In an essay based upon a lecture of R. Aharon Lichtenstein, entitled “Joseph’s Tears” (Torah MiEtzion: New Readings in TaNaCh—Beraishit, ed. R. Ezra Bick and R. Yaakov Beasley, Maggid, Yeshivat Har Etzion, 2011), after noting the seven occasions upon which Yosef is described as crying, i.e., Berashit 42:24; 43:30; 45:2; 45:14-5; 46:29; 50:1, 3, 17), and particularly in light of the final time we are told of his weeping, R. Aharon ties together these striking emotional outbursts as follows:
He (Yosef) weeps over the weakness inherent in power, over the terrible price he has paid for it. His dreams have indeed been realized, on some level, but the tragedy remains just as real. The torn shreds of the family have not been made completely whole. (p. 549)
(According to a recent talk given by R. Shalom Carmy, R. Aharon made a similar observation, albeit not specifically tied to Yosef’s crying, on another occasion—see “Yosef’s Character II”)