And I will separate you from the nations
וַאֲמַרְתֶּם אַנְשֵׁי וְהָיָה כִּי יִקְרָא לָכֶם פַּרְעֹה וְאָמַר מַה מַּעֲשֵׂיכֶם: מִקְנֶה הָיוּ מִנְּעוּרֵינוּ וְעַד עַתָּה גַּם אֲנַחְנוּ גַּם אֲבֹתֵינוּ בַּעֲבוּר תֵּשְׁבוּ בְּאֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן כִּי תוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם כָּל רֹעֵה צֹאן: (מו, לג לד)
And it will be when Pharoah summons you and says, “What is your occupation?” Then you shall say, “Your servants have been cattlemen from our youth until now, both we and our forefathers”, so that you may settle in the land of Goshen, every shepherd is an abomination to Egypt. ) 46:33-34(
It is fitting to expand upon the simple explanation in these posukim in order to sharpen the “message for generations” that is hidden within them.
When Yosef instructed to bring his father and all his descendants down to Egypt, he was careful that the reward of his action should not come at the loss of something greater. He knew that this descent would bring great benefit to Israel, because when they would be close to him, he would be able to sustain them with all the good of Egypt, and through this their hearts would be free to cleave to Hashem without disturbance. However, he also knew that this descent was like “a tail and a thorn in it,” because the stay of Israel in Egypt could bring them to form connections with the defiled Egyptians, and these would reveal to them that there is “olem hazeh,” and that one can indulge in lowly physical pleasures. Even if the elders would warn the young not to speak with the Egyptians for good or for bad, the ways of the Egyptians would leave an impression upon Israel, because inevitably Israel would notice them, and through this they would come to know concepts that are not honorable for the House of Israel. And even if, because of those concepts, the Egyptians would at first become a mockery and object of ridicule in their eyes, there is concern that with the passing of time they would become accustomed to their way, and they would no longer be so despised in their eyes, and after yet another period of time it might even arise in their minds that perhaps the Egyptians are correct, and they too will try the path chosen by the nation that resembles a donkey, and who knows how far the matter could develop.
Therefore, Yosef understood that immediately upon their descent the Children of Israel must establish a town of their own in a place separated from the masses of Egyptians, so that they would not need at all to become acquainted with them, and only through this would they be able to continue to exist in their holiness.
However, he understood that for this it was necessary to do something that even Pharaoh would agree to. More precisely, he needed to “compel” Pharaoh to agree to it. And in order to understand why, we must recall the statement of the Amora Rav (Shabbos 11a): that “if all the seas were ink, and the marshes pens, and the heavens parchment, and all people scribes, they would not suffice to write the emptiness of government.” This statement teaches us that in order to govern a country even for only one day (as Rashi explains there), one requires people of very deep thought.
And Egypt was not blessed with people of such a type. The very concept of “people of thought” was almost nonexistent in Egypt, [and therefore they were steeped in lowly and material matters, because they did not cause the mind to rule over the heart at all], and certainly there were not among them “people of deep thought.” It is therefore not surprising that Pharaoh himself transgressed one of the laws of Egypt, that “a slave does not rule,” and he appointed Yosef as ruler. He saw that Yosef was one of a kind, and it was impossible to maintain this law when the kingdom of Egypt desperately needed a “person of thought” like him. And indeed we see that through the breadth of his understanding he saved Egypt from the disgrace of famine, and he even enriched the royal treasury which gathered to itself all the wealth of the world.
This is what the Torah states (above והקול נשמע בית פרעה לאמר באו אחי‘ :)45:16 וייטב בעיני פרעה יוסף’ - “And the voice was heard in Pharaoh’s house saying, Yosef’s brothers have come, and it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh.” When Pharaoh was informed that Yosef’s brothers had come, he understood that they were a “treasure of gold” for Egypt. He assumed that Yosef’s brothers were similar to him, and that they too were “people of thought” like him, and the land could derive much benefit from them. Therefore, their coming was pleasing in his eyes. Since this was the case, Yosef understood that Pharaoh would not easily agree that they should separate themselves in some remote corner of his land, and he would seek to integrate them among the ministers of the kingdom, in a manner that would inevitably force them to intermingle with those who are among the lowest of the human species.
Since this was so, Yosef sought to present his brothers before Pharaoh as simple men, and beforehand he requested of them that they should not hesitate to say before Pharaoh things that would cause their value to diminish in his eyes. And although this concerned a “king,” in whose eyes everyone wishes to find favor, nevertheless Israel is holy and must forgo this, because finding favor in the eyes of Pharaoh is a cause to lose favor in the eyes of Hashem. Therefore, when he will request to know “What is your occupation,” understand that he wishes to hear from you that he did not err, and that you are counted among the talented, and that each one of you is a “expert” in his field. But you should not conceal the truth that you are nothing but “shepherds of livestock,” even though this is a profession that does not require much thought, and generally it degrades its practitioners.
And indeed, we see later in the parashah (below 47:3) that this is what took place. Pharaoh asked them, ‘מה מעשיכם’ - “What is your occupation?” and they did not refrain from telling him the full truth, so that they would not find favor in his eyes. However, this was not sufficient to persuade Pharaoh that these were people unfitting for matters of royalty, for Pharaoh also knew Yosef’s history. He knew that Yosef too had belonged to the lowly, and was even worse than a shepherd, for a shepherd is at least free to himself, whereas Yosef had been a slave, utterly the lowest of the low, completely nullified to another, and nevertheless it was ultimately clarified that he was worthy of kingship. If so, Pharaoh would think that Yosef’s brothers were also like him, and for some reason they were not utilizing their abilities, and therefore it was necessary to encourage them that at least from now on they should begin a new chapter in their lives and integrate among the honored ministers of the kingdom. Therefore, they added and emphasized, “We, we and also our fathers,” meaning that for several generations already we have been accustomed to this work. Thus, Pharaoh would understand that this is a family firmly established in its simplicity, and Yosef is an “exception.” Only then would Pharaoh agree to give them a remote corner, and he would even be compelled to do so, because he would not desire that shepherds roam about the center of his land, “for it is an abomination to Egypt.”
And the true reason that the forefathers chose this profession was because it was a profession that does not overly burden its practitioners, and thus the main part of their time would remain free for the service of Hashem. But this they did not say to Pharaoh, because they preferred that he think they were lowly and unfit for a more dignified occupation, and in this way, he would leave them alone. For the tribes also chose to suffice with this lowly profession in order to devote the main part of their time to Hashem. And in particular they recoiled from the authority with which Pharaoh sought to honor them, knowing that it is accompanied by the danger of “burning the soul.”
This matter must be a sign also for generations, and especially in the final generation, in which there are many temptations from the authorities encouraging those who fear Hashem to integrate into all sorts of courses that “teach a profession,” including fields that are not fitting for members of the Jewish nation. And we must know that even if we would merit livelihood through these studies, as a result we would need to intermingle with the people of the street, and this would be a great danger to our souls. Therefore, we are forbidden to listen to the temptations of the authorities, even though they condemn us when we do not obey them. And concerning matters like this Chazal have already said (Eduyos 5:6): “It is better that a person remain a fool all his days, and not be a wicked person for even one hour before the Omnipresent.” Our forefathers chose to appear as fools before Pharaoh, and so too we should prefer to appear as fools before the authorities of our days.
