In a
previous post on parshat Miketz, I noted a Miketz theme in sefer Melachim, around the area of the portion chosen as the
haftara of Mikeitz. But there is perhaps a better parallel, and that is in the second perek of sefer Daniel, where Nevuchadnetzar has a dream which Daniel eventually interprets.
First I will note the obvious parallels, in which Daniel echoes Miketz. Then I intend to turn around and show how Chazal, noting these parallels, composed midrashim borrowing in the opposite direction, from sefer Daniel to the narrative in Miketz.
A)The obvious parallels, in which sefer Daniel echoes parshas Miketz, are:
1) In
Daniel 1, echoing the cows in Pharaoh's dream:
| טו וּמִקְצָת, יָמִים עֲשָׂרָה, נִרְאָה מַרְאֵיהֶם טוֹב, וּבְרִיאֵי בָּשָׂר: מִן-כָּל-הַיְלָדִים--הָאֹכְלִים, אֵת פַּת-בַּג הַמֶּלֶךְ. | 15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youths that did eat of the king's food. |
2) Then, in Daniel 2, it leads off with:
| א וּבִשְׁנַת שְׁתַּיִם, לְמַלְכוּת נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּר, חָלַם נְבֻכַדְנֶצַּר, חֲלֹמוֹת; וַתִּתְפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ, וּשְׁנָתוֹ נִהְיְתָה עָלָיו. | 1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep broke from him. |
The second year, paralleling Miketz Shnatayim yamim. He dreamed dreams in the plural, just as Pharaoh dreamed more than one dream.
| ח וַיְהִי בַבֹּקֶר, וַתִּפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ, וַיִּשְׁלַח וַיִּקְרָא אֶת-כָּל-חַרְטֻמֵּי מִצְרַיִם, וְאֶת-כָּל-חֲכָמֶיהָ; וַיְסַפֵּר פַּרְעֹה לָהֶם אֶת-חֲלֹמוֹ, וְאֵין-פּוֹתֵר אוֹתָם לְפַרְעֹה. | 8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof; and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. |
The parallel is in וַתִּפָּעֶם רוּחוֹ.
4) The response of Nevuchnetzar is to summon all his wise men, his chartumim, just as we see in the pasuk I just cited about Pharaoh. Thus, in
| ב וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לִקְרֹא לַחַרְטֻמִּים וְלָאַשָּׁפִים, וְלַמְכַשְּׁפִים וְלַכַּשְׂדִּים, לְהַגִּיד לַמֶּלֶךְ, חֲלֹמֹתָיו; וַיָּבֹאוּ, וַיַּעַמְדוּ לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ. | 2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. |
5) The Chartumim are not able to explain the dream to the king, in both instances.
6) Yosef is mentioned by one of Pharaoh's ministers as one able to interpret dreams -- he is a Hebrew of low station:
| יב וְשָׁם אִתָּנוּ נַעַר עִבְרִי, עֶבֶד לְשַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים, וַנְּסַפֶּר-לוֹ, וַיִּפְתָּר-לָנוּ אֶת-חֲלֹמֹתֵינוּ: אִישׁ כַּחֲלֹמוֹ, פָּתָר. | 12 And there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. |
and Arioch, the captain of the guard, gives Daniel a similar introduction:
| כה אֱדַיִן אַרְיוֹךְ בְּהִתְבְּהָלָה, הַנְעֵל לְדָנִיֵּאל קֳדָם מַלְכָּא; וְכֵן אֲמַר-לֵהּ, דִּי-הַשְׁכַּחַת גְּבַר מִן-בְּנֵי גָלוּתָא דִּי יְהוּד, דִּי פִשְׁרָא, לְמַלְכָּא יְהוֹדַע. | 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him: 'I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.' |
7) Indeed, that is not the only connection involving the captian of the guard. As the pasuk I just cited mentions, Yosef was servant to the captain of the guard, the
sar hatabachim. And that was indeed Arioch's position as well, in sefer Daniel:
| יד בֵּאדַיִן דָּנִיֵּאל, הֲתִיב עֵטָא וּטְעֵם, לְאַרְיוֹךְ, רַב-טַבָּחַיָּא דִּי מַלְכָּא--דִּי נְפַק לְקַטָּלָה, לְחַכִּימֵי בָּבֶל. | 14 Then Daniel returned answer with counsel and discretion to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, who was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon; |
8) Nevuchadnetzar thinks that the power to interpret dreams is in Daniel, and Daniel corrects him that the power is in the hands of Hashem:
| כו עָנֵה מַלְכָּא וְאָמַר לְדָנִיֵּאל, דִּי שְׁמֵהּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר: האיתיך (הַאִיתָךְ) כָּהֵל, לְהוֹדָעֻתַנִי חֶלְמָא דִי-חֲזֵית--וּפִשְׁרֵהּ. | 26 The king spoke and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar: 'Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?' |
| כז עָנֵה דָנִיֵּאל קֳדָם מַלְכָּא, וְאָמַר: רָזָא, דִּי-מַלְכָּא שָׁאֵל--לָא חַכִּימִין אָשְׁפִין חַרְטֻמִּין גָּזְרִין, יָכְלִין לְהַחֲוָיָה לְמַלְכָּא. | 27 Daniel answered before the king, and said: 'The secret which the king hath asked can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor astrologers, declare unto the king; |
| כח בְּרַם אִיתַי אֱלָהּ בִּשְׁמַיָּא, גָּלֵא רָזִין, וְהוֹדַע לְמַלְכָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, מָה דִּי לֶהֱוֵא בְּאַחֲרִית יוֹמַיָּא; חֶלְמָךְ וְחֶזְוֵי רֵאשָׁךְ עַל-מִשְׁכְּבָךְ, דְּנָה הוּא. {פ} | 28 but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and He hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the end of days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these: |
Similarly, Yosef said:
