Pharaoh's Cows in the Reeds and the Wordplay of Brothers and Strangers

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Miketz 3:4

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

(Genesis 41:2:) "And behold, from the Nile..." (and the continuation), "and they grazed among the ahu (reed-grass)." What is the meaning of "among the ahu"? Simply this: when the good years come, people become brothers (ahin) to one another; but when the bad years come, people become strangers (aherim) to their fellows. For so it says (in Genesis 41:3): "seven other (aherot) cows." What is the meaning of "other"? That these were looking at those, and they turned their faces away from them.

Themes

ConversionMosesEgyptAngerWit

Biblical References

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