Parashat Miketz begins with a description of Pharaoh's dreams, which Yosef will ultimately interpret as heralding the onset of seven years of surplus, which will be followed by seven years of drought. Pharaoh dreams of seven lean, emaciated cows devouring seven sturdy, healthy cows, as well as seven withered sheaves of grain "eating" seven robust sheaves. This vision, Yosef explains to the king, symbolizes the "lean" years of famine that will overtake and "devour" the seven years of surplus.

Blessings of wealth and comfort cast upon a person enormous responsibility; one's resources come to him so that he can utilize them in the pursuit of spiritual goals and for the betterment of the world. 

Why did Yosef have their money returned to their bags? What purpose did this serve within his overall scheme to bring Binyamin to Egypt?

Yosef, who correctly interprets several dreams throughout this story, interprets his own dreams as foreseeing his seminal role in leading the family in preparation for the long and difficult period that lay ahead. 

Parashat Miketz tells of the devastating famine that ravaged Egypt and its surrounding countries, including Canaan. Egypt had prepared for the crisis during the previous seven years of surplus, and was thus able to feed its own population and even sell grain to the peoples of Canaan. Yaakov therefore sends his sons from Chevron to purchase grain in Egypt, and when they come before Yosef, who served as the Egyptian viceroy and managed the distribution of grain, he accuses them of coming to spy the land.

Parashat Miketz continues the story of Yosef's experiences in Egypt, telling of his sudden appointment as the country's viceroy after successfully interpreting Pharaoh's dreams that had baffled his team of experts. Yosef informed Pharaoh that the seven shriveled cows and lean sheaves of grain, which he envisioned in his dream, symbolized seven years of famine that will follow seven years of surplus. He then added, "Accordingly, let Pharaoh find a man who is intelligent and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt" (41:33).

 In all areas of life, it would do us well to "interpret" events and issues with pure objectivity and reach conclusions based on actual facts, rather than on our preconceived notions.

     The opening verses of Parashat Miketz tell of Pharaoh's dream of the lean cows devouring the robust cows, and lean sheaves devouring the healthy sheaves.  The Torah (41:8) tells that in the morning, "Va-tipa'em rucho" – Pharaoh's "spirit was agitated" (from the JPS translation) – and he immediately summoned his advisors and sorcerers to decipher the encoded message embodied in the dream.

     We read in Parashat Miketz of the famine that struck Canaan and forced Yosef's brothers to come to Egypt to purchase grain.  Unbeknownst to the brothers, Yosef, whom they had sold into slavery, had risen to the position of Egyptian viceroy and oversaw the collection and distribution of grain during the drought.  When the brothers came before Yosef to purchase grain, they did not recognize him, and Yosef – who recognized them – accused them of coming to Egypt to spy.  He charges, "You are spies; you have come to see the 'nakedness of the land'" (42:9).

   Parashat Miketz tells of the famine that struck the region of Canaan and Egypt, and the enormous stockpiles of grain that Egypt had stored during the previous seven years under Yosef's capable leadership.  Peoples from around Egypt were forced to go to Egypt to purchase grain, and Yaakov, too, sent his sons from Canaan to bring grain from Egypt to help the family survive the drought.  The Torah writes that Yaakov told his sons, "…redu shama ve-shivru lanu mi-sham" – "Go down to there and purchase for us from there" (42:2).