Pharaoh Had to Listen to His Subjects:
Rashi cites two opinions. One opinion is that this really was a new king. The other opinion is that it was an old king who made new decrees. Rashi adds that when it says that he did not know Yosef, it means that “he acted like he didn’t know him.”
According to the opinion that this was a new king, it is understandable that he made new decrees and acted like he didn’t know who Yosef was. However, according to the opinion that this was the same old king, we may ask why he would act this way. Until now, he was grateful to the Jews and acted kindly towards them. Why did he suddenly change his ways?
The Medrash (Bereishis Rabbah 1:8) learns like the opinion that this was the same Pharaoh and says that his subjects came to him and said that he should enslave the Jews. He opposed them and said, “You fools! Until now, we ate because of them. If not for Yosef, we wouldn’t be alive.”
Since he didn’t listen to them, they usurped his authority and removed him from his position for three months. He then came back to them and said that he would do whatever they wanted. They then reappointed him as king, and he acted like a new king who didn’t know Yosef.
Sefer Toldos Yaakov Yosef (Parshas Va’eira) writes: I heard from my teacher (the Baal Shem Tov Hakadosh zy”a) an explanation of the verse (Tehillim 37:35): “I saw a wicked man, powerful, well-rooted as a native who is fresh. And he passed away and, behold, he is not here, and I sought him and he was not found.” He asked why anyone would try to find a wicked man who isn’t here, and he answered that it is better to look for an old rasha, as the new one will probably be worse than him.