| טו וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה, אֶל-יוֹסֵף, חֲלוֹם חָלַמְתִּי, וּפֹתֵר אֵין אֹתוֹ; וַאֲנִי, שָׁמַעְתִּי עָלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר, תִּשְׁמַע חֲלוֹם, לִפְתֹּר אֹתוֹ. | 15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it.' |
| טז וַיַּעַן יוֹסֵף אֶת-פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר, בִּלְעָדָי: אֱלֹהִים, יַעֲנֶה אֶת-שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה. | 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying: 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.' |
9) The purpose of the dream was to inform the king of Hashem's plan for the world. By Yosef:
| כח הוּא הַדָּבָר, אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶל-פַּרְעֹה: אֲשֶׁר הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׂה, הֶרְאָה אֶת-פַּרְעֹה. | 28 That is the thing which I spoke unto Pharaoh: what God is about to do He hath shown unto Pharaoh. |
and by Daniel:
| כח בְּרַם אִיתַי אֱלָהּ בִּשְׁמַיָּא, גָּלֵא רָזִין, וְהוֹדַע לְמַלְכָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, מָה דִּי לֶהֱוֵא בְּאַחֲרִית יוֹמַיָּא; חֶלְמָךְ וְחֶזְוֵי רֵאשָׁךְ עַל-מִשְׁכְּבָךְ, דְּנָה הוּא. {פ} | 28 but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and He hath made known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the end of days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these |
10) Finally, because of their interpretations of the respective dreams, there is a recognition of God's power, and an elevation of the dream interpreter to greatness. By Daniel,
| מז עָנֵה מַלְכָּא לְדָנִיֵּאל וְאָמַר, מִן-קְשֹׁט דִּי אֱלָהֲכוֹן הוּא אֱלָהּ אֱלָהִין וּמָרֵא מַלְכִין--וְגָלֵה רָזִין: דִּי יְכֵלְתָּ, לְמִגְלֵא רָזָא דְנָה. | 47 The king spoke unto Daniel, and said: 'Of a truth it is, that your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou hast been able to reveal this secret.' |
| מח אֱדַיִן מַלְכָּא לְדָנִיֵּאל רַבִּי, וּמַתְּנָן רַבְרְבָן שַׂגִּיאָן יְהַב-לֵהּ, וְהַשְׁלְטֵהּ, עַל כָּל-מְדִינַת בָּבֶל; וְרַב-סִגְנִין--עַל, כָּל-חַכִּימֵי בָבֶל. | 48 Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. |
and by Yosef:
| לח וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה, אֶל-עֲבָדָיו: הֲנִמְצָא כָזֶה--אִישׁ, אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים בּוֹ. | 38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants: 'Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?' |
| לט וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל-יוֹסֵף, אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים אוֹתְךָ אֶת-כָּל-זֹאת, אֵין-נָבוֹן וְחָכָם, כָּמוֹךָ. | 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou. |
| מ אַתָּה תִּהְיֶה עַל-בֵּיתִי, וְעַל-פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק כָּל-עַמִּי; רַק הַכִּסֵּא, אֶגְדַּל מִמֶּךָּ. | 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.' |
| מא וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה, אֶל-יוֹסֵף: רְאֵה נָתַתִּי אֹתְךָ, עַל כָּל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. | 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.' |
| מב וַיָּסַר פַּרְעֹה אֶת-טַבַּעְתּוֹ מֵעַל יָדוֹ, וַיִּתֵּן אֹתָהּ עַל-יַד יוֹסֵף; וַיַּלְבֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ בִּגְדֵי-שֵׁשׁ, וַיָּשֶׂם רְבִד הַזָּהָב עַל-צַוָּארוֹ. | 42 And Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. |
| מג וַיַּרְכֵּב אֹתוֹ, בְּמִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ, וַיִּקְרְאוּ לְפָנָיו, אַבְרֵךְ; וְנָתוֹן אֹתוֹ, עַל כָּל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. | 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him: 'Abrech'; and he set him over all the land of Egypt. |
| מד וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל-יוֹסֵף, אֲנִי פַרְעֹה; וּבִלְעָדֶיךָ, לֹא-יָרִים אִישׁ אֶת-יָדוֹ וְאֶת-רַגְלוֹ--בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. | 44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.' |
| מה וַיִּקְרָא פַרְעֹה שֵׁם-יוֹסֵף, צָפְנַת פַּעְנֵחַ, וַיִּתֶּן-לוֹ אֶת-אָסְנַת בַּת-פּוֹטִי פֶרַע כֹּהֵן אֹן, לְאִשָּׁה; וַיֵּצֵא יוֹסֵף, עַל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. | 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-phera priest of On. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.-- |
| מו וְיוֹסֵף, בֶּן-שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה, בְּעָמְדוֹ, לִפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ-מִצְרָיִם; וַיֵּצֵא יוֹסֵף מִלִּפְנֵי פַרְעֹה, וַיַּעֲבֹר בְּכָל-אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם. | 46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.--And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. |
B)As noted, once Chazal saw these obvious parallels in one direction, they saw fit to borrow heavily in the other direction, using Daniel material to embellish the Miketz narrative. Of course, many of the fine points can be deduced locally from pesukim in Miketz, but the overall scheme of the interpretation is to transfer Daniel material.
