the tenth of the month seize the idol of the Egyptians (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, מִבְּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ סִיבוּ דַּחֲלָא דִּילְהוֹן דְּמִצְרָאֵי), and take hold of it (וְתִפְשׂוּ לֵיהּ), and let it be bound and seized in your grasp (וִיהֵא אָסוּר וְתָפִישׂ בִּתְפִישָׂה דִּילְכוֹן), one day and two and three (יוֹמָא חַד וּתְרֵין וְג׳), and on the fourth day bring it out for judgment, and gather against it (וּבְיוֹמָא ד׳ אַפִּיקוּ לֵיהּ לְדִינָא, וְאִתְכְּנָשׁוּ עָלֵיהּ). And at the time when the Egyptians heard the voice of their idol (וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִצְרָאֵי הֲווֹ שַׁמְעִין קָל דַּחֲלָא דִּילְהוֹן), that was seized in the grasp of Yisrael (דְּתָפִישׂ בִּתְפִישָׂה דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל), and they were not able to rescue it (וְלָא יַכְלִין לְשֵׁזָבָא לֵיהּ), they wept (הֲווֹ בָּכָאן), and it was hard for them (וַהֲוָה קַשְׁיָא עָלַיְיהוּ), as though their own bodies were bound for slaughter (כְּאִילּוּ גַּרְמַיְיהוּ אִתְעֲקִידוּ לְקָטְלָא). Kudsha Berikh Hu said: It shall be seized in your possession day after day, four days (אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, יִהְיֶה תָּפִישׂ בִּרְשׁוּתַיְיכוּ יוֹמָא בָּתַר יוֹמָא אַרְבָּעָה יוֹמִין), in order that they shall see it seized (בְּגִין דִּיֶחמוּן יָתֵיהּ תָּפִישׂ), and on the fourth day bring it out for slaughter (וּבְיוֹמָא רְבִיעָאָה אַפִּיקוּ לֵיהּ לְקָטְלָא), and the Egyptians shall see how you judge it (וְיֶיחמוּן לֵיהּ מִצְרָאֵי הֵיךְ אַתּוּן עַבְדִּין בֵּיהּ דִּינָא). And this was harder for them than all the plagues that Kudsha Berikh Hu performed upon them (וְדָא קַשְׁיָא לְהוּ מִן כָּל מַכְתְּשֵׁי דְּעָבַד לוֹן קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא), namely the judgments done against their idol (אִינּוּן דִּינִין דְּיַעַבְדוּן בְּדַחֲלֵיהוֹן).
Notes
Sulam: Come and see, the wisdom of Joseph etc. (ת״ח חָכְמְתָא דְּיוֹסֵף וְכוּ׳): come and see the wisdom of Joseph (בּוֹא וּרְאֵה חָכְמָתוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף), as it is written (שֶׁכָּתוּב), and from the end of his brothers he took five men (וּמִקְצֵה אֶחָיו לָקַח חֲמִשָּׁה אֲנָשִׁים), and he taught them to say, your servants were men of cattle (וְלִמֵּד אוֹתָם לוֹמַר אַנְשֵׁי מִקְנֶה הָיוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ). And is it so (וְכִי), that a king who ruled over the land, and he is a father to the king, would do such a thing (מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה שׁוֹלֵט עַל הָאָרֶץ וְהוּא אָב אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ יַעֲשֶׂה כָּזֹאת), that he would cause his brothers to be hated by the Egyptians and they would not regard them (שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לְאֶחָיו שֶׁיִּשְׂנְאוּ אוֹתָם הַמִּצְרִים וְלֹא יַחְשְׁבוּ אוֹתָם). If you say that “the abomination of Egypt is every shepherd of sheep,” its meaning is the hatred of the Egyptians (אִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁתּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל רֹעֵה צֹאן פֵּירוּשׁוֹ שִׂנְאַת הַמִּצְרִים). Rather certainly (אֶלָּא וַדַּאי), “the abomination of Egypt” is called their fear and their god (תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם הַיִּרְאָה וְהָאֱלֹהַּ שֶׁלָּהֶם נִקְרָא כָּךְ), and therefore it is written (וְעַל כֵּן כָּתוּב), “behold we will sacrifice the abomination of Egypt” (הֵן נִזְבַּח אֶת תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם), that is, their god (דְּהַיְינוּ הָאֱלֹהַּ שֶׁלָּהֶם).
