Yosef and Pharaoh: Mirror Images

A guest post by Lurker:

A comparison between Yosef's confrontation with his brothers in parshat Miketz (Bereishit 42-43):, and Pharaoh's confrontation with Moshe and Aharon in parshat Bo (Shemot 10-11), reveals some very interesting parallels:

In Miketz: When the brothers come to Yosef the first time, he twice places conditions upon their departure from, and reentry into, Egypt: The first time, he declares that he will keep them all behind except for one, who would go back to Canaan to fetch their youngest brother and come back with him. The brothers are then removed from Yosef's presence, and placed in jail. But a few days later, Yosef softens his conditions: He agrees to allow the brothers to leave, but stipulates that one of them must remain behind. He then sends the brothers away, and also adds a threat against their lives, should they return without Binyamin: "Do this, and you will live… and you go… and bring your youngest brother to me... and you won't die" ("זֹאת עֲשׂוּ, וִחְיו... וְאַתֶּם לְכוּ... וְאֶת-אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן תָּבִיאוּ אֵלַי... וְלֹא תָמוּתוּ "). Later, when recounting Yosef's parting words to them, Yehudah quotes Yosef as declaring that without Binyamin, the brothers will not see Yosef again: "You will not see my face, unless your brother is with you" ("לֹא תִרְאוּ פָנַי, בִּלְתִּי אֲחִיכֶם אִתְּכֶם"). Yehudah quotes this again in Bereishit 44:23: "If your youngest brother does not come down with you, you will not again see my face" ("אִם לֹא יֵרֵד אֲחִיכֶם הַקָּטֹן אִתְּכֶם, לֹא תֹסִפוּן לִרְאוֹת פָּנָי").

In Bo: After having been battered by most of the plagues, Pharaoh finally agrees, in principle, to allow the Israelites to depart from Egypt for a few days. He communicates this to Moshe twice – but each time, he imposes conditions that Moshe refuses. The first time, he agrees to allow the adults to leave, but insists that the youngsters remain behind. Moshe refuses, and he and Aharon are then removed from Pharaoh's presence. A few days later, however, after the plague of darkness, Pharaoh softens his conditions: He agrees to allow the children to leave, but stipulates that their cattle remain behind. Again, Moshe refuses. Pharaoh then sends Moshe away, declaring that Moshe may no longer see Pharaoh again, and also adds a threat against Moshe's life: "Get away from me; beware, do not again see my face, because on the day you see my face, you will die" ("לֵךְ מֵעָלָי; הִשָּׁמֶר לְךָ, אַל-תֹּסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי, כִּי בְּיוֹם רְאֹתְךָ פָנַי, תָּמוּת").

The parallels between the two stories are striking:

• Both Yosef and Pharaoh impose conditions upon the Israelites' freedom of movement: Yosef imposes conditions on who may leave and who may re-enter Egypt, and Pharaoh imposes conditions on who may leave Egypt.
  
• Yosef demands that the youngest of the brothers be brought into Egypt. Pharaoh demands that the youngest of the Israelites not leave Egypt.
  
• Yosef has the brothers removed from his presence, and later offers them softer conditions. Pharaoh has the brothers Moshe and Aharon removed from his presence, and later offers them softer conditions.
  
• Yosef sends the brothers away ("לְכוּ"), and tells them that unless they comply, "you will not again see my face" ("לֹא תֹסִפוּן לִרְאוֹת פָּנָי"). Similarly, Pharaoh sends Moshe away ("לֵךְ"), and says that Moshe may "not again see my face" ("אַל-תֹּסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנַי").
  
• Yosef threatens the brothers with death ("תָמוּתוּ"). Similarly, Pharaoh threatens Moshe with death ("תָּמוּת").

The parallels seem to be very deliberate and symbolic: Yosef's confrontation with his brothers marks the very beginning of the Israelites' long sojourn in Egypt. And Pharaoh's confrontation with Moshe and Aharon mark the very end of that sojourn. Thus, the latter is presented as a mirror image of the first. There are still more parallels between the two stories. I will address them within the next couple of days, in Part II. --------- Buy my book. (please) Buy my wife a gift (please)