Parshat Miketz - In the Blink of an Eye
by Rabbi Lobel

Pharaoh was not satisfied with the Egyptian necromancers’ interpretations of his two dreams. Seeing Pharaoh in distress, the Butler recalls that two years prior there was “a youth, a Hebrew, a slave” that interpreted his dream and the Baker's dream in the dungeons of an Egyptian prison. The Butler explains to Pharaoh that the Hebrew's interpretation came exactly true.

The slave was Joseph. “So Pharaoh sent and summoned Joseph and they rushed him from the pit. His (Joseph) hair was shaved and he changed his clothing and came to Pharaoh.” (Genesis 41:13)

The Sforno comments that this incident depicts how the salvation of G-d can come in a “blink of an eye.” Pharaoh wasted no time and had Joseph stand in front of him in a moment’s notice.

Joseph seemed to be sitting in a bottomless pit, completely disconnected from his father and the world. His situation appeared hopeless without any salvation. From Joseph's vantage point, the possibilities of being released, let alone give advice to Pharaoh, the most powerful emperor of the time, were minuscule. Yet, in one Torah verse, Joseph's life transformed from one side of the spectrum to the other. Joseph satisfied Pharaoh with his interpretations and gave brilliant economic advice that made him the second to the king.

The direct human outlook upon life is limited to an individual's perceptions. This can lead to feelings of desperation and hopelessness when there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. As we see from Joseph, there was no way he could have seen his salvation coming. It was only in retrospect that Joseph was able to realize that, throughout his time in prison, his salvation was imminent. We can all look back to certain instances in our past and understand that G-d was always there.