 Torah Thoughts
This week we read the Torah portion
"VaYeishev" (Genesis 37-40).
It contains 112 verses and no commandments.
Overview
After briefly describing Esau’s progeny at the end of last
week’s portion, the Torah returns to continue in detail, the unfolding
odyssey of Jacob and his descendants.
Our portion opens with a seventeen year old Joseph. The
midrash describes his vanity and immaturity. Yet he was Jacob’s favorite. The
midrash tells us that Joseph chose to associate with the sons of his father’s
concubines, rather than the sons of Leah who derided them. Joseph would
report his brothers’ misconduct to their father.
Jacob displayed his special affection for Joseph by presenting
him with a fine woolen garment, a symbol of leadership. This only fanned the
flames of his brothers’ hatred.
Joseph added fuel to fire by recounting his dreams to
his brothers. In a pastoral dream, Joseph saw his brothers’ sheaves gathered
around his, bowing in obeisance. In an astral dream, Joseph observed the sun
and moon (representing his parents) and eleven stars (his brothers) bowing to
him. These grandiose visions inspired bitter jealousy.
In the next episode, Jacob sends Joseph to ascertain the
welfare of his brothers and the flock grazing near Shechem. Joseph finds his
brothers in Dothan.
When the brothers saw Joseph approaching in the
distance, they plotted to eliminate the dreamer. Reuben, the eldest, diverted
the plot and convinced them to throw him into a pit (so that he could rescue
him later), rather than kill their brother. As Joseph approached, the
brothers stripped him of his cloak, the despised symbol of paternal
favoritism. Eventually, in the absence of Reuben (who had returned to help
his father), the brothers agreed with Judah
to profit from the riddance of Joseph by selling him to a passing caravan of
merchants traveling to Egypt.
Reuben returned to find Joseph missing. The brothers
slaughtered a kid and dipped Joseph’s garment in the blood. The bloody coat
was brought to Jacob who was informed that a wild beast devoured his beloved
son.
Jacob could not be comforted as he descended into deep
mourning.
In Egypt,
Joseph was sold to Potiphar, a minister in Pharaoh’s court.
The Torah then recounts a strange episode involving Judah.
Judah
“descends” from his brothers, in a moral, figurative sense. He marries a
local woman. They produce three sons. The eldest was married to Tamar. He
died as a result of sin. His brother married the widow, but he too died. Judah
was afraid to marry his surviving son to this “femme fatale”, whom he sent
back to her father’s house. Tamar knew prophetically that she was destined to
bear offspring from Judah.
She disguised herself as a prostitute and was propositioned by Judah.
She accepted his personal effects as a deposit for her services. When Judah
returned with the payment, the mysterious harlot was nowhere to be found.
Three months later, Judah
was informed that his daughter-in-law was pregnant, the result of an unlawful
dalliance. The indignant Judah
ordered her burned. As Tamar was taken to the flames, she sent word to Judah
saying that she was pregnant by the man to whom these objects belong- please
recognize to whom they belong. Our Sages praise Tamar, who was willing to die
rather than embarrass Judah.
Judah
revealed his great character and admitted his responsibility. At that moment,
Judah
was worthy of returning to his status as a leader of his brothers. The Rabbis
point out that Judah
experienced “measure for measure” the anguish he caused his father. Just as
his father suffered immeasurable grief over the loss of Joseph, Judah
lost two sons. Just as Judah
said to his duped father “Please recognize” your son’s coat, Tamar said to
the duped Judah,
“please recognize” these personal effects. Tamar bore twins, one of whom was
destined to be the ancestor of King David and ultimately, of the Messiah.
Meanwhile, Joseph’s greatness was recognized in the
house of Potiphar. His master entrusted him with the management of his
household and all that Joseph handled, prospered. The mistress of the house
cast her eyes on the handsome young man and tried to seduce him. On one
occasion, no-one else was present. Joseph again repelled her advances, but
this time she grabbed him by his garment (!) and he fled, leaving it in her
hand. When her husband returned, she accused Joseph of trying to rape her.
His master had Joseph thrown in prison.
There too, Joseph earned the respect of all who met him.
It happened that Pharaoh’s butler and baker had angered him. They were
incarcerated with Joseph. Each dreamed one night and arose perplexed. The
butler saw three tendrils of a vine. They sprouted and produced grapes which
ripened. He squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh’s cup and presented it to him.
Joseph explained that in three days, Pharaoh would restore the butler to his
former position. Joseph asked the butler to remember him when he got out.
The baker liked Joseph’s interpretation and recounted
his own dream. He saw three baskets on his head, the uppermost containing
baked goods for Pharaoh. Birds were pecking from the basket.
Joseph’s interpretation was not as favorable. The baker
was informed that in three days Pharaoh would have him beheaded.
Joseph’s interpretations came to pass. The commentators
explain that in the butler’s dream, he was actively performing his duty, and
his work was ultimately accepted by Pharaoh. Also there was growth and
development, as seen by the vines sprouting and maturing. In the baker’s
dream however, he was passive. The goods for Pharaoh were on his head, ready,
but never to be accepted by the king. Also, the birds would not dare peck at
food on the body of a live person. The scene is static, no growth or
development is observed. Joseph thus foresaw the baker’s doom.
Our portion ends with the freed butler forgetting
Joseph. The Sages explain that because Joseph put his trust in the butler and
not in G-d, his release was delayed for two years.
Shabbat Table Food for Thought:
Doesn’t HaShem often work through natural means? Surely
it was not mere coincidence that brought the royal butler in contact with
Joseph as he languished in prison- should he not have used that opportunity
to his advantage? Why was Joseph punished for using any possible means to extricate
himself?
HAFTARA
Amos 2:6-3:8. The Prophet Amos berates Israel
for their sins. One particularly heinous crime, for which they will not
escape divine retribution, is oppression of the weak members of society. Amos
mentions those who “sold a righteous man for silver.” This outrage echoes the
sale of Joseph in our Torah portion, thus linking the Haftara thematically to
our Torah portion.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Baruch Price
Technical
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