Yosef's Economic Policies/2

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Yosef's Economic Policies

Exegetical Approaches

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Development of Yosef's Character

The details of Yosef's economic policies help the reader better appreciate the character of Yosef, revealing both his intense care for his family and his wisdom in dealing with the Egyptian crisis.

What's special about Yosef? These commentators differ regarding which attributes of Yosef they think emerge from the episode:
  • Honesty - Many commentators1 suggest that the story highlights Yosef's honesty and loyalty to Paroh.  The verse emphasizes that "וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה" to show that he took nothing for himself.2  All he did was aimed at enriching Paroh, not increasing his own power.3
  • Concern for family – Bavli Chulin, Rashi, Keli Yakar and Or HaChayyim suggest that Yosef's policy of population displacement served to help his family.  It ensured that they were not singled out as foreigners4 since the entire country had similarly been displaced and impoverished.5  Maasei Hashem and Neziv add that it freed up Goshen, providing the family with a sheltered place to live that might prevent their assimilation.
  • Concern for Egyptians –  Yosef's measures were harsh, but necessary in order to ensure an adequate food supply without the raiding, corruption, and anarchy which often accompany the stress of famine.6  Yosef, though, tried to ease the necessary hardship in several ways:
  • R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon maintains that Yosef's offered to buy the Egyptian's cattle so they would no longer have to find food to feed them.
  • Shadal, R. Hirsch and Neziv assert that, when displacing the people, Yosef made sure to move the Egyptians as groups together (city by city) so they could still maintain social ties.
  • According to Ramban, even though the people offered themselves as slaves, Yosef did not accept their offer and bought their land but not their bodies.7
Did Yosef enslave the Egyptians? Ramban asserts that Yosef did not take the Egyptians as slaves but rather as tenant farmers.8  Moreover, he suggests that the terms were better than expected, for only a fifth was to go to the landlord.
"וְאֶת הָעָם הֶעֱבִיר אֹתוֹ לֶעָרִים" - why?
  • According to many of these exegetes9 the the population transfer served to concretize the fact that all land belonged to Paroh.10
  • The others suggest that making everyone foreigners meant that the Israelites would not be treated as such.  In addition, the exodus from Goshen opened it for settlement by Yosef's family.
"וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת כָּל אֹכֶל שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים" - for payment?
"יָּבֹאוּ אֵלָיו בַּשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית " - Second year of what? These commentators differ regarding the timing of the episode::
  • Second year of famine - Rashi, Maasei Hashem and Neziv assume that the Egyptian's request takes place in the second year of the famine.11 This position is consistent with these commentators' assumption that some of Yosef's policies were aimed at easing his family's move to Egypt.
  • Seventh year of famine - Radak, Ramban,and Shadal assert that the verse refers to the second year after the Egyptian's money ran out, which was in the seventh year of the famine.12 The later dating is compatible with these exegetes' understanding that the story focuses on Yosef's honesty and success of his policies.
Two-fold mention of priestly exemption
  • According to Ralbag the "כהנים" are not cultic priests but important officers.  Their exemption was an effort to keep the elite pleased so as to prevent rebellion.  Ralbag sees this as another example of Yosef's wise strategies.13
What happened to Canaan?
Was Yaakov's family originally intending to stay ?
Evaluation of Yosef's actions

Backdrop to Israelite Bondage

The story lays the background for the Egyptian enslavement of the Israelites.  Yosef's enslaving of the Egyptians later led to a backlash against his family who had been spared the severe policy.

Did Yosef enslave the Egyptians?
"וְאֶת הָעָם הֶעֱבִיר אֹתוֹ לֶעָרִים" - why?
"וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת כָּל אֹכֶל שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים" - for payment?
When does the episode take place?
Two-fold mention of priestly exemption
What happened to Canaan?
Was Yaakov's family originally intending to stay ?
Evaluation of Yosef's actions

Cause of Prolonged Stay

The harsh conditions of the famine, highlighted in this episode, explain why Yaakov's family did not simply return to Canaan immediately, but rather stayed on foreign soil.