Pharaoh's Dream and the End God Sets to Every Darkness

(Gen. 41:1:) "Now it came to pass at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed." This is what Scripture says (Job 28:3): "He sets an end to the darkness, and he searches out every limit." Everything has an end: the mountains, the hills, the wind, and the seas, even to imaginary things, even to the darkness. Whence the mountains? As it is stated (Isa. 40:12): "And he weighs the mountains with a balance, and the hills with scales." Whence the wind? As it is stated (Job 28:25): "To make a weight for the wind." And whence the waters? "And he meted out the waters by measure" (ibid.). Whence the darkness? "He sets an end to the darkness." Each and every thing that comes upon a person, even the afflictions, has an end, as it is stated: "And he searches out every limit" — for the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and searches out whether afflictions are sought for him or not, as it is stated: "And he searches out every limit." Resh Lakish said: Who caused this person that afflictions should come upon him? "[A stone of] gloom and the shadow of death" (Job 28:3). "A stone" — this is the evil inclination, which is likened to a stone, as it is stated (Ezek. 36:26): "And I will remove the heart of stone." Thus, "a stone of gloom and the shadow of death."