Ohr HaChammah on Zohar: In the best of the land, and He caused them to rule over all the land etc. (בְּמֵיטַב אַרְעָא וְאַשְׁלִיט לוֹן עַל כָּל אַרְעָא וְכוּ׳), for after they rule over their minister and that minister receives flow from them, therefore it is fitting that the good of the flow should be eaten by Israel, and the remainder, which is the extract that spreads forth, should be for the minister, that is, the flock, and the extract for all of Egypt, therefore the best of the land is for Israel (כִּי אַחַר שֶׁהֵם שׁוֹלְטִים עַל שַׂר שֶׁלָּהֶם וְאוֹתוֹ הַשַּׂר מְקַבֵּל שֶׁפַע מֵהֶם אִם כֵּן רָאוּי שֶׁטּוֹב הַשֶּׁפַע יֹאכְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַמּוֹתָר שֶׁהוּא הַתַּמְצִית הַמִּתְפַּשֶּׁט יִהְיֶה לַשַּׂר דְּהַיְינוּ הַצֹּאן וְהַתַּמְצִית לְכָל מִצְרַיִם לְכָךְ מֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל). And not with the sword etc. (וְלֹא בְחַרְבָּא וְכוּ׳), to indicate that there is no need to subdue him with a sword and spear in a manner of importance, rather with a staff like a dog that is struck with a staff (לְהוֹרוֹת שֶׁאֵין צָרִיךְ לִרְדוֹתוֹ בְּחֶרֶב וַחֲנִית דֶּרֶךְ חֲשִׁיבוּת אֶלָּא בְּמַקֵּל כְּכֶלֶב שֶׁמַּכִּין אוֹתוֹ בְּמַקֵּל). Rabbi Yehudah said (אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה), it was difficult for him (הוּקְשָׁה לוֹ), are they fools that they worship an animal (וְכִי שׁוֹטִים הֵם שֶׁעוֹבְדִים לִבְהֵמָה), and this is what is said, they do not worship except the constellation of Aries (וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר לֹא פָלְחִין אֶלָּא לְמַזַּל טָלֶה). And because it rules and oversees and bestows upon the animal of the ram, its form and likeness, they would honor the physical ram and worship it, and through the supernal minister he would bestow to them (וּמִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹלֵט וּמַשְׁגִּיחַ וְשׁוֹפֵעַ עַל בְּהֵמַת טָלֶה דְּמוּתוֹ וְדִיּוּקְנוֹ הָיוּ מְכַבְּדִים לַטָּלֶה הַגַּשְׁמִי וְעוֹבְדִים אוֹתוֹ וְעַל יְדֵי הַשַּׂר הָעֶלְיוֹן מַשְׁפִּיעָם). If so etc. (אִי הָכִי וְכוּ׳), since their service was not directly to the animal below but rather to the likeness of the minister, therefore it would not have been fitting that they worship the ram, which is the great ram, but rather the young lamb (כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה עֲבוֹדָתָם לְמַטָּה מַמָּשׁ לַבְּהֵמָה אֶלָּא לְדוּגְמַת הַשַּׂר אִם כֵּן לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיַּעַבְדוּ לָאִימְרָא שֶׁהוּא הָאַיִל הַגָּדוֹל אֶלָּא לַטָּלֶה הַקָּטָן).
Sulam: Rabbi Yosei said (אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי), and behold we have learned (וַהֲרֵי לָמַדְנוּ), just as The Holy One Blessed Be He exacts retribution from those who worship idolatry (כְּמוֹ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִפְרָע מֵאֵלּוּ הָעוֹבְדִים עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), so too He exacts retribution from the idolatry itself (כָּךְ הוּא נִפְרָע מֵעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה עַצְמָהּ). And if so (וְאִם כֵּן), how did Joseph make his brothers into idolatry, that the Egyptians would bow to them like their gods as mentioned above (אֵיךְ עָשָׂה יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁהַמִּצְרִים יִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לָהֶם כְּמוֹ לֵאלֹהֵיהֶם כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל). He said to him (אָמַר לוֹ), Joseph did not make his brothers into idolatry (לֹא עָשָׂה יוֹסֵף אֶת אֶחָיו עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה), rather he made them rule over the idolatry of the Egyptians (אֶלָּא עָשָׂה אוֹתָם שֶׁיִּשְׁלְטוּ עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁל הַמִּצְרִים), and to subdue their idolatry under the hands of his brothers (וּלְהַכְנִיעַ הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶם תַּחַת יְדֵי אֶחָיו), and that they would strike it with a staff (וְשֶׁיַּכּוּהוּ בְּמַקֵּל). Joseph said (אָמַר יוֹסֵף), if my brothers rule over their idolatry, all the more so they will rule over them themselves (אִם יִשְׁלְטוּ אַחַי עַל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶם כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיִּשְׁלְטוּ עֲלֵיהֶם עַצְמָם), and because of this he settled them in the best of the land and caused them to rule over all the land (וּמִשּׁוּם זֶה הוֹשִׁיבָם בְּמֵיטַב הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁלִיטָם עַל כָּל הָאָרֶץ).