בראשית, פרק מ״א, פסוק נ״ו

The famine struck with devastating force, spreading far beyond Egypt's borders and eliminating any possibility of importing food. As panic set in, Joseph exercised calculated patience, waiting until the people's reserves were entirely depleted before responding to their cries [רמב״ן, ביאור שטיינזלץ, העמק דבר]. Interestingly, the severe shortage initially targeted the wealthy elite. The wealthy are often considered the face of the society, either because the masses naturally look to them for support or because their expressions typically radiate happiness, in stark contrast to the poor who tend to cast their eyes downward in shame [רש״י, מזרחי, רבנו בחיי, גור אריה, ברטנורא, בעלי ברית אברם, דברי דוד, צאינה וראינה]. Alternatively, the devastation initially ruined the physical surface of the land, drying up various terrains including fields, gardens, and orchards [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].

As the crisis deepened, Joseph unlocked the nation's vast reserves. The primary approach among commentators is that he opened all the storehouses brimming with grain [אבן עזרא, רד״ק, רבנו בחיי, הדר זקנים, שד״ל, מחוקקי יהודה]. He did this in every city to spare the inhabitants the burden of travel, but also for a profound psychological reason: the sheer sight of endless, open silos was meant to calm the public's panic and cool the burning anxiety of hunger [אור החיים]. Opening all the facilities simultaneously demonstrated his ample capacity to sustain the nation [ספורנו] and allowed him to inspect the grain, prioritizing the sale of any produce that might soon spoil [אור החיים]. A unique perspective suggests he also exposed the private, rotting stockpiles of the Egyptians to highlight God's providence, demonstrating that only the grain preserved under Joseph's administration remained edible [שפתי כהן]. Others suggest a different nuance, proposing that Joseph unlocked the most precious and elite treasures, providing the people with a beacon of hope and rescue [הכתב והקבלה, בעלי ברית אברם], or that he systematically emptied the Egyptians' personal wealth in exchange for the grain [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].

The act of selling the provisions is rooted in a concept of breaking, as the food effectively broke the people's hunger [רד״ק, שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר, מחוקקי יהודה]. This commerce was not limited to wheat but encompassed all types of essential food and drink [רשב״ם, רש״י, שפתי חכמים, משכיל לדוד]. Joseph prioritized the local Egyptian population before opening sales to neighboring lands [רד״ק, הטור הארוך, מלבי״ם]. He managed the distribution personally, dispensing small, strictly measured rations to each family to prevent hoarding. This meticulous centralization is what ultimately compelled the entire world—including his own brothers—to appear before him directly [רש״ר הירש].

Despite the massive release of provisions, the famine's intensity seemed to grow. This escalation occurred as local municipal storehouses began to run dry [העמק דבר, מלבי״ם], or because hordes of foreigners began flooding into Egypt, forcing Joseph to ration the food even more strictly [רד״ק]. The deprivation also expanded to include a lack of all other types of food besides bread [ספורנו], leaving the Egyptians in a state where they could eat but never feel truly satisfied [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה]. Conversely, a radically different interpretation suggests that the famine did not worsen at all; rather, the historical record indicates a strengthening of the people. Through his calculated distribution, Joseph fortified the nation, providing the essential support they needed to endure the crisis without starving [הכתב והקבלה].