Difference between revisions of "Yosef's Economic Policies/2"
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<point><b>What's special about Yosef?</b> These commentators differ regarding which attributes of Yosef they think emerge from the episode:<br/> | <point><b>What's special about Yosef?</b> These commentators differ regarding which attributes of Yosef they think emerge from the episode:<br/> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li>Honesty - Philo, R. Avraham b. HaRambam, Radak, Ramban, Ibn Kaspi and | + | <li><b>Honesty</b> - Many commentators<fn>See Philo, R. Avraham b. HaRambam, Radak, Ramban, Ibn Kaspi, Ralbag and Neziv.</fn> 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.<fn>By bringing all the income to Paroh' house rather than storing it by him, Yosef ensured that no one could even suspect him of taking anything for personal gain.</fn>  All he did was aimed at enriching Paroh, not increasing his own power.<fn>Ralbag adds that Yosef also made sure to feed his family, "לֶחֶם לְפִי הַטָּף" but no more.  He did not take advantage of his position to give them above and beyond their needs.</fn></li> |
| − | <li>Concern for family – Bavli Chulin, Rashi, Keli Yakar and Or HaChayyim suggest that Yosef's policy of population displacement served to help his family.  | + | <li><b>Concern for family</b> – 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 foreigners<fn>The Keli Yakar suggests that after being foreigners themselves, the Egyptians would be able to empathize with real foeigners and treat the Israelites accordingly.</fn> since the entire country had similarly been displaced and impoverished.<fn>Or HaChayyim adds that Yosef's impoverishing of the Egyptians ensured that his family would seem wealthy in contrast and thus be honored by their neighbors.</fn>  Maasei Hashem and Neziv add that it freed up Goshen, providing the family with a sheltered place to live that might prevent their assimilation. </li> |
| − | <li>Economic | + | <li><b>Concern for Egyptians</b> – Many assert that Yosef 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.<fn>See Or HaChayyim who suggests that for this reason Yosef opened the storehouses of grain (Bereshit 41:56) to show the people how much there was and calm their nerves.  See also, Alex Israel, "Joseph's Economic Strategy" who elaborates on this idea (available <a href="http://vbm-torah.org/archive/intparsha72/11-72vayigash.htm">here</a>).</fn>  Yosef, though, tried to ease the necessary hardship in several ways:</li> |
| − | <li></li> | + | </ul> |
| − | </ul></point> | + | <q> |
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li>R. Shemuel b. Chofni Gaon asserts that Yosef's offered to buy the Egyptian's cattle so they would no longer have to find food to feed them.</li> | ||
| + | <li>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.</li> | ||
| + | <li>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.<fn>Neziv explains that this would have been for the benefit of both Paroh and the people.  Had they actually become slaves to Paroh, he would have been responsible for their food, whether or not they actually worked the land.  In becoming tenant farmers, they needed to work for their own food.</fn></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
| + | </q></point> | ||
<point><b>Did Yosef enslave the Egyptians?</b></point> | <point><b>Did Yosef enslave the Egyptians?</b></point> | ||
<point><b>"וְאֶת הָעָם הֶעֱבִיר אֹתוֹ לֶעָרִים" - why?</b></point> | <point><b>"וְאֶת הָעָם הֶעֱבִיר אֹתוֹ לֶעָרִים" - why?</b></point> | ||
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<p>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.</p> | <p>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.</p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorShemot1-11" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit47-21" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:21</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorShemot1-11" data-aht="source">Shemot 1:11</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>, Modern Scholars<fn>See D. Sabato, "", Megadim 42, Prof. U. Simon, "יוסף משעבד את המצרים לפרעה"  available <a href="http://www.uriel-simon.name/%D7%9B%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%99-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A8/er2/4/er10/564">here</a>, and Tamir Garnot, "מנהיגותו של יוסף במצרים" available<a href="http://www.etzion.org.il/he/%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%99%D7%92%D7%A9-%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%99%D7%92%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%95-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%A3-%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D"> here</a>.</fn></mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="RYosefBekhorShorShemot1-11" data-aht="source">R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorBereshit47-21" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:21</a><a href="RYosefBekhorShorShemot1-11" data-aht="source">Shemot 1:11</a><a href="R. Yosef Bekhor Shor" data-aht="parshan">About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor</a></multilink>, Modern Scholars<fn>See D. Sabato, "", Megadim 42, Prof. U. Simon, "יוסף משעבד את המצרים לפרעה"  available <a href="http://www.uriel-simon.name/%D7%9B%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%98%D7%99-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A8/er2/4/er10/564">here</a>, and Tamir Garnot, "מנהיגותו של יוסף במצרים" available<a href="http://www.etzion.org.il/he/%D7%A4%D7%A8%D7%A9%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%99%D7%92%D7%A9-%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%94%D7%99%D7%92%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%95-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%A3-%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D"> here</a>.</fn></mekorot> | ||
| + | <point><b>Did Yosef enslave the Egyptians?</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>"וְאֶת הָעָם הֶעֱבִיר אֹתוֹ לֶעָרִים" - why?</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>"וַיִּקְבֹּץ אֶת כָּל אֹכֶל שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים" - for payment?</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>When does the episode take place?</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Two-fold mention of priestly exemption</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>What happened to Canaan?</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Was Yaakov's family originally intending to stay ?</b></point> | ||
| + | <point><b>Evaluation of Yosef's actions</b></point> | ||
</category> | </category> | ||
<category name="">Cause of Prolonged Stay | <category name="">Cause of Prolonged Stay | ||
Version as of 10:24, 24 December 2014
Yosef's Economic Policies
Exegetical Approaches
undefined
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.
Sources:Philo, Talmud Bavli, Rashi, Radak, Ramban, Ralbag, Maasei Hashem, Keli Yekar, Or HaChayyim, Shadal, R. S"R Hirsch, Neziv
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 – Many assert that Yosef 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 asserts 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?
"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
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.
