(45:21) "ויתן להם יוסף עגלות על פי פרעה"
“And Yosef gave wagons to his brothers in order to transport their father by the word of Paroah.” Paroah discovers that Yosef has a living father, Yaakov, who lives in a different country, and he sends wagons to have Yaakov and his family transported to Mitzrayim. “And Yaakov saw the wagons that Yosef had sent to transport him, and then the spirit of their father Yaakov was revived.” Rashi notes that the passuk says the wagons that Yosef sent, not Paroah. (46:5) "...בעגלות אשר שלח פרעה “In the wagons that Paroah sent” – Yaakov and his family went to Mitzrayim in the wagons that Paroah sent. Who sent the wagons, Paroah or Yosef? Why does the Torah seem to imply in some places that the wagons were sent by Paroah and in other places by Yosef?
Yosef sent a sign to his father Yaakov by sending עגלות. The last time Yaakov learned with Yosef, they learned about the עגלה ערופה. Yosef was letting his father know that he did not forget the last topic they learned together and was still following in the path of the Torah Hakdosha. (רש"י)
Paroah had a law that no wagon was allowed to leave Mitzrayim without first making sure that there was an avodah zarah etched into it. Yosef had to request special permission from Paroah to allow the wagons to leave Mitzrayim without the avodah zara on them. (מושב זקנים)
Paroah was pleased that the person he crowned came from royal lineage, Avrohom Avinu, who was renowned throughout the world. (ילקוט ראובני)
Yosef sent the wagons to Yaakov as a sign of the last sugya in Torah they had learned together. Yosef came from a very distinguished lineage. His great-grandfather was renowned throughout the world as one who cared about others and would never take something from someone else. (Bereishis 22:33) ”ויטע אשל בבאר שבע ” – Avrohom Avinu planted an אשל. Rashi in Sotah 10a says that “אשל” stands for אכילה, שתיה, לויה. Avrohom would give his guests food and drink and then escort them on their way. Avrohom Avinu’s one goal in this world was to be mekadesh Shem Shamayim. He did not want anything in return from his guests other than their blessing the Ribbono Shel Olam.
If someone is found murdered outside of a town, the bais din of the closest town must make a statement that they did indeed escort the person out of the city, and they are not to blame for his death. This is what Yosef was sending as a sign to his father, Yaakov Avinu. Yosef did indeed send the wagons to Yaakov; however, as the Torah stresses, על פי פרעה, he did it with the permission of Paroah. Paroah was pleased that Yosef was a descendant of Avrohom Avinu. Yosef was in a position of power, but like Avrohom Avinu, he did not take anything that did not belong to him.
Yosef was in the midst of tumas Mitzrayim, yet he always remembered his lineage. His sole purpose was to be mekadesh Shem Shamayim. Yaakov’s seeing the wagons, which Yosef sent to him with the permission of Paroah, revived his spirits. Yaakov knew that Yosef had followed his forefathers and remained humble, despite his position of great power.
We must always remember what our purpose in this world is – to be mekadesh Shem Shamayim under all circumstances.
RABBI YAKOV YOSEF SCHECHTER
