ויאמר פרעה אל יוסף אחרי הודיע אלקים אותך את כל זאת אין נבון וחכם כמוך. אתה תהיה על ביתי ועל פיך ישק כל עמי רק הכסא אגדל ממך
(בראשית מ”א ל”ט)
Which qualities must one possess in order to be a ruler of men? We would say that he should be compassionate, authoritative, resolute, perceptive, and self-possessed. But while almost everyone would agree that a ruler should be reasonably intelligent, most of us would not consider intellectual brilliance a “must”. And for good reason: history has shown that an exceptional I.Q. does not necessarily translate into effective governing; it is doubtful that there exists any correlation at all. There is, however, one type of intelligence that a ruler must possess.
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After Yosef successfully interprets Pharoah’s dreams, Pharoah makes him the second most powerful person in Egypt, granting him the authority to rule over his entire kingdom. “And without you no man may lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.” Why did Pharoah grant Yosef such extensive powers? True, he had interpreted the dreams of the chamberlain of cupbearers and the chamberlain of bakers correctly, and seemed to have done the same with Pharoah’s dream, but what does dream interpretation have to do with running a country?
The Ramban here writes, “He (Pharoah) said, after G-d has made known to you this great wisdom, to interpret all the hidden and concealed dreams, and everything which you predicted has come about, there is no one as understanding and wise in every matter as you, and you are fitting to employ authority and royalty, and to be my viceroy.” Pharoah saw that Yosef was very wise, but more than that, he saw in Yosef the wisdom to take something that is hidden and concealed, and translate it to our world. A dream (a real dream, not the senseless dreams that we all have) is a message from a different world, and is therefore hidden and obscure. Yosef’s mission, throughout these parshios, is to make these dreams a reality. Even his common-sense advice to Pharoah, to save the food from the plentiful years for the years of famine, was an interpretation of Pharoah’s dream, in which the emaciated cows ate the robust ones. (Ramban, pasuk לו) Likewise, in his dealings with his brothers in Egypt, Yosef’s goal was to bring his own dreams to fruition. (Ramban מב:ט)
This is the role of a king, to take an idea that is hidden, otherworldly, and make it a part of his nation’s reality. In the past, when two nations warred, if one king was killed or captured, the war would be decided immediately, just like in a game of chess. They would not continue with partisan warfare and the like. The reason is because even a gentile king represented the idea and the spirit of his nation; killing the king was analogous to beheading the nation. Pharoah recognized in Yosef this “great wisdom”, to interpret that which is hidden and concealed, and therefore appointed him ruler over Egypt.
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While we may not be presidents or prime ministers, this idea is relevant for anyone who finds himself in position of authority: parents, teachers, etc. The words of the Ramban, “שררה ומלכות”—authority and royalty— should not be confused with the mere ability to control others. That would be an apt description for any Middle Eastern dictator or African warlord. A true ruler is able to identify a higher ideal—even one that is hidden from others—and guide his nation accordingly. Likewise, as parents and teachers, our authority stems not from the fact that we are older or stronger, but because we own a broader vision, and recognize a higher ideal. And we use our authority as parents and educators to make that higher ideal a reality for our children and students.
