Parashat Vayeshev.

And Jacob abode. After it (Scripture) has described to you the settlements of Esau and his descendants in a brief manner, since they were not distinguished and important enough that it should be related in detail how they settled down and that there should be given an account of their wars and how they drove out the Horites (see Deuteronomy 2:12), it explains clearly and at length the settlements made by Jacob and his descendants and all the events which brought these about, because these are regarded by the Omnipresent as of sufficient importance to speak of them at length. Thus, too, you will find that in the case of the ten generations from Adam to Noah it states “So-and-so begat so-and-so”, but when it reaches Noah it deals with him at length. Similarly, of the ten generations from Noah to Abraham it gives but a brief account, but when it comes to Abraham it speaks of him more fully. It may be compared to the case of a jewel that falls into the sand: a man searches in the sand, sifts it in a sieve until he finds the jewel. When he has found it he throws away the pebbles and keeps the jewel (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 1). Another explanation of וישב יעקב AND JACOB ABODE: The camels of a flax dealer once came into a city laden with flax. A blacksmith asked in wonder where all that flax could be stored, and a clever fellow answered him, “A single spark caused by your bellows can burn up all of it.” “So, too, when Jacob saw (heard of) all these chiefs whose names are written above he said wonderingly, “Who can conquer all these?” What is written after the names of these chieftains?, and in this may be found the reply to Jacob’s question: These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph. For it is written (Obadiah 1:18) “And the house of Jacob shall be a fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau, for stubble: one spark issuing from Joseph will burn up all of these (descendants of Esau) (Genesis Rabbah 84:5). The passage beginning “Another explanation” is found in an old Rashi text.

וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב. הַפִּשְׁתָּנִי הַזֶּה נִכְנְסוּ גְמַלָּיו טְעוּנִים פִּשְׁתָּן. הַפֶּחָמִי תָמַהּ: אָנָּה יִכָּנֵס כָּל הַפִּשְׁתָּן הַזֶּה? הָיָה פִּקֵּחַ אֶחָד מֵשִׁיב לוֹ: נִצּוֹץ אֶחָד יוֹצֵא מִמַּפּוּחַ שֶׁלְּךָ שֶׁשּׂוֹרֵף אֶת כֻּלּוֹ. כָּךְ יַעֲקֹב רָאָה כָּל הָאַלּוּפִים הַכְּתוּבִים לְמַעְלָה, תָּמַהּ וְאָמַר: מִי יָכוֹל לִכְבּוֹשׁ אֶת כֻּלָּן? מַה כְּתִיב לְמַטָּה (להלן פסוק ב): "אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב, יוֹסֵף"; וּכְתִיב (עובדיה א,יח): "וְהָיָה בֵית יַעֲקֹב אֵשׁ וּבֵית יוֹסֵף לֶהָבָה וּבֵית עֵשָׂו לְקַשׁ" – נִצּוֹץ יוֹצֵא מִיּוֹסֵף שֶׁמְּכַלֶּה וְשׂוֹרֵף אֶת כֻּלָּם (בראשית רבה פד,ה).]

These are the progeny of Jacob. And these are an account of the generations of Jacob: these are their settlements and the events that happened to them until they formed a permanent settlement. The first cause is found in the narrative, “Joseph being seventeen years old, etc. etc.”, it was through this incident that it came about that they went down to Egypt. This is the real explanation of the text and in it each statement finds its proper setting. The Midrash, however, explains that by the words, “These are the progeny of Jacob, Joseph”, Scripture regards all Jacob’s sons as secondary to Joseph for several reasons: first, the whole purpose of Jacob in working for Laban was only for Rachel, Joseph’s mother, (and all his children were born only in consequence of this); then, again, Joseph’s facial features bore a striking resemblance to those of Jacob. Further, whatever happened to Jacob happened to Joseph: the one was hated, the other was hated; in the case of the one his brother wished to kill him so, too, in the case of the other, his brethren wished to kill him. Many such similarities are pointed out in (Genesis Rabbah 84:5-6; Genesis Rabbah 84:8). Another comment on this verse is: וישב AND HE ABODE, Jacob wished to live at ease, but this trouble in connection with Joseph suddenly came upon him. When the righteous wish to live at ease, the Holy one, blessed be He), says to them: “Are not the righteous satisfied with what is stored up for them in the world to come that they wish to live at ease in this world too! (Genesis Rabbah 84:3)

וַיֵּשֶׁב. בִּקֵּשׁ יַעֲקֹב לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה, קָפַץ עָלָיו רָגְזוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. צַדִּיקִים מְבַקְּשִׁים לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא דַיָּן לַצַּדִּיקִים מַה שֶּׁמְּתֻקָּן לָהֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, אֶלָּא שֶׁמְּבַקְּשִׁים לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה?

