Vayeishev 40:8 · EXTRA

EXTRA · Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 40:8 · not a Torah Temimah citation on this passuk

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו חֲל֣וֹם חָלַ֔מְנוּ וּפֹתֵ֖ר אֵ֣ין אֹת֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא לֵֽאלֹהִים֙ פִּתְרֹנִ֔ים סַפְּרוּ־נָ֖א לִֽי׃

And they said to him, “We had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” So Joseph said to them, “Surely God can interpret! Tell me [your dreams].”

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Classical source (EXTRA side-ring): Bereshis Rabbah 88:4.

Sefaria — Bereshis Rabbah 88:4

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
הֲלוֹא לֵאלֹהִים פִּתְרֹנִים — אֵין הַפִּתְרוֹן תָּלוּי בִּי, אֶלָּא בַּקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

English: “Do not interpretations belong to God?” — the interpretation does not depend on me, but on the Holy One.

In context: Yosef refuses to claim the gift as his own; interpretation is assigned to Heaven.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bereshis Rabbah) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Attribution of the gift is the first step of the interpretation.

What Is Learned

Before interpreting, Yosef declares that solutions to dreams belong to Hashem, not to the interpreter.