“Seven other cows came… ugly and lean and stood by the other cows…” (Bereishis 41:3)
In the second dream, Pharaoh sees something similar: Seven shriveled ears of grain swallow seven fat ears of grain. None of the wise men of Egypt can offer Pharaoh a satisfactory interpretation of his dreams, until Yosef offers his famous interpretation of years of plenty followed by years of famine.
What exactly was so brilliant about Yosef’s interpretation that no one else could think of it? (Rabbi YY Jacobson, theyeshiva.net)
I’m no actuary, but statistics aside, I’d venture to guess that most people out there are experiencing difficulties. I mean, when’s the last time you met someone at the grocery and she started gushing about how perfect her life was. “My cleaning lady’s so consistent and comes every day, so I can use that extra time for self-care, and I feel so indulged….”
As I said, I can’t vouch for the statistics, but I’ve never had such a conversation, have you?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe presented the following explanation. The dream experts of Egypt did conceive of Yosef’s interpretation to Pharaoh’s dreams, yet they dismissed this interpretation because it didn’t account for one important detail of the dream. The dream states that the lean cows stood together with the fat cows. There was a moment when both sets of cows coexisted simultaneously, and it was this detail of the dream that confounded all the wise men. How was it possible that plenty and famine should coexist? You can’t be wealthy and poor at once.
This is where Yosef’s brilliance was displayed. Yosef understood that the coexistence of the two sets of cows in the dream contained the solution to the approaching famine: During the years of plenty, Egypt must live with the consciousness of the pending years of famine as though they were already present. If they’d do so, by preserving food for the famine, then during the famine they would carry over the plenty then as well.
That’s what impressed Pharaoh so deeply. Yosef didn’t only have an interpretation, but also a solution.
Schmoozes with friends usually include some mention of difficulties, whether with the kids, parnassah, gezunt, or any other topic. We’re a society that’s perfected the art of complaining, because somehow, whoever has it the hardest, wins the contest. (What’s the prize? I don’t know.)
Deep down, I think we each know that despite our difficulties, our lives are full of good as well. No one actually has a completely bad life. Yes, people have hardships in life and some will venture that their very existence is difficult. But each challenge coexists with kindness and generosity. And it’s up to us to find the good within the harder elements. To focus on the hugs as well as the hard.
