The dream of Pharaoh’s chief butler paints a vivid picture of preparing a royal drink, carrying deep hints of release from prison and impending salvation. In the dream, grapes are squeezed to extract their fresh juice [רש"י, רשב"ם, רד"ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אבן עזרא, אבי עזר, מנחת שי]. This preparation of fresh grape juice reflects the historical reality of ancient Egypt. During that era, Egyptians avoided fermented wine, associating its creation with evil forces, and they did not offer it to their gods. Instead, the wealthy and honored members of society drank fresh grape juice [שד"ל, מחוקקי יהודה].
The butler prepared this drink right in front of the king [העמק דבר] and served it directly into Pharaoh’s hand [רש"ר הירש, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. There are different views regarding exactly how the drink was prepared. The primary approach among commentators is that the juice was squeezed directly into the king’s cup [רד"ק, ביאור יש"ר]. However, others argue that it would be highly impolite to squeeze grapes straight into a royal cup. According to this view, the grapes were pressed into a separate vessel and then immediately transferred to Pharaoh’s cup. This swift, uninterrupted action symbolizes the speed at which the dream’s interpretation would actually happen [רלב"ג, מחוקקי יהודה].
Furthermore, freshly squeezed grape juice is considered wine from the press. It is deemed truly fit to be served to a king or used as an offering only after three days have passed. This detail closely links to the dream’s fulfillment, which was set to occur in exactly three days [צפנת פענח].
Beyond the physical actions, the recurring image of the cup holds broad symbolic meaning. Drinking from a cup represents rescue and salvation from distress. A prisoner naturally faces four distinct threats: the sword, death, famine, and captivity. The cup appears four times throughout the dream narrative, signaling to the butler that he would be saved from these four dangers and gain complete freedom. Drawing from this powerful imagery, the Sages established the practice of drinking four cups of wine at the Passover Seder. Just like the butler, the Israelites were held captive in Egypt and were ultimately redeemed from those very same four threats by God [כלי יקר, תורה תמימה].