And he, being a lad. His actions were childish: he dressed his hair, he touched up his eyes so that he should appear good-looking (Genesis Rabbah 84:7).

With the sons of bilhah. meaning that he made it his custom to associate with the sons of Bilhah because his brothers slighted them as being sons of a hand-maid; therefore he fraternised with them.

Their evil report. Whatever he saw wrong in his brothers, the sons of Leah, he reported to his father: that they used to eat flesh cut off from a living animal, that they treated the sons of the handmaids with contempt, calling them slaves, and that they were suspected of living in an immoral manner. With three such similar matters he was therefore punished. In consequence of his having stated that they used to eat flesh cut off from a living animal Scripture states, (Genesis 37:31) “And they slew a he-goat" after they had sold him and they did not eat its flesh whilst the animal was still living. And because of the slander which he related about them that they called their brothers slaves, (Psalms 105:17) “Joseph was sold for a slave.” And because he charged them with immorality (Genesis 39:7) “his master’s wife cast her eyes upon him etc.” (Genesis Rabbah 84:7).

Their report. The word דבה always means in old French parleriz; English, gossip: whatever he could speak bad about them he told to his father.

. has the same meaning as the verb of the same root in (Song 7:10) “(דובב) making speak the lips of those that are asleep”.

The son of his old age. because he was a wise son to him”, all that he had learnt from Shem and Eber he taught him (Genesis Rabbah 84:8). Another explanation of בן זקנים, his facial features were similar to his (Jacob’s) (Genesis Rabbah 84:8).

. is a term for raiment of fine wool (Shabbat 10b). Similar is (Ester 1:6) כרפס “Fine linen and blue”. The same garment כתנת הפסים is mentioned (2 Samuel 13:18) in the story of Amnon and Tamar and we may therefore gather that it was made of very fine material. There is a Midrashic statement that in the word פסים we may find an allusion to all his misfortunes: he was sold to Potiphar (פוטיפר), to the merchants (סוחרים), to the Ishmaelites (ישמעאלים), and to the Midianites (מדינים) (Genesis Rabbah 84:8).

And they could not speak peaceably to him. from what is stated to their discredit we may infer something to their credit: they did not speak one thing with their mouth having another thing quite different in their hearts (Genesis Rabbah 84:9).

. means TO SPEAK TO HIM.

. Understand it as the Targum renders it: were binding bundles i.e. sheaves. Similar is (Psalms 126:6) “bearing (אלומותיו) its sheaves”. Similarly in Mishnaic Hebrew we have (Bava Metzia 22b) “and he takes (האלומות) the sheaves and makes public proclamation”.

. means it raised itself erect.

. means remaining erect in its place.

And for his words. for the evil report about them which he used to bring to their father.

And he told it to his father and to his brethren. After he had related it to his brothers (see 5:9) he again related it to his father in their presence.

And his father rebuked him. because he was arousing hatred against himself by relating the dream.

Shall we indeed come. “Is not your mother long since dead?” He did not, however, understand that the statement really alluded to Bilhah who had brought him up as though she were his own mother (Genesis Rabbah 84:11). Our Rabbis inferred from here that there is no dream but has some absurd incidents (Berakhot 55). Jacob’s intention in pointing out the absurdity of Joseph’s mother, who was dead, bowing down to him was to make his sons forget the whole matter so that they should not envy him, and on this account he said to him, “Shall we indeed come etc.”, meaning, just as it (the fulfillment of the dream) is impossible in the case of your mother so the remainder of the dream is absurd.

Observed the matter. He awaited and looked forward to the time when this would come to pass. In the same sense we have (Isaiah 26:2) “that watch (שומר) for faithfulness” (i.e., for the performance of a promise) and (Job 14:16), “לא תשמור for my sin”, which means “thou dost not wait for my sin”.

To feed the flock. The word את has dots above it, to denote that they went only to feed themselves (Genesis Rabbah 84:13).

Here am i. An expression denoting humility and readiness: he was zealous to perform his father’s bidding, although he was aware that his brothers hated him (Genesis Rabbah 84:13).

From the vale of hebron. But was not Hebron situated on a hill, as it is said (Numbers 13:22) “And they went up into the South and they came unto Hebron” why then does it state that Jacob sent him from the עמק, (the vale, the deep part) of Hebron? But the meaning is that Jacob sent him in consequence of the necessity of bringing into operation the profound (עמוקה) thought of the righteous man who was buried in Hebron (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 22), in order that there might be fulfilled that which was spoken to Abraham when the Covenant was made ‘between the parts” (cf. 15:13), “thy seed shall be a stranger etc.”

And he came to shechem. A spot foredestined to be the scene of misfortunes: there the sons of Jacob sinned (by selling Joseph), there Dinah was maltreated, there the kingdom of the House of David was divided, as it said (1 Kings 12:1) “And Rehoboam went to Shechem etc.” (Sanhedrin 102a).

