Yosef's Economic Policies/1/en
Yosef's Economic Policies
Introduction
Egyptian History in the Torah?
After the Torah relates the arrival of Yaakov's family in Egypt, it describes at length Yosef's economic policies during the years of famine. The description is surprising, for it is not apparently clear what purpose this story holds for the reader. Why does the Torah, usually so careful and often sparse in its language, find it necessary to expound about Egyptian economics? In the words of Abarbanel:
ולמה נזכר בתורה כל הספור הזה המיוחד למצרים וחק החומש והעברת העם בערים וחק הכהנים כי זה יאות בספרי דברי הימים למצרים לא בתורת האל?!
And why does the Torah mention his whole story, which is unique to Egypt, and the law of the fifth, and the transferring of the people to cities, and the law of the priests, for this is fitting for Egyptian Chronicles but not for the Divine Torah?!
What messages is the reader supposed to glean from the story and all its details?
