Daily Zohar 3539
Holy Zohar text. Daily Zohar -3539

Hebrew translation:

87. וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ. רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר, מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ – חָדָשׁ מַמָּשׁ הָיָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אָמַר, שֶׁהָיָה מְחַדֵּשׁ גְּזֵרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא חִדֵּשׁ מֶלֶךְ אַחֵר מִקֹּדֶם לָכֵן. אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף – כָּל אוֹתוֹ טוֹב שֶׁעָשָׂה יוֹסֵף בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁכָּתוּב (בראשית מז) וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בֵּיתָה פַרְעֹה, וְקִיֵּם אוֹתָם בִּשְׁנֵי הָרָעָב, כָּל זֶה לֹא זָכַר, וְעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יוֹדֵעַ אוֹתוֹ.
88. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִים וְעוֹסְקִים בַּתּוֹרָה לִפְנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, מַה זֶּה שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרַיִם, וְשָׁנִינוּ שֶׁהוּא קָם מֵעַצְמוֹ, מַה שֶּׁהָיָה שָׁפָל – קָם, וְלֹא רָאוּי הָיָה לִמְלֹךְ, וּבְעֹשֶׁר הוּא קָם. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, הַכֹּל כָּךְ הוּא, כְּמוֹ אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה רָאוּי לִמְלֹךְ, וְקָם מֵעַצְמוֹ, וְקָם בְּעֹשֶׁר, וְרָצָה לְהַאֲבִיד אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם, אַף כָּאן זֶה לֹא רָאוּי לִמְלוּכָה, וְעָמַד מֵעַצְמוֹ, וְרָצָה לְהַאֲבִיד אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁכָּתוּב וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ וְגוֹ’, הָבָה נִּתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ וְגוֹ’. וּכְשֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד מֶלֶךְ לְמַעְלָה – עוֹמֵד מֶלֶךְ לְמַטָּה.

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Zohar Shemot

#87
Exodus 1:8
“וַיָּקָם מֶלֶךְ חָדָשׁ עַל מִצְרָיִם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַע אֶת יוֹסֵף.”
“Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.”
Rabbi Chiya explains that ‘a new king’ is literally ‘new’. The new king made new decrees that were never decreed before in Egypt. ‘Who did not know Joseph’ means that the new king didn’t know about all the good and sustenance that Joseph brought to Egypt during the years of famine. The new king didn’t remember all of that and denied the good that Joseph made in Egypt.

#88
Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Yehuda were sitting and studying Torah with Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Yossi said that ‘arose a new king’ means that the new king rose by himself. He was not worthy of royalty, but because of his wealth, he rose to power and wanted to destroy Israel.
Rabbi Shimon said, indeed it is true, and a similar case to Ahasuerus (scroll of Esther) that even though he was not worthy to be a king, he rose to power because of his wealth. Ahasuerus also was ready to destroy Israel.
Pharaoh justified his desire to enslave and kill the Israelites as it is written;
Exodus 1:9,10
“וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ הִנֵּה עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ”
“And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we;”
“הָבָה נִתְחַכְּמָה לוֹ פֶּן יִרְבֶּה וְהָיָה כִּי תִקְרֶאנָה מִלְחָמָה וְנוֹסַף גַּם הוּא עַל שֹׂנְאֵינוּ וְנִלְחַם בָּנוּ וְעָלָה מִן הָאָרֶץ.”
“Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”
As explained above, when a king, meaning a new minister of a nation, rises above, a new king arises below.

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