Towards the end of Parashat Vayigash, the Torah describes in great detail the conditions in Egypt during the seven years of famine and the economic policies enacted by Yosef in leading the country through the crisis. Initially, the people purchased from the government grain that it had stored during the previous seven years of surplus. Once they had spent all their money on food, the people then sold their animals and lands to the government. Ultimately, the state took ownership of all Egyptian land, and Yosef enacted that the farmers would work as sharecroppers for the state, giving Pharaoh one-fourth of the yield and keeping for themselves the other three-quarters.
When reading these and other details of Yosef's management of Egypt, one cannot but wonder why this narrative earned an entire section in Sefer Bereishit. It appears in between Yaakov's arrival in Egypt with his family and the story in Parashat Vayechi of Yaakov's final days and death; thus, this account of Yosef's handling of the famine disrupts the narrative concerning Yaakov, Yosef and his brothers. Why did the Torah see fit to devote a sizeable portion of Biblical text to this topic?
One might explain the purpose behind this section in light of the final verse of Parashat Vayigash, which concludes the discussion of the famine in Egypt: "Israel settled in the country of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; they acquired holdings in it, and were fertile and increased greatly." This verse appears to draw a drastic contrast between the situation of the native Egyptians and that of Benei Yisrael. Whereas the natives all lost their property and became serfs of the monarchy (albeit under far more favorable terms than those in most feudal or communist systems), Benei Yisrael acquired holdings, became wealthy, prospered, had large families, and enjoyed success. In this sense, this section perhaps serves to set the stage for Sefer Shemot, where Pharaoh fears the growth and success of Benei Yisrael and enslaves them.
Professor Nechama Leibowitz, however, suggests that we look to a different verse as the focal point of this narrative: "Only the land of the priests he [Yosef] did not take over, for the priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the allotment which Pharaoh had made to them; therefore they did not sell their land" (47:22). The Egyptian priests received allowances from the monarchy to support themselves and their families, and therefore were not compelled to sell their possessions in exchange for food, as did the rest of the population. Professor Leibowitz notes the bitter irony in this arrangement: specifically the class of people who did not have to work for or worry about their livelihood, who lived directly off Pharaoh's treasury, were allowed to retain their property and real estate holdings. She claims that we read this verse as the Torah's sarcastic depiction of the concept of priesthood among the ancient pagans. This system stands in direct opposition to the arrangement legislated by the Torah, whereby the kohanim and Levi'im are denied any land holdings. The Almighty declares to Moshe (Bamidbar 18:24), "For it is the tithes set aside by the Israelites as a gift to the Lord that I give to the Levites as their share; therefore I have said concerning them: They shall have no territorial share among the Israelites."
This verse in Sefer Bamidbar, Professor Leibowitz suggests, must be read as a contrasting parallel to the verse in Parashat Vayigash concerning the Egyptian priests. In Egypt, the priests did not have to work for their livelihood, and "therefore" ("al kein") they held onto their land holdings forever. With regard to Benei Yisrael, however, the exact opposite is true: the kohanim are supported by gifts from the people, without working the land, and "therefore" ("al kein") they are not given any agricultural lands. For the pagans, the clergy meant the abuse of power through special rights and privileges paid for by the laymen; among Benei Yisrael, the concept of priesthood involves strict obligations and responsibilities. The Torah withheld land from the tribe of Levi and had them supported by the people to ensure their investment of time and energy in their spiritual duties towards the nation, rather than receive support from the people while at the same time earning profits from their agricultural pursuits.