מה שהקשה הרמב"ן האיך לא נתקיים הפתרון של יוסף שיהיה שבע שני רעב. נראה כי כך פתר החלום, את אשר אלהים עושה הגיד לפרעה, כלומר שבאם יעשה אלהים גזירתו ולא יהיה צדיק שיבטל אז יתקיים הפתרון. וזה פירוש הפסוק על יהיו שבע שני הרעב הוא הדבר אשר דברתי אשר האלהים עושה הגיד לפרעה, כלומר על שני הרעב יכול צדיק לבטל ולא שני שבע כי הוא גזירה טובה. וזהו ויעמידהו לפני פרעה (בראשית מז, ז) פירוש לפני קודם פרעה שהוא ינהג את פרעה:
Concerning the question of Nachmanides that it is surprising that Joseph’s prediction of seven years of famine was not fulfilled, and that therefore his reputation as an interpreter of dreams must have suffered, it appears that Joseph had covered this eventuality by saying: (41,28) אשר האלוקים עושה הראה לפרעה, “what G’d is about to do He had shown Pharaoh.” This left it open to G’d to forego the unpleasant part of Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. G’d’s decrees, (negative ones) are definitive unless a tzaddik intervenes and asks Him to cancel or to “soften” them. On the other hand, the tzaddik has no power to cancel or “soften” a decree by G’d which is manifestly beneficial for the people concerned. When we read in 47,7 that Joseph introduced his aged father Yaakov to Pharaoh, the Torah describes this with the words: ויעמידהו לפני פרעה, “he made him stand (not bow) before Pharaoh.” This was a hint that his father had the power to affect G’d’s negative decrees which his son had predicted. In other words, although G’d had taken him, and through him, Pharaoh, into His confidence, Yaakov, Joseph’s father took precedence over both Joseph and Pharaoh in his intimacy which G’d.
מה שהקשה הרמב"ן האיך לא נתקיים הפתרון של יוסף שיהיה שבע שני רעב. נראה כי כך פתר החלום, את אשר אלהים עושה הגיד לפרעה, כלומר שבאם יעשה אלהים גזירתו ולא יהיה צדיק שיבטל אז יתקיים הפתרון. וזה פירוש הפסוק על יהיו שבע שני הרעב הוא הדבר אשר דברתי אשר האלהים עושה הגיד לפרעה, כלומר על שני הרעב יכול צדיק לבטל ולא שני שבע כי הוא גזירה טובה. וזהו ויעמידהו לפני פרעה (בראשית מז, ז) פירוש לפני קודם פרעה שהוא ינהג את פרעה:
Concerning the question of Nachmanides that it is surprising that Joseph’s prediction of seven years of famine was not fulfilled, and that therefore his reputation as an interpreter of dreams must have suffered, it appears that Joseph had covered this eventuality by saying: (41,28) אשר האלוקים עושה הראה לפרעה, “what G’d is about to do He had shown Pharaoh.” This left it open to G’d to forego the unpleasant part of Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. G’d’s decrees, (negative ones) are definitive unless a tzaddik intervenes and asks Him to cancel or to “soften” them. On the other hand, the tzaddik has no power to cancel or “soften” a decree by G’d which is manifestly beneficial for the people concerned. When we read in 47,7 that Joseph introduced his aged father Yaakov to Pharaoh, the Torah describes this with the words: ויעמידהו לפני פרעה, “he made him stand (not bow) before Pharaoh.” This was a hint that his father had the power to affect G’d’s negative decrees which his son had predicted. In other words, although G’d had taken him, and through him, Pharaoh, into His confidence, Yaakov, Joseph’s father took precedence over both Joseph and Pharaoh in his intimacy which G’d.