Joseph Raised Over Egypt and Taught Seventy Languages

(Genesis 41:38) "And Pharaoh said to his servants: can we find such a one," etc. (Song of Songs 6:9) "One is my dove, my perfect one" — this is Abraham, (Ezekiel 33:24) "Abraham was one"; "she is the only one of her mother" — this is Isaac, who was the only one to his mother; "she is the pure one of her that bore her" — this is Jacob, who was clear to his mother that he was righteous; "the daughters saw her and called her happy" — these are the tribes; "and the report was heard in the house of Pharaoh, saying: Joseph's brothers have come"; (Song of Songs 6:9) "queens and concubines, and they praised her" — this is Joseph. "And Pharaoh said to his servants: can we find such a man" — if we were to walk from one end of the world to the other, we would not find one like him. (Genesis 41:40-44) "And by your mouth all my people shall be ruled." No man shall kiss me except you; no man shall take a commission except through you. "Only by the throne will I be greater than you." Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: two things Moses wrote for us in the Torah, and we learn them from the portion of that wicked one. (Deuteronomy 28:13) "And you shall be only above" — one might think like Me; therefore it says "only": My greatness is above your greatness. And we learn this from the portion of that wicked one: "You shall be over my house, and by your mouth all my people shall be ruled" — one might think like me; therefore it says "only by the throne will I be greater than you," my greatness is above. "Speak to all the congregation of Israel and say to them: you shall be holy" — one might think like Me; therefore it says "for I am holy," My holiness is above your holiness. And we learn this from the portion of that wicked one: "And Pharaoh said to Joseph: I am Pharaoh" — one might think like me; therefore it says "I am Pharaoh," my greatness is above your greatness. Rav Acha said: from the "I" of flesh and blood we learn the "I" of the Holy One, blessed be He. And if Pharaoh, because he said to Joseph "I am Pharaoh," merited all this greatness, when the "I" of the Holy One, blessed be He, comes (Isaiah 46:4) "I have made and I will bear and I will carry," how much more so. "And Pharaoh removed his ring from upon his hand." Joseph: from his own they gave to him. The mouth that did not kiss in sin — "by your mouth all my people shall be ruled." The neck that did not cling to sin — "and he placed the gold chain upon his neck." The hands that did not handle sin — "and he put it upon Joseph's hand." The body that did not cling to sin — "and he clothed him in garments of fine linen." The feet that did not step toward sin — let them step and ride upon chariots, "and he had him ride in the chariot of the viceroy." The mind that did not contemplate sin — let it come and be called wisdom, "and they called out before him 'Avrekh,'" a father in wisdom and tender in years. But Nebuchadnezzar is called (Jeremiah 51:27) "tifsar," a fool in wisdom and senior in years. From where do we know that this "rakh" is a term of royalty? As it is written "and I am this day tender and anointed king"; or one may bring it from here, "and they called out before him 'Avrekh.'" Rav Chiya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: when Pharaoh said to Joseph "and without you no man shall lift his hand," the astrologers said to Pharaoh: a slave whom his master bought for twenty pieces of silver, will you set him to rule over us? He said to them: I see royal traits in him. They said: if so, he must know the seventy languages. Gabriel came and taught him the seventy languages, but he could not learn them. He added to him one letter of the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said (Psalms 81:6) "a testimony He set in Yehosef when he went out over the land of Egypt, the speech of one I knew not I heard." The next day, whatever language Pharaoh spoke to him, he answered it; and he spoke in the holy tongue, which Pharaoh did not understand. He said to him: teach me. He taught him, but he could not learn. He said to him: swear to me that you will not reveal it; he swore to him. When Joseph said "my father made me swear," [Pharaoh said to him: go and have the oath annulled]. He said to him: have my oath too annulled. He said to him: go, (Genesis 50:6) "go up and bury your father, as he made you swear."