Famines are precipitating events in the Torah.
On a storytelling level, they are a powerful device to force our characters to take action. On a broader level, they remind us that our lives, perhaps of abundance, are not purely our own to control.
Famines force the figures in the Torah, and us, to think clearly about what is important in life.
In Parashat Miketz, Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and anticipates a famine. He says:
Immediately ahead are seven years of great abundance in all the land of Egypt. After them will come seven years of famine, and all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten. As the land is ravaged by famine, no trace of the abundance will be left in the land because of the famine thereafter, for it will be very severe.
Soon after, Joseph is proven correct and a famine descends on Egypt and the surrounding lands. We’re told:
So all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to procure rations, for the famine had become severe throughout the world. When Jacob saw that there were food rations to be had in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you keep looking at one another? Now I hear,” he went on, “that there are rations to be had in Egypt. Go down and procure rations for us there, that we may live and not die.”
First of all, can we just pause and notice that Jacob says to his sons “Why do you keep looking at one another?” This kind of detail in the Torah is priceless. Because of this detail, we can imagine the conversations that were happening among the family. Each one of them hoped that the other one would take action until Jacob gives them all a metaphorical kick in the butt. It just cracks me up.
But, more importantly, the region was in serious crisis. There isn’t enough food to go around.
The Talmud takes famines and uses them as a framework for other decisions too. In our sugiyah (unit of Talmud) on Taanit 10b-11a, it begins that discussion using a quote from next week’s Torah portion when Joseph encourages his brothers not to fight while on the road.
Joseph said to them: “See that you not fall out by the way” (Genesis 45:24). Rabbi Elazar said that Joseph said to his brothers: Do not become occupied in a matter of halakha, lest you fall out on the way.
Rabbi Elazar teaches us that while traveling, we should be careful with what we talk about lest we fall into an argument with one another. Surprisingly here, it appears as though we’re not supposed to talk Torah! The Talmud is also surprised:
The Gemara asks: Is that so? But didn’t Rabbi Elai bar Berekhya say: With regard to two Torah scholars who are walking along the road and there are no Torah matters discussed between them, they are worthy of being burned, as it is stated: “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder” (II Kings 2:11). The reason that the chariot of fire did not harm Elisha is because there was a Torah matter between them, from which it may be inferred that had they not been discussing a Torah matter, they would have been worthy of being burned.
The Talmud suggests here that Rabbi Elai bar Berekhya had a position that Torah scholars who travel together and they do not discuss Torah are liable for punishment. And here, using a reference from II Kings, describes a scenario when they are walking and talking. The idea here is that had they not been talking Torah, the chariot of fire that appeared would have led to their death, which didn’t happen here.
The Talmud goes on to explain that Rabbi Elazar is talking about exploring a new piece of Torah or Halakhah in depth rather than Rabbi Elai bar Berekhya is discussing reviewing something already learned.
Skipping ahead a bit, the Talmud takes the context of traveling and mentions this:
Rav Yehuda said that Rabbi Ḥiyya said: One who is walking along the road should not eat more each day than they would normally eat each day in a year of famine. What is the reason for this?
Here in Babylonia they interpreted that the reason is due to one’s bowels. Since the exertion of traveling can damage full bowels, it is preferable to eat less than the normal amount.
In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say that the reason is due to food, i.e., if one eats too much, their food may not last the entire journey, and therefore they should ration his meals.
We learn a tradition, really travel advice, from Rabbi Hiyya: when you travel, you should limit how much food you eat. The measurement of how much food is based on how much you might eat during a famine.
Then, we learn two possible explanations as to why this might be. In Babylonia, they considered the reasoning to be health-related, in particular in terms of digestion and how much effort one might spend walking. While in Israel, the concern was one of resources available and how much access to food one might have.
Just like Jacob to his sons, the Talmud reminds us that a famine is a dire circumstance:
Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: Anyone who has food for themselves but nevertheless starves themselves in years of famine will be saved from an unusual death, as it is stated: “In famine, God will redeem you from death” (Job 5:20).
And further, the rabbis encourage us to make very specific choices about how we live our lives with a reference to Parashat Miketz, our portion:
Similarly, Reish Lakish said: It is prohibited for a person to have conjugal relations in years of famine, so that children not be born during these difficult years. As it is stated: “And to Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came” (Genesis 41:50). It was taught in a baraita: Nevertheless, those without children may have marital relations in years of famine, as they must strive to fulfill the mitzva to be fruitful and multiply.
Reish Lakish teaches us that we should refrain from bringing children into the world during dangerous and difficult times. His broader point is important: when resources are limited, we might have to make extraordinarily difficult decisions.
And this challenges us to ask the question, outside of our individual responsibilities to be responsible, what about our communal obligations?
Likewise, the Sages taught in a baraita: When the Jewish people is immersed in distress, and one of them separates themselves from the community and does not share their suffering, the two ministering angels who accompany a person come and place their hands on their head, as though they were an offering, and say: This person, so-and-so, who has separated themselves from the community, let them not see the consolation of the community.
A similar idea is taught in another baraita: When the community is immersed in suffering, a person may not say: I will go to my home and I will eat and drink, and peace be upon you, my soul. And if they do so, the verse says about them: “And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die” (Isaiah 22:13). And the prophecy continues with what is written afterward, in the following verse: “And the Lord of hosts revealed Godself in my ears: Surely this iniquity shall not be expiated by you until you die” (Isaiah 22:14).
These two baraitot are fairly clear: separating yourself from the community in difficult times, and focusing on your own needs over that of the collective is unacceptable behavior.
We are being told, clearly, that we are in this together.
The reason why we learn these lessons in the midst of a conversation about traveling is because we are all on the journey together. We are all moving from the present into a future yet unwritten. A future that is unknown and full of potential, both positive and negative.
We live in a world amidst many crises: Covid and climate change to say the least. There is still tremendous hunger in the world as well as increasing difficulty getting access to clean water in many parts of the country and the world.
It is not enough for us to look into our own refrigerator and be satisfied with what we have, we must be sure that all of us have enough.
While we won’t always be able to talk details in solving all of these issues, represented by the halakhah discussion in the Talmud, it is still important for us to remind one another of what is important, what values motivate us, and the shared vision for a society that takes care of everyone.
We are one another’s traveling companions in this life and we have to be there for each other.