e others.” Rabbi Naftali Berlin, in his Torah commentary Haamek Davar, describes how “[this] ‘ravaging’ refers to areas where people will lack the foresight or ability to lay away provisions for the famine.” Interestingly enough, Rashi comments that it was the prominent, well-to-do people who felt the famine first because they are not accustomed to hunger and suffering. Rich and successful people then, as they do now, “tend to take the good times for granted,” and therefore lack the flexibility, resilience, and foresight to adapt to significant environmental change. Modern technology, and modern styles of living, have shielded us from this reality. But there will come a point when the scales will tip, and those of us who are highly rigid in our ways will become vulnerable and exposed in aspects of life that are affected by climate change, pollution, or food shortages. Periods of intense excess and abundance often lead to an imbalance, which is why concepts like a perpetually growing economy is a dangerous notion. An important detail of Pharaoh’s dreams is that the fat cows co-existed with the skinny cows – famine with abundance, plenty with lack – but this is not how conditions of the earth play out in real time, nor is it how circumstances progressed within this narrative. The most critical element of Joseph’s insight was providing a solution – providing the foresight – for the preparation that was needed to harmonize two polarities, two extremes. Joseph’s interpretation was about bringing balance to the human experience, and providing a course of action to synchronize an awareness of ourselves with our environment. In this way, the state of the earth must become a greater part of the human reality. If the inner dimensions of human life are disconnected from what is occurring around us, then we become susceptible to this “ravaging,” this famine, this devastation that seems to appear without warning.
It may seem odd that Pharaoh is the one receiving messages from G-d, but it is even more incredible that he payed attention to the warning signs he was given. This is, in and of itself, a powerful, environmental idea worth noting as Joseph was essential playing the role of climate scientist. Joseph Karo, in his mystical diary titled Maggid Mesharim, gives an interesting insight into Pharaoh’s visions – which are, according to rabbinic interpretation, considered as one, singular dream. He relates that the seven sick cows in Pharaoh’s dream, corresponded to a damaging of the seven emotional sephirot. In Kabbalistic thinking, there is a chain of emanation between God and the world, and the variegated layers of spiritual realities that manifest throughout creation are represented by ten types of emanation that are subdivided further into seven emotional, and three intellectual faculties. The point here to emphasize, relayed by Joseph Karo, is that a disruption of this chain, a damaging of the emanative network of divine energy, is what caused the famine. Joseph’s suggestion to Pharaoh to seek out a “discerning and wise man (Heb: אִ֖ישׁ נָב֣וֹן וְחָכָ֑ם),” (41:33) is a suggestion to reconnect and revitalize the emotional sephirot by drawing on the two upper sephirot of chochmah (wisdom) and binah (understanding). This is alluded to, by Joseph, when the brothers arrive in Egypt seeking to purchase grain and Joseph says: “You are spies! To see the land’s nakedness have you come!” (42:9) If you remember from the commentary last week, I discussed how the idea of nakedness correlates to a lack of spiritual purpose. Famine, or a nakedness of the land, is directly involved with a disruption within the medium of the sephirot and a shortcoming in the actualization of human purpose.
In the Tikkunei Zohar, a collection of mystical hymns, we find an expression of praise to G-d, proclaiming: “You are He who has brought forth ten ‘garments,’ and we call them ten sefirot, and revealed worlds; and through them you conceal yourself from [hu]man[s].” Rashi and Rambam both interpret Joseph’s assigned name, the name he is given after being appointed