What is the significance of the fact that the seven good ears of grain grew on one stalk?
Ramban: It was a sign that the seven years of plenty would be consecutive.
Rashbam: It was a sign of the extent of the plenty, inasmuch as that, for every grain that was planted, seven stalks grew.
Moshav Zekenim: The good years will be equally good. The bad ears did not grow on one stalk, for one was worse than the previous.
Why does the Torah repeat the dreams three times (when Pharaoh dreamed, when he told Yosef, and when Yosef interpreted them)?
Moshav Zekenim (16): The three mentions of seven bad cows and seven bad ears 1 allude to 42 years of famine for Egypt. There were two before Yakov came, 2 and the other 40 were "paid" through exile.
Ha'Emek Davar (17): There are subtle differences between the versions. There is an explanation for each detail.
How can we count both cows and ears? It was repeated to show that it will happen soon! Since it changed from cows to ears, we count both (Moshav Zekenim). This is unlike those who explain why he needed to dream about both of them - refer to 41:2:1:2. (PF)
Hadar Zekenim (27): Yosef said "Yihyu Sheva Shenei Ra'av." This was a Tefilah that they only be seven. Yakov prayed that they be only two.
Yosef said (verse 32) that the dream was repeated because Hashem will do it soon. Are there other reasons?
Malbim #1: The second dream is the interpretation of the first. (The dream is a prophecy about what will grow from the ground.)
Malbim #2: This is one of five reasons why it is proper that the dream be fulfilled. The others are (a) it was interpreted in a (the second) dream; (b) Pharaoh did not sense that it is a dream until he woke; (c) it was a morning dream (refer to 41:8:154;1). (d) Pharaoh was very agitated due to it.
Ha'Emek Davar: He dreamed about animals and grain to teach about the degree of scarcity in other lands (refer to 41:5:1:4**). However, Yosef explained to Pharaoh only what pertains to him (i.e. in Egypt).
