Another matter: “Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt.” It is written: “The withholder of grain, the nation will curse him, but blessing will be on the head of the provider” (Proverbs 11:26). “The withholder of grain, the nation will curse him” – this is Pharaoh; “but blessing will be on the head of the provider – this is Joseph. “The withholder of grain, the nation will curse him” – this is Pharaoh, who hoarded the grain during the years of famine, and the people were cursing him.
But Joseph sustained the world during the years of famine, like a shepherd leading his flock. In his regard, David said: “Shepherd of Israel, listen. Appear to us, You who led Joseph like a flock” (Psalms 80:2). When there was a famine during the days of David, he asked for mercy from before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, lead your flock like Joseph, who sustained the world during the years of famine.’
When the famine intensified, the Egyptians gathered and came to Joseph. They said to him: ‘Give us bread.’ He said to them: ‘My God does not sustain the uncircumcised. Go and circumcise yourselves and I will give to you.’
They went to Pharaoh and were crying out and weeping before him, as it is stated: “The entire land of Egypt was hungry, [and the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread]” (Genesis 41:55). He said: “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, you shall do” (Genesis 41:55). They said to him: ‘We went to him and he said empty matters to us, saying: Circumcise yourselves.’ He said to them: ‘Fools, did I not say to you from the outset: Obey him and acquire grain.
Did he not proclaim to you during the years of plenty and command you: Know that there is a famine coming? You yourselves were negligent. Why did you not place in your houses grain to last two, three, or four years?’ They said to him: ‘The grain that was in our houses rotted.’
He said to them: ‘Is there no flour leftover for you from yesterday?’ They said to him: ‘Even the bread that was in the basket rotted.’ He said to them: “Go to Joseph; what he says to you, you shall do.” He said to them: ‘If he issues a decree upon grain and it rots, perhaps he will issue a decree upon us and kill us.’
He said to them: ‘“Go to Joseph,” if he tells you cut your flesh, heed him,’ as it is stated: “What he says to you, you shall do.” “The famine was on the entire face [of the earth]” (Genesis 41:56). It would have been fitting for the verse to say: “On the earth.” Why does the verse say: “On the face”?
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It is to teach you that the famine began only with the wealthy, as “the face of the earth” is only the wealthy. That is why it is stated: “The withholder of grain, the nation will curse him” – when a person is wealthy, his face is happy to see another, but when a person is indigent, he does not have a face to see, because he is ashamed in front of others.39This is implied in the phrase “the famine was on the entire face.”
That is why it was stated: “The withholder of grain, the nation will curse him.”40The word “nation [le’om]” is interpreted to refer to the wealthy, prominent members of the nation (Rashash).