The story of Joseph in Egypt, as retold in Legends of the Jews by Ginzberg, offers us a powerful lesson in these very qualities.
After years of hardship, Jacob and his family finally settle in Goshen. And Joseph? He doesn't just provide for them. He showers them with kindness. Ginzberg tells us that Joseph supplies them with everything they need: food, drink, even clothing! He welcomes them to his table daily, a symbol of his complete forgiveness. Can you imagine that? After being sold into slavery by his own brothers, he entertains them as honored guests.
He even asks his father, Jacob, to pray for his brothers, that God might forgive their "great transgression." Jacob, deeply moved, exclaims, "O Joseph, my child, thou hast conquered the heart of thy father Jacob!"
But Joseph's generosity extended far beyond his family. He earned the title "the God-fearing one," a title shared only by Abraham, Job, and Obadiah. This wasn't just about following rules; it was about the generosity of his spirit. Whatever he gave, he gave with a "good eye," meaning he gave freely and abundantly. Even the crumbs were plentiful enough for children to enjoy!
And remember, this was during a famine. While Pharaoh hoarded grain, Joseph provided for the entire world. The people cursed Pharaoh but blessed Joseph for his compassion.
The wealth Joseph acquired from selling grain was considered lawful, because, as Legends of the Jews tells us, the prices were raised by the Egyptians themselves, not by him. What did he do with all this wealth? Well, that's where it gets really interesting.
Joseph buried a good part of it – gold, silver, precious stones – in four secret locations: the desert near the Red Sea, the banks of the Euphrates, and two spots in the Persian and Median deserts. According to tradition, Korah found one hiding place, and the Roman emperor Antoninus, son of Severus, found another. But the other two? They remain hidden, reserved by God for the pious in the days of the Messiah.
The rest of Joseph's wealth he gave away, some to his brothers and their families, and some to Pharaoh, who added it to his treasury. All the world’s wealth flowed into Egypt, and it stayed there until the Exodus, when the Israelites left "like a net without fish," taking it all with them. As the story continues, this treasure passes through many hands: from the Israelites to King Shishak, then to Zerah the Ethiopian, back to the Jews under King Asa, then to the Arameans, the Ammonites, and finally, after many more turns, to the Romans.
But Joseph's influence on Egypt didn't stop at distributing grain. When the people ran out of money, they sold their livestock, then their land, and finally, even themselves to Joseph. He bought all the land of Egypt, making the people his tenants. They gave a fifth of their harvest to Joseph. The only exception? The priests.
Joseph showed gratitude to the priests, because they were the ones who vouched for his innocence when he was accused of adultery by Potiphar's wife. According to the narrative, they suggested examining the tear in his garment to determine his guilt or innocence. The angel Gabriel intervened, moving the tear to prove Joseph's innocence, thus clearing the path for him to become ruler.
As we find in Midrash Rabbah, God remarked that if priests who served idols received their needs daily, surely the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were God’s priests, deserved the same.
Finally, Joseph relocated the Egyptians, mixing up their provinces. Why? To prevent them from looking down on his brothers as "exiles." He wanted everyone to be equally alien, as the text explains. This concept of displacement is echoed later when God causes all nations to change their dwelling places during the Exodus, so the Israelites couldn't be reproached for leaving their home. And again, when Sennacherib exiled the Jews, he first mixed up the inhabitants of all countries.
So, what does Joseph's story teach us? It's not just a tale of forgiveness and generosity; it's a reminder that true leadership involves providing for others, treating everyone with respect, and using your power to create a more equitable world. It challenges us to consider how we can embody these qualities in our own lives, no matter how big or small our sphere of influence. How can we be more like Joseph?