“No wine before its time” is a general maxim often used in the context of patience and waiting for things to reach their full potential before one can enjoy them. [This phrase became the slogan of choice for the largest wine company in California.) We look at a given situation and ask, “Why not now?” Because now is not yet the time. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh addresses the unusual manner in which the Torah conveys that Pharaoh had a dream. Since the introduction of Pharaoh’s dreams is the beginning of a new narrative, it should have written, Cholam Pharaoh, or, Va’yachalom Pharaoh, with the root cholam, dream, preceding the name Pharaoh. Pharaoh choleim, Pharaoh is dreaming, appears to connect to the previous parshah. The Ohr HaChaim explains that, indeed, the pasuk refers back to the dream of the wine chamberlain, to which the Torah now adds, “And Pharaoh was also dreaming.”
The Ohr HaChaim offers three explanations for the phrase, “And Pharaoh was dreaming.” In his second explanation, he posits that Pharaoh had been having the very same dream, every night for two years. As soon as he woke up, he had no recollection whatsoever of the previous night’s dream. At the end of two years of dreaming, he dreamed once again. Only this time, he did not forget the dream.
Horav Shimshon Pincus, zl, explains the reason for Pharaoh’s dream marathon. Yosef HaTzaddik was relegated to spending an additional two years in captivity since he twice uttered the words, “Remember me,” to the wine chamberlain, when he had been released from prison. This was considered by Hashem as a shortcoming in Yosef’s middah, attribute, of bitachon, trust in the Almighty. A person who has reached the extreme level of righteousness of Yosef need not rely on human assistance for anything. He understands that everything comes from Hashem. It is just concealed under the guise of human endeavor. Pharaoh’s dream was the catalyst for Yosef’s release from the dungeon, which should have occurred two years earlier. Thus, he dreamt the same dream repeatedly for two years. Heaven made him forget the dream because Yosef’s “time” had not arrived. Once that moment arrived, Pharaoh no longer forgot the dream. Nothing happens before its time.
