“Pharaoh said to Joseph: Since God has disclosed all this to you, there is no one as insightful and wise as you” (Genesis 41:39). “You will be in charge of my house, and my entire people will be sustained at your directive; only the throne will I make greater than you” (Genesis 41:40). “Pharaoh said to Joseph…You will be in charge of my house…” – there will be no person who will kiss me other than you.1Upon receiving a royal appointment one would kiss Pharoah as a sign of reverence; Pharaoh informed Joseph that no one would receive appointments without his approval (Etz Yosef; see there and Maharzu for additional interpretations).
“And my entire people will be sustained [yishak] at your directive” – there will be promotions only through you. “Only the throne” – Reish Lakish said: Moses gave us in writing two portions in the Torah, and we learn them from the portion of the wicked Pharaoh. One verse says: “You will be only [rak] above [and not below]” (Deuteronomy 28:13). Does it, perhaps, [mean you will be] on a par with Me?
Impossible! The verse states: “Only” – My greatness will be above your greatness.2The word “only [rak]” is an expression of restriction, and indicates a limitation on what was stated previously. We learn this from the wicked Pharaoh: “You will be” – does it, perhaps, [mean you will be] on a par with me? The verse states: “Only” – my greatness is above your greatness.
And this – “speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: You shall be holy” (Leviticus 19:2) – does it, perhaps, [mean you will be] on a par with Me? The verse states: “For I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2) – My sanctity is above your sanctity. We learn this from the wicked Pharaoh. “I am Pharaoh” (Genesis 41:44) – does it, perhaps, [mean you will be] on a par with me?
The verse states: “I am Pharaoh” – my greatness is above your greatness. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: From the “I” of flesh and blood, you derive the “I” of the Holy One blessed be He. Just as regarding the “I” of flesh and blood, through the wicked Pharaoh saying to Joseph: “I am Pharaoh,” [Joseph] received all this honor; when the “I” of the Holy One blessed be He will come: “I have made, and I will bear” (Isaiah 46:4), all the more so.