And a man found him. This was the angel Gabriel (Genesis Rabbah 84:14) as it is said, (Daniel 9:21) and the man (והאיש) Gabriel” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 2:3).

They have journeyed hence. they have departed from all feeling of brotherhood.

Let us go to dothan. “let us go to seek some legal (דתות) pretexts” to put you to death. According to the literal sense, however, it is the name of place, and Scripture never really loses its literal sense (Shabbat 63a).

And they conspired. The Hithpael form denotes that they became filled with plots and craft.

. is here the same as אִתּוֹ which means “with him”, meaning אליו: they became filled with plots and craft directed towards him (אליו).

And we shall see what will become of his dreams. R. Isaac said, this verse calls for a homiletic explanation. The Holy Spirit said this latter part of the text. They say “let us slay him”, and Scripture (i.e. the Holy Spirit) breaks in upon their words concluding them by saying, “and we shall see what will become of his dreams”: we shall see whose words will be fulfilled, yours or mine. For it is impossible that they should have said, “and we shall see what will become of his dreams”, for as soon as they would kill him his dreams would be of no effect (Tanchuma Yashan 1:9:13).

. supply the word מכת so that the meaning will be “Let us not smite him with a smiting of his life”, it means killing.

That he might deliver him [out of their hand]. The Holy Spirit (Scripture) bears witness for Reuben that he said this only for the purpose of saving his brother, that he would come afterwards and draw him up from there. He thought, “I am the first-born and the chief among them, and blame will attach to no one but myself” (Genesis Rabbah 84:15).

His garment. this means his shirt.

The long sleeved garment. this was the garment that his father had given him additional to those of his brothers (Genesis Rabbah 84:16).

And the pit was empty, there was no water in it. Since it states, “the pit was empty”, do I not know that “there was no water in it”? What then is the force of “there was no water in it”? Water, indeed it did not contain, but there were serpents and scorpions in it (Shabbat 22a).

. means what the Targum says, A CARAVAN; this is called ארחת with reference to the travelers on the road (ארח) who compose it.

And their camels were bearing. etc., Why does Scripture specially announce what they were laden with? It is to tell you how great is the reward of the righteous: it is not usual for Arabs to carry anything but naphta and itran (tar) which are evil-smelling, but for this one (Joseph, the righteous) it was specially arranged that they should be carrying fragrant spices so that he should not suffer from a bad odour (Genesis Rabbah 84:17).

Spicery. Every collection of many kinds of spices is called נכאת. So, too, (2 Kings 20:13) “and he showed them all the house of his נכתה which means the house where his spices were mixed. Onkelos translates it as meaning wax (perhaps an aromatic gum).

And balm. a resin that exudes from the wood of the balsam-tree: it is the נטף that is enumerated among the ingredients of the incense used in the Tabernacle (Exodus 30:34; cf. Keritot 6a).

And ladanum. This is called Lotos in the language of the Mishna. Our Rabbis have in treatise Niddah 8a explained that it is a vegetable root; it bears the name aristolochia (birthwort).

. means WHAT PROFIT, just as the Targum renders it.

And conceal his blood. this signifies and we hide the fact of his death (for they had not shed his blood, but had cast him into a pit to die).

And they hearkened. The Targum renders this by “and they accepted it from him” (i.e., they agreed with him). Wherever the verb שמע means agreeing with a person’s statement, obeying, as here, and as (28:7) “and Jacob had hearkened (וישמע) to his father”, and (Exodus 24:7) “We will do and we will obey (ונשמע)” it is translated in the Targum by קבל “accepting”, but wherever it merely means hearing with the ear, as e. g. (3:8) “And they heard (וישמעו) the voice of the Lord G-d walking in the garden”, and (27:5) “and Rebecca heard (שומעת;”, and (31:1) “And Israel heard (וישמע)”, and (Exodus 16:12) “I have heard (שמעתי) the murmurings of the children of Israel”, all such cases are rendered by various forms of ושמעו: שמע “and they heard“, ושמעת “and she heard”, ושמע “and he heard”,שמיע ,קדמי “there is heard before Me” (I have heard).

And there passed by midianites. This was another caravan: Scripture indicates that he was sold several times.

And they drew up. the sons of Jacob drew up את יוסף מן הבור JOSEPH FROM THE PIT, and they sold him to the Ishmaelites, and the Ishmaelites to the Midianites and the Midianites into Egypt (Midrash Tanchuma 1:9:13).

And reuben returned. When he (Joseph) was sold he had not been present, for it was his day (his turn) to go to attend to his father (Genesis Rabbah 84:19). Another explanation is: he had not sat with them at the meal because he was occupied with his sack-cloth and fast in penitence for having disturbed his father’s couch (Genesis Rabbah 84:19).

