(Genesis 41:53) "And the seven years of plenty came to an end" — they departed from their fullness. (Genesis 41:54) "And the seven years of famine began to come." They entered as sickness, until, as they sat at the table, they sought even coarse bread and could not find it. They said: did not Joseph say (Genesis 41:36, above) ["and the food shall be a reserve"]? "And there was famine in all [the lands]" — in three lands: in Cappadocia, in Arabia, and in Palestine. (Genesis 41:55) "Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do." Rabbi Abba said: he compelled them to circumcise themselves. "And they said, you have kept us alive" — it is not written "chiyitanu" but "hecheyitanu," you have given us life in this world and life in the world to come. (Genesis 41:56) "And Joseph opened all that was among them" — the choicest [the most fortunate / blessed stores] among them.
The Seven Years of Famine Begin and Egypt Runs to Joseph
Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 148:3
(בראשית מא נג) וַתִּכְלֶינָה שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי הַשָּׂבָע, יָצְאוּ מִכֻלָּלוֹת. (בראשית מא נד) וַתְּחִלֶּינָה שֶׁבַע שְׁנֵי הָרָעָב. נִכְנְסוּ חוֹלָנִית עַד שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִים עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן בִּקְּשׁוּ אֲפִלּוּ פַּת קִבָּר וְלֹא הָיוּ מוֹצְאִין אָמְרוּ, לֹא כָּךְ אָמַר יוֹסֵף (לעיל פסוק לו) ["וְהָיָה הָאֹכֶל לְפִקָּדוֹן"]. וַיְהִי רָעָב בְּכָל [הָאֲרָצוֹת]. בְּשָׁלֹשׁ אֲרָצוֹת בְּקַפּוּטְקִיָּא, בְּעַרְבִיָּא וּבְפַּלַסְטִינִי. (בראשית מא נה) לְכוּ אֶל יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר לָכֶם תַּעֲשׂוּ. רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר, כְּפָאָן לָמוּל, וַיֹּאמְרוּ חִיִּיתָנוּ אֵין כְּתִיב אֶלָּא "הֶחֱיִתָנוּ" נָתַתָּ לָנוּ חַיִּים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְחַיִּים בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. (בראשית מא נו) וַיִּפְתַּח יוֹסֵף אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּהֶם, הַמְּאֻשָּׁרִים שֶׁבָּהֶם.