Literary Devices – Bereshit 47

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Key Words

פרעה, ארץ, אדמה

  • Tanakh Lab demonstrates that the words which appear most frequently in this chapter are פרעה, ארץ, אדמה (Paroh, country/region and land).  These words highlight the contrast between Pharaoh’s offer of "אֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן" to Yaakov’s family and Yosef’s acquisition of the land of Egypt (אַדְמַת מִצְרַיִם) on behalf of Paroh.1
  • Articles – See "ותהי הארץ לפרעה – שורשו של שעבוד מצרים" by R. David Sabato2 who notes that these guiding words are one of several literary devices in the chapter which underscore the contrast between the good fortune enjoyed by the Israelites and the servitude forced upon the Egyptians. He suggests that the favoritism shown to Yosef's family instilled jealousy and bitterness which later contributed to the enslavement of Israel.3

מקנה

  • מִקְנֶה – See the Tanakh Lab that relative to the rest of Tanakh, the word "מִקְנֶה"  is the most frequently appearing word in the chapter. It, too, serves to contrast the lot of the Egyptians and that of Yaakov's family.  Paroh offers Yaakov and his sons to be officers over his cattle.  In contrast, the rest of the Egyptians are forced to sell their cattle to Paroh in return for food.
  • Secondary Literature – See "ותהי הארץ לפרעה – שורשו של שעבוד מצרים" by R. David Sabato, discussed above.

אח and אב

  • As in many of the chapters in the Yosef narrative, forms of the words אב (father) and "אח" (brother) appear frequently in the chapter (ten and seven times, respectively), highlighting the theme of family discord and reconciliation.

Allusions / Foreshadowing

  • Makbilot Bamikra demonstrates that the statement that Israel “were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly” (verse 27) is both an allusion and foreshadowing. It recalls previous divine promises of fertility to the Patriarchs, reflecting that Yaakov’s family has inherited the covenantal promise and continues to flourish even in Egypt. It simultaneously foreshadows the population increase described at the beginning of Shemot, which contributes to Pharaoh’s decision to enslave the nation.
  • Articles – See U. Simon, "יוסף משעבד את המצרים לפרעה" in בקש שלום ורדפהו, (Tel Aviv, 2002): 86-90, T. Granot, "מנהיגותו של יוסף במצרים", and D. Sabato, "ותהי הארץ לפרעה - שורשו של שעבוד מצרים", Megadim 52 (2011): 41-59. who all suggest that the foreshadowing is meant to link the later enslavement with Yosef's enslaving of the Egyptians in this chapter. They posit that the later decree stemmed from Egyptian resentment towards Yosef's favoring of his family who proliferated while everyone else was struggling to survive.

Character Titles

Yaakov

  • Father – In the first half of the chapter, in which the interactions with Paroh are described, Yaakov is often referred to in relation to Yosef as "his father".  This is logical, for from Paroh's perspective, Yaakov's importance lay in that relationship.
  • Yaakov and Yisrael
    • In this chapter, as in the previous one, both of Yaakov’s names are used.  He is called Yaakov when he appears before Paroh, while he is referred to as Yisrael when he gives Yosef instructions to bury him in Israel.  In verses 27-28, both names are used in quick succession and in similar contexts.
    • Articles – See R. Ezra Bick’s article, The Twilight Years, in which he suggests that Yaakov is generally called Yaakov in contexts having to do with exile, and Yisrael in contexts that relate to Jewish destiny.

Yosef's Brothers

  • Yosef's brothers – As opposed to Chapters 43-44, where Yosef’s brothers were repeatedly referred to as “האנשים” (the men), now that Yosef’s identity has been revealed and the family has reunited they are consistently referred to as “his brothers.”4  This might also relate to the context of speaking to Paroh; from his perspective, the brothers are only significant due to their relationship to Yosef.
  • "Your servants" – When speaking to Paroh, the brothers refer to themselves as Paroh's servants in a show of respect.

Literary Envelope

In a literary envelope, a section begins and ends with similar ideas or words, marking the text it surrounds as being a cohesive literary unit with consistent themes throughout.

  • Yosef and Yaakov – The story of Yaakov’s relationship with Yosef begins with the 17 years that they lived together before Yosef was sold (37:2) and concludes with the 17 years that they spent together after being reunited in Egypt (47:28). This implies a sense of resolution and closure that is achieved with their reunion, and the significance of their relationship as the defining backbone of their narratives.
  • Sources – RadakBereshit 47:28About R. David Kimchi notes that the frame also illustrates the reversal of roles that takes place over the course of life: “דרשו בו כמו שהיה יוסף בחיק יעקב שבע עשרה כן היה יעקב בחיק יוסף שבע עשרה שנה”.
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