Pharaohs in the Torah often are viewed as not having free will, but rather, acting only through predetermined work from God. In Exodus, Pharaoh continues to refuse to let the Israelites go, because God has “hardened his heart.” But in this week’s portion, Miketz, we also see a Pharaoh whose future seems predestined. He has two dreams – in the first, seven sturdy cows are swallowed up by seven scrawny cows; in the second, seven healthy ears of corn are swallowed up by seven thin ears of corn. No one can interpret them, but Joseph (who had been known to interpret and predict the future) tells him what it means – there will be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine.
Not only that, Joseph tells Pharaoh, “As for Pharaoh having had the same dream twice, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and that God will soon carry it out.” (41:32) No matter how much Pharaoh might want to prevent this from happening, there would be no way to stop the famine. If this is what God wills, then it would seem that Pharaoh would be powerless.
Yet that is not what happens, because immediately after telling Pharaoh what will happen, Joseph also suggests what should happen:
Accordingly, let Pharaoh find someone who’s discerning and wise, whom you can set over the land of Egypt. And let Pharaoh take steps to appoint overseers over the land, and organize the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty. Let all the food of these good years that are coming be gathered, and let the grain be collected under Pharaoh’s authority as food to be stored in the cities. Let that food be a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish in the famine. (41:33-36)
Rather than being resigned to the future, Joseph suggests preparation and planning for the inevitable downturn, and is ultimately chosen for the job because, as Pharaoh says, “Could we find another like him — a man with the divine spirit?” (41:38) And Joseph performs admirably, so much so that when the famine strikes the whole world, Egypt is the only place that has food.
Prophecies and predictions can make us uncomfortable when looking at our texts because they imply that God “has a plan” and that we are simply puppets – and that’s often how the Pharaoh in Exodus appears. Yet here, knowledge of the future allows Joseph to act and then change the future.
In the New York Times just this week, former Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin wrote an op-ed entitled, “If You’re Worried About the Future of Our Country, Do Something About It.” Action is better than worrying, and Reich gives a call to action:
…[D]emocracies have an innate advantage their authoritarian counterparts do not: the potential that comes from a citizenry involved in society’s issues. An engaged citizenry can bring a wider variety of viewpoints to address our nation’s problems and allow us to benefit from the range of skills and abilities held by our people. No less important, when people are involved in the issues around them, it fosters a sense of community — something that our society badly needs during these polarizing times…
At a time when addressing our many challenges can feel more complicated and daunting than ever, we all have the opportunity to become more involved in the world around us — and our country’s future will be profoundly influenced by whether we do.
We are about to end 2024 and are looking towards 2025 with a variety of emotions. Some of us will be hopeful and excited, others filled with trepidation. We also may feel helpless with the enormity of the challenges facing our world, in addition to our own personal struggles. Yet the story of Joseph reminds us that the future is not set in stone, even if it may feel that way. If we are worried about the future, we can change it before it happens.
As we move into a new secular year, may we remember that predictions aren’t about what will happen with absolute 100% certainty, and what we will simply have to live with. Instead, they give us guidance, suggestions, likelihoods, opportunities, and challenges – which we can then change.
Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman is the Founding Director of Sinai and Synapses, an organization that bridges the scientific and religious worlds and is being incubated at Clal – The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. He was ordained by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and served as Assistant and then Associate Rabbi of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester. In addition to My Jewish Learning, he’s written for The Huffington Post, Science and Religion Today, and WordPress.com. He lives in Westchester with his wife, Heather Stoltz, a fiber artist, and their daughter and son.