Ultimately, Joseph’ s time in Egypt becomes a blessing; he is given a new name, family and position, and saves the kingdom from famine. 43 But his good fortune is short-lived. In the opening verses of Exodus, we are informed that“ a new king arose over Egypt who didn’ t know Joseph.” 44 The immigrant, kidnapped from his home and forced to live among strangers who used and abused him— only to become viceroy and save the kingdom— is forgotten by the kingdom he saved.
Joseph’ s experience in Egypt is so often the experience of the immigrant, mistreated and abandoned by strangers unless he( or his memory) serves their needs. It’ s an experience we must remember almost as much as we need to remember our redemption. The Talmud Yerushalmi suggests that the four cups of the seder are sourced in the four times the word kos / cup is used in the cupbearer’ s dream. 45 The very last thing the Israelites did in Egypt wasn’ t make Matzah. It was fulfill their promise to Joseph to remember him and bring up his bones from Egypt. 46
Maggid, the section of the Passover seder where we retell our foundational story of the Exodus, doesn’ t start with an in-depth analysis of the story. It begins with Ha Lachma Anya, an invitation to the less fortunate— the strangers,
43
Genesis 41:45
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Exodus 1:8
45
Talmud Yerushalmi, Pesahim 10:1
46
Shemot 13:19
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