The Torah portion of Mikeitz (Genesis 41:1-44:17) opens with Pharaoh’s enigmatic dreams. After Pharaoh’s wizards and wise men failed to interpret the dreams accurately, Joseph was summoned from prison. His interpretations rang true to Pharaoh and Pharaoh was impressed with him. What impressed Pharaoh was not only that he interpreted the dreams, but what Joseph added to this interpretation. Joseph did not only describe the seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine that are foretold in the dreams, but he proceeded to present a comprehensive economic plan to prevent the seven years of famine from hurting Egypt. At this point, Pharaoh expressed his admiration for Joseph:
“And Pharaoh said to his courtiers, “Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the spirit of God?”.” (Gen. 41:38)
The Hebrew term for “spirit of God” is ru’ach E-lohim. What precise characteristics are implied by this term? It is clear that Pharaoh was impressed with Joseph. What did Pharaoh mean when he referred to Joseph as being filled with ru’ach E-lohim?
The term “spirit of God,” ru’ach E-lohim, appears in two other contexts in the Torah. The first is in the second verse of the Torah – right at the beginning:
In the beginning G-d created the heavens and the earth. The earth was unformed and empty, and darkness covered the surface of the abyss, and the spirit of God – ru’ach E-lohim – hovered above the surface of the water. (Genesis 1:1-2)
The third mention of this term appears when Bezalel is introduced in the book of Exodus. Bezalel, who was chosen by God to be the chief craftsman and architect of the Tabernacle – the portable temple built in the desert – is described as follows:
God spoke to Moses saying, “See, I have called by name [i.e. designated] Betzalel, son of Uri, son of Chur, of the tribe of Yehudah. I have filled him with the spirit of God – ru’ach E-lohim – with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge, and with [skill to perform] all types of crafting.” (Exodus 31:1-3)
In this case, we see the Bible elaborate on the meaning of the term ruach E-lohim, adding that it embodies wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and practical skill.
Bezalel was endowed by God with the ability to build and craft the Tabernacle and everything in it. The instructions from God to Moshe were relayed to Bezalel, and Bezalel was then responsible for the actual fashioning of these objects.
The connection between the uses of the term ru’ach E-lohim in Exodus and at the beginning of the creation story is quite clear. Immediately after the first two verses of the creation story, the Bible relates the very first event of creation:
God said, “Let there be light.” (Gen. 1:3)
The name for God used here – E-lohim – is the name associated with God as the creator. Throughout the creation story in Genesis 1, only this name is used. This characteristic of God – ru’ach E-lohim – implies God’s creative power.
Bezalel’s job also involved creation. His job was to actualize God’s will by building specific objects.
The Jewish sages of the Talmud strengthen the connection between the creation story in Genesis and Bezalel’s role in the building of the Tabernacle:
Bezalel knew how to combine the letters [of the Alef – Bet] through which heaven and earth were created. – Babylonian Talmud, Berachot 55a
In saying this, the sages were teaching us that the same divine creativity exhibited by God in the creation story in Genesis was what inspired Bezalel in the construction of the Tabernacle.
Allow me to explain.
The objects in the Tabernacle were physical objects that represented abstract spiritual ideas. Bezalel knew how to take lofty spiritual ideas and actualize them in the physical world in a practical way.
The creation of heaven and earth was no different. The entire creation story is the practical physical manifestation of extremely lofty spiritual ideas. In order to create, God had to bridge the gap between abstract spirituality and physical reality. Both the creation of heaven and earth and the building of the Tabernacle represent this same idea – spiritual ideas represented in practical physical reality. This is the meaning of the statement of the sages of the Talmud.
And this is the trait that Joseph exhibited when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. Not only did Joseph have the ability to correctly interpret the messages in abstract dream-state images, but he was also able to compose a practical plan of action to be implemented in response to these messages. He exhibited ru’ach E-lohim – the ability to bridge the gap between the abstract spiritual and the practical physical. (see Shemot Rabbah 48:4 for a further Joseph – Bezalel connection)
This understanding can help explain the following cryptic statement of the Jewish sages:
“And the spirit of God – ruach E-lohim – hovered” (Gen 1:1) – this refers to the spirit of the Messiah.” (Bereshit Rabbah 2:4)
If ruach E-lohim is expressed in the actualization of spiritual ideas in the physical world, there can be no greater expression of this power than the Messiah. The Messianic age is a time when the abstract spiritual potential of all of creation will be manifest in the most basic and perceptible physical reality. When the Messiah comes, there will be no gap between the spiritual and the physical. Physical reality will be clearly seen as the application of God’s will here on Earth.
“For the earth shall be filled with knowledge of G-d as waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9)
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Pesach Wolicki serves as Executive Director of Ohr Torah Stone’s Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation, and he is cohost of the Shoulder to Shoulder podcast