What is "Achar ha'Devarim ha'Eleh" referring to?
Rashi #1: Following the episode with Potifar's wife, people began to speak derogatively about Yosef ha'Tzadik. Hashem therefore caused this to happen, so that people would have something else to talk about.
Rashi #2: Hashem brought it about, because it would be through these two courtiers that Yosef would be released.
What was the sin of the chief butler and baker?
Rashi: A fly was found in the wine of the former, and a stone in a loaf of the latter.
Targum Yonasan: They plotted to put poison in the king's food and drink.
Seforno: It was the employees who worked under the two chiefs who had sinned (though what the sin was is not said); and the chiefs were incarcerated for not supervising their workers properly. Compare to Malbim; refer to 40:1:152:2 and 40:2:151:1.
Megilah 13b: Hashem made a master angry with his servants (i.e. Pharaoh with the butler and the baker) in order to perform a miracle with a Tzadik (to set Yosef free). 1
Megilah 13b: Similarly, He made servants angry with their master (Bigsan and Teresh with Achashverosh) in order to perform a miracle with a Tzadik (Mordechai).
Why are they referred to as "Serisei Pharaoh"?
Targum Onkelos and Targum Yonasan: They were important officials. Refer to 39:1:2:1.
Ramban: Both the butler and the baker served the women as well, and kings would customarily castrate the men who worked in the women's quarters.
Does "Achar" mean soon after, or a long time after?
R. Yudan, in Bereishis Rabah 44:5: "Achar" means right after. 1 When it says "Acharei" it is a long time after.
Rav Huna, in Bereishis Rabah 44:5: "Acharei" means right after. When it says "Achar" it is a long time after. 2
Hadar Zekenim: A Midrash (Seder Olam) says that Yosef worked for Potifar for one year. Two years after the dreams, he was 30 and stood in front of Pharaoh. If so, he was in jail nine years before the butler and baker sinned! This cannot be, for "Achar" is always right after! Rather, he worked for Potifar for 10 years. If so, "Ba'Bayis uva'Sadeh" (39:5) does not teach that it was one year (refer to 39:5:151:1), but rather, that Hashem was with Yosef everywhere.
Riva: Rashi (refer to 40:1:1:1) explained that Achar is right after, like he said above (refer to 15:1:1:1). According to Seder Olam, we must say oppositely (refer to 40:1:151:1*). (The words "Achar" and "Acharei" were copied out of order in the Riva's words "v'Hainu... -PF)
Why does it say "Mashke Melech Mitzrayim"?
Malbim #1: Chazal said that a fly was found in the wine, and a pebble in the bread. The latter is a grave sin, even for the baker of a minor official. A fly is close to Ones. It is considered a sin only because he was Pharaoh's wine-steward.
Malbim #2, Ha'amek Davar: Kings used to appoint a Sar (officer) to pour his drink, and a Sar to serve him baked foods. Each Sar would get faithful servants to make the wine and bake. If there was any problem, both the worker and the Sar were accountable. The workers sinned against Adoneihem, 1 i.e. the Sarim, and to Pharaoh.
Seemingly, if Adoneihem referred to Pharaoh, it should have said Adonam (their one master)! However, Adon often takes the plural form even for one master, e.g. "Eshes Adonav" (39:7). (PF)
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "That accursed woman caused everyone to speak about and disparage Yosef; so Hashem brought about the scandal of these [two], to turn attention away from [Yosef]. Furthermore, in order that they would bring about relief for the Tzadik." Why does Rashi need both reasons?
Gur Aryeh: To divert the country's attention, it would have sufficed for but one officer to sin to Pharaoh; whereas to get Yosef released, both of them were needed. (The butler had to see that Yosef was not merely flattering him with a favorable interpretation - for he predicted doom for the baker, and that too was fulfilled - but rather that he could accurately interpret dreams.) To get Yosef out of jail, the officers could have been imprisoned right before their dreams; why were they sent there a full year in advance (Rashi to 40:4)? It must have been so that the public would forget about Yosef.
Rashi writes: "This one [sinned in] that a fly was found in the cup [he had prepared]; and this one, that a pebble was found in his roll." What is the basis for drawing this distinction?
Gur Aryeh: Why was the baker ultimately found guilty and hanged, but not the butler? The butler must not have been culpable; for instance, a fly might fall into a cup unnoticed at the last minute. The baker, however, was negligent; a pebble must have been in the flour or utensils to begin with, and he should have checked more carefully.
Rashi writes: "A fly was found in his 'Payeli Poterin.'" What is the translation of these terms?
Gur Aryeh #1: 'Payeli' means 'cup,' as in Sotah 15b. Poterin also means 'cup' in Latin.
Gur Aryeh #2: A cup of spices that one drinks after the bath.
