אַתָּה֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה עַל־בֵּיתִ֔י וְעַל־פִּ֖יךָ יִשַּׁ֣ק כׇּל־עַמִּ֑י רַ֥ק הַכִּסֵּ֖א אֶגְדַּ֥ל מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
Classical midrash on the limits of Yosef’s authority.
רַק הַכִּסֵּא אֶגְדַּל מִמֶּךָּ. הַמַּלְכוּת נִשְׁאֶרֶת לְפַרְעֹה, וְהַשִּׁלְטוֹן הַמַּעֲשִׂי לְיוֹסֵף.
English of Core Text: “Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.” The kingship remains Pharaoh’s; the practical authority is given to Yosef.
On the daf / in context: The midrash notes the careful boundary Pharaoh draws: absolute administrative power is transferred, yet the formal throne is retained, preserving the appearance of Egyptian sovereignty.
Type of Learning: Derash on the verse (classic midrash) — not a formal named middah of the 13.
What Is Learned: Yosef receives near-total power while the outward form of Pharaoh’s supremacy is maintained; the arrangement allows a Hebrew to rule Egypt without formally dethroning its king.