The verse states: "And Pharaoh removed his ring from his hand and put it on Yosef's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck, and he made him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him: 'Avrech!', and he set him over all the land of Egypt" (Bereshit 41:42–43).
It still remains to be analyzed why, initially, Yosef was punished with such a severe punishment by being sold as a slave, [slandered and imprisoned,] and in the end was elevated to such sublime greatness by becoming king. Both events appear contradictory to one another; for if the punishment of being a slave was because he had sinned, then after having been purified of his sin, it should have sufficed for him to go free from his master's hand [without becoming royalty].
It can be said that Hakadosh Baruch Hu wished to hint to Israel that the exile would be for their benefit — that after the exile they would rise to very sublime greatness. As our Sages said in Shemot Rabbah (1:1) and in the commentary Yefe Toar, through the exile of Egypt they merited the Torah, the Land of Israel, and the World to Come; there they were purified and refined, as it is written: "And He took them out of the iron crucible, from Egypt" (Devarim 4:20).
However, the tribes sold him thinking that exile would be something bad without any good. Therefore, when Hakadosh Baruch Hu annulled the plan of the tribes — who thought Yosef would be a slave all his life—and on the contrary turned him into a king, it was established forever that even after Yaakov died and the eyes of Israel were closed due to slavery, Yosef remained king forever. And likewise, on every occasion when Israel was exiled, it was always for their good, as is known.
Zera Shimshon, Parashat Miketz, Art. 10
