Difference between revisions of "Yosef's Economic Policies/2"
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<p>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.</p> | <p>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.</p> | ||
<mekorot><multilink><a href="PhiloOnJoseph43" data-aht="source">Philo</a><a href="PhiloOnJoseph43" data-aht="source">On Joseph, 43</a><a href="Philo" data-aht="parshan">About Philo</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Talmud Bavli</a><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Chulin 60b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit47-171921" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit47-171921" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:17,19,21</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit46-3-4" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit46-3-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 46:3-4</a><a href="RadakBereshit47-141521" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:14,15,21</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit47-14-19" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit47-14-19" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:14-19</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Nachmanides</a></multilink>, Ralbag, Maasei Hashem, <multilink><a href="KeliYekarBereshit47-2127" data-aht="source">Keli Yekar</a><a href="KeliYekarBereshit47-2127" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:21,27</a><a href="Keli Yekar" data-aht="parshan">About Keli Yekar</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="OrHaChayyimBereshit47-152325" data-aht="source">Or HaChayyim</a><a href="OrHaChayyimBereshit47-152325" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:15,23,25</a><a href="R. Chayyim b. Atar (Or HaChayyim)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chayyim b. Atar</a></multilink>, Shadal, <multilink><a href="RSRHirschBereshit47-212226" data-aht="source">R. S"R Hirsch</a><a href="RSRHirschBereshit47-212226" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:21,22,26</a><a href="R. Samson Raphael Hirsch" data-aht="parshan">About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch</a></multilink>, Neziv</mekorot> | <mekorot><multilink><a href="PhiloOnJoseph43" data-aht="source">Philo</a><a href="PhiloOnJoseph43" data-aht="source">On Joseph, 43</a><a href="Philo" data-aht="parshan">About Philo</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Talmud Bavli</a><a href="BavliChulin60b" data-aht="source">Chulin 60b</a><a href="Talmud Bavli" data-aht="parshan">About the Bavli</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RashiBereshit47-171921" data-aht="source">Rashi</a><a href="RashiBereshit47-171921" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:17,19,21</a><a href="R. Shelomo Yitzchaki (Rashi)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RadakBereshit46-3-4" data-aht="source">Radak</a><a href="RadakBereshit46-3-4" data-aht="source">Bereshit 46:3-4</a><a href="RadakBereshit47-141521" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:14,15,21</a><a href="R. David Kimchi (Radak)" data-aht="parshan">About R. David Kimchi</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambanBereshit47-14-19" data-aht="source">Ramban</a><a href="RambanBereshit47-14-19" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:14-19</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Nachman (Ramban)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Nachmanides</a></multilink>, Ralbag, Maasei Hashem, <multilink><a href="KeliYekarBereshit47-2127" data-aht="source">Keli Yekar</a><a href="KeliYekarBereshit47-2127" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:21,27</a><a href="Keli Yekar" data-aht="parshan">About Keli Yekar</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="OrHaChayyimBereshit47-152325" data-aht="source">Or HaChayyim</a><a href="OrHaChayyimBereshit47-152325" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:15,23,25</a><a href="R. Chayyim b. Atar (Or HaChayyim)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Chayyim b. Atar</a></multilink>, Shadal, <multilink><a href="RSRHirschBereshit47-212226" data-aht="source">R. S"R Hirsch</a><a href="RSRHirschBereshit47-212226" data-aht="source">Bereshit 47:21,22,26</a><a href="R. Samson Raphael Hirsch" data-aht="parshan">About R. Samson Raphael Hirsch</a></multilink>, Neziv</mekorot> | ||
| + | <point><b>What's special about Yosef?</b> These commentators differ regarding which attributes of Yosef they think emerge from the episode:<br/> | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li>Honesty - Philo, R. Avraham b. HaRambam, Radak, Ramban, Ibn Kaspi and Ralbag all suggest that story highlights Yosef's honesty and loyalty to Paroh.  The verse emphasizes that "וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה", taking 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 to enrich Paroh, not to increase 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.  They were not singled out as poor foreigners since the entire country had similarly been displaced and impoverished.  Maasei Hasehm and Neziv add that it freed up Goshen, providing them with a sheltered place to live that might prevent their assimilation. </li> | ||
| + | <li>Economic Wisdom</li> | ||
| + | <li></li> | ||
| + | </ul></point> | ||
| + | <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="">Backdrop to Israelite Bondage | <category name="">Backdrop to Israelite Bondage | ||
Version as of 03:15, 24 December 2014
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.
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 - Philo, R. Avraham b. HaRambam, Radak, Ramban, Ibn Kaspi and Ralbag all suggest that story highlights Yosef's honesty and loyalty to Paroh. The verse emphasizes that "וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה", taking nothing for himself.1 All he did was aimed to enrich Paroh, not to increase his own power.2
- Concern for family – Bavli Chulin, Rashi, Keli Yakar and Or HaChayyim suggest that Yosef's policy of population displacement served to help his family. They were not singled out as poor foreigners since the entire country had similarly been displaced and impoverished. Maasei Hasehm and Neziv add that it freed up Goshen, providing them with a sheltered place to live that might prevent their assimilation.
- Economic Wisdom
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.
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.
