אבות ב, ג - להיזהר ברשות

(3) Be careful [in your dealings] with the ruling authorities for they do not befriend a person except for their own needs; they seem like friends when it is to their own interest, but they do not stand by a man in the hour of his distress.

(8) A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph.

§ The Gemara proceeds to discuss the sojourn of the Jewish people in Egypt. The verse states: “And there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). Rav and Shmuel disagree about the interpretation of this verse. One says that this means he was actually a new king, and one says that this means that his decrees were transformed as if he were a new king. The one who says that he was actually a new king holds that it is because it is written “new.” And the one who says that his decrees were transformed holds that it is because it is not written: “And the previous king of Egypt died and a new king reigned.” This indicates that the same king remained. According to this interpretation, the words: “Who knew not Joseph” (Exodus 1:8), mean that he was like someone who did not know him at all. Although he certainly knew Joseph and his accomplishments, he acted as if he didn’t.

(3) They seem like good friends in good times, but they don't stay for him in time of his trouble: [They are friendly] when they have a shortage of money, but when desperate they don't have mercy upon the poor person until they bring him down from his assets, and they forget the earlier [relations] since it is all past [and] gone. And such is the simple understanding of this mishnah. But if the matter is so, it speaks about the defect of kings. But forbid it, forbid it - that such should be the matter and that it should arise. As through them the whole world is sustained and they create law and justice in the world. And there is no man that can be as truthful as they, as they do not need to flatter creatures since they are not afraid; and [so] there is nothing that prevents them from walking the straight path. And hence it appears [that it can] be said that the kings - be it their friendship or be it their enmity - are not in their [own] hands. And [so] when the king needs a person and brings him close and shows him friendship at the time that he benefits from him, it is from God that the matter went out, and not from the king. And God arranged that this person be of benefit to the king. And when a man sins to God and he is guilty and He wants to press him, who can stand for him? And even if the king wants to do him honor, it is only in his hand to surely take the vengeance of God and to 'afflict the one that the Lord would love to chastise.' And this is what it states (Proverbs 21:1), "Like channeled water is the heart of the king in the Lord’s hand." He wants to say, just like a person can direct a channel to any side that he wants, so [too] is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord to direct it to do good 'to the person whose honor He desires' and 'to pay back His enemies in his face to destroy him.' And he stated, "the heart of the king" and he was not speaking about other people; but so is it that all hearts are 'in the hand of the Lord.' As even though, [a person] thinks thoughts and it appears to the eyes that he has the ability in his hand to act; in truth he does not have the power in his hand to do bad or to do good, but rather [to do] the word of the living God.

The Gemara raises an objection based on what was taught in a baraita: One only recites: Who creates fragrant trees, over the balsam from the house of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, and over balsam from the house of Caesar and over myrtle everywhere. According to the previous statement, one recites that blessing over all types of incense.