This is readily apparent when we compare material from a midrashic work such as
Sefer haYashar with the second perek on Daniel. Follow the links and read it, and see what I mean, in terms of language, and in terms of parallels.
Thus, going through Sefer HaYashar, we find (as additions to the Biblical text, which find parallels in sefer Daniel):
1) On page 140, sentence 2: "and dreamed dreams" Compare Daniel 2:1.
2) sentence 7: They ask the king to relate the dreams to them. In this instance, the king complies. Compare Daniel 2:4
3) sentence 8: In their reply: "Oh king, live forever." Compare Daniel 2:4, מַלְכָּא לְעָלְמִין חֱיִי
4) sentence 11: "What is this thing that you have spoken to me? Surely you have uttered falsehood and spoken lies; therefore, now give the proper intepretation of my dreams, that you may not die." Compare Daniel 2:5 for the punishment -- הֵן לָא תְהוֹדְעוּנַּנִי, חֶלְמָא וּפִשְׁרֵהּ, הַדָּמִין תִּתְעַבְדוּן, וּבָתֵּיכוֹן נְוָלִי יִתְּשָׂמוּן. And compare Daniel 2:9 -- "that, if ye make not known unto me the dream, there is but one law for you; and
ye have agreed together to speak before me lying and corrupt words, till the time be changed; only tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can declare unto me the interpretation thereof.' "
5) sentences 13-16 -- the expansion of seeking someone to interpret it.
sentence 26-28: the king commands all the wise men in Egypt be slain, as punishment for not providing him with the correct interpretation. Compare Daniel 2:12-13: "For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain."
6) sentences 46-48: ascending the steps to the throne in terms of as many languages one could speak. This finds local purchase in Miketz as:
| מ אַתָּה תִּהְיֶה עַל-בֵּיתִי, וְעַל-פִּיךָ יִשַּׁק כָּל-עַמִּי; רַק הַכִּסֵּא, אֶגְדַּל מִמֶּךָּ. | 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.' |
such that only by the throne and not the steps. Other details of the midrash may come from elsewhere. But compare,
perhaps, Daniel 1:4, for ability to speak a certain language as being connected to being in the king's palace.
| ד יְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר אֵין-בָּהֶם כָּל-מאוּם וְטוֹבֵי מַרְאֶה וּמַשְׂכִּלִים בְּכָל-חָכְמָה, וְיֹדְעֵי דַעַת וּמְבִינֵי מַדָּע, וַאֲשֶׁר כֹּחַ בָּהֶם, לַעֲמֹד בְּהֵיכַל הַמֶּלֶךְ; וּלְלַמְּדָם סֵפֶר, וּלְשׁוֹן כַּשְׂדִּים. | 4 youths in whom was no blemish, but fair to look on, and skilful in all wisdom, and skilful in knowledge, and discerning in thought, and such as had ability to stand in the king's palace; and that he should teach them the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. |
7) Finally -- and I do not see this in sefer haYashar, but I have seen it in other midrashic sources, though I cannot place it at the moment. The midrash notes the slight divergences with first Pharaoh's actual dream, then a slightly different retelling to Yosef, and a slightly different retelling when Yosef interprets it. They say this is
deliberate -- that Pharaoh, as a means of testing Yosef, actually deliberately modified the dream. Yosef was able to tell Pharaoh his correct dream, and then proceeded to explain it. And this is how Pharaoh knew up front that Yosef's interpretation was the correct one.
There is that local feature, of the divergence in Pharaoh's retelling, for sure. However, on the macro scale, there is the parallel to Daniel 2:5-6 and elsewhere, where the king refuses to tell them the actual contents of the dream, as a means of testing if they are legitimate.
There may be other features I have missed. And I have not taken pains to see exactly which of these parallels in sefer haYashar are found in earlier midrashim, which might be something important to do, given what we saw
last week in terms of Zuleika, Potiphar's wife. Still, I think this post demonstrates the parallels going in both directions. And indeed, there are other instances of this at play in Biblical text and then midrash, which
beEzrat Hashem and
bli neder I will get to elaborate in its proper place.
No comments:
Post a Comment