Whither shall i go?. Whither can I flee from my father’s grief?

A kid of the goats. its blood resembles that of a human being (Genesis Rabbah 84:19).

The coat. This is the form of the noun in the absolute state, but when it is in the construct state, as e.g., Joseph’s coat”, “the coat of many colours”, “the coat of linen”, it is punctuated as כְּתֹנֶת.

And he said, my son’s coat. is this (i.e. supply the words היא זו after בני).

An evil beast hath eaten him. The spirit of prophecy was enkindled within him, for these words may be taken to mean that at some future time Potiphar’s wife would attack him (Genesis Rabbah 84:19). Why did not the Holy One, blessed be He, make known to him (Jacob) that he was still living? Because they had placed under a ban and a curse anyone of them who would make it known, and they made the Holy One, blessed be He, a party with them to this agreement (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 2) Isaac, however, knew that he was living, but he thought, “How dare I reveal it since the Holy One, blessed be He does not wish to reveal it” (Genesis Rabbah 84:21).

Many days. twenty-two years (Genesis Rabbah 84:20), from the time he left him until Jacob went down to Egypt. For it is said, (v. 2) “Joseph was seventeen years old” (when all these events happened), and he was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh; seven years of plenty and two years of famine had passed by the time Jacob came to Egypt, making in all 22 years. These correspond to the 22 years during which Jacob had not practised the duty of honouring his parents (that is, the period during which he did not reside with them and attend to their needs) (Megillah 17a): viz., the twenty years he stayed in Laban’s house and the two years on the journey when he was returning from Laban’s house, one and a half year at Succoth and six months at Bethel. This is what he meant when he said to Laban (31:41) “These twenty years that I have been in thy house are לי”, they are for me, the responsibility for them lies upon me (לי being taken as עלי) and at sometimes I shall be punished for a period equal to them.

And all his daughters. R Judah said: a twin-sister was born with each of Jacob’s sons and they each took a step-sister to wife (It was these daughters who comforted Jacob) R. Nehemiah said: their wives were Canaanite women and not their step-sisters; what is meant then “by all his daughters”? His daughters-in-law, for a person does not hesitate to call his son-in-law his son and his daughter-in-law his daughter (Genesis Rabbah 84:21).

But he refused to comfort himself. A person does not accept consolation for one living whom he believes to be dead, for with regard to the dead it is decreed that he be forgotten from the heart, but it is not so decreed with regard to the living (Genesis Rabbah 84:20).

I will go down to my son. This has the same meaning as על בני, on account of my son. There are many examples where אל is used in the sense of על: (2 Samuel 4:21) “(אל) because of Saul (ואל) and because of his bloody house”; (1 Samuel 4:21) “(אל) because the ark of G-d was taken (ואל) and because of the death of her father-in-law and her husband”.

Mourning into the grave. According to the literal meaning שאל means “the grave”, whilst I am still in a state of mourning I shall be interred (i.e. even to the day of my burial I shall mourn) and I shall not be comforted all my life. The Midrash explains it to refer to Gehinnom. “This omen has been given me by G-d: if none of my sons die during my lifetime I may be assured that I shall not see Gehinnom” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayigash 9).

Thus his father wept for him. His father refers to Isaac: he wept for Jacob’s trouble, but he did not mourn for he knew that he (Joseph) was alive (Genesis Rabbah 84:21).

הטבחים. means the slaughterers of the kings animals.

And it came to pass at that time. Why is this section placed here thus interrupting the section dealing with the history of Joseph? To teach that his brothers degraded him from his high position. When they saw their father’s grief they said, “You told us to sell him: if you had told us to send him back to his father we would also have obeyed you” (Genesis Rabbah 85:2).

And he turned. away from his brothers.

Unto a certain adullamite. he entered into a business-partnership with him.

. means A MERCHANT, (cf. Pesachim 50a and Zachariah 14:21).

And he was at chezib. the name of a place. I am of opinion that it was called Chezib because there she ceased bearing. This meaning of the word occurs in (Jeremiah 15:18) “wilt thou indeed be unto me as an (אכזב) a deceiver (one who ceases to keep faith)”, and (Isaiah 58:11) “whose waters do not (יכזבו) fail (cease)". For if this be not so (that it was called Chezib for the reason stated) what is it intended to tell us (what reason is there for telling us where he was at that time)? In Genesis Rabbah (Genesis Rabbah 55:4) I found the following ‘ותקרא את שמו שלה וגו AND SHE CALLED HIS NAME SHELAH [AND HE WAS AT CHEZIB] etc., פסקת “ceasing”.

Was wicked in the eyes of the Lord. like the wickedness of Onan, and committing the same sin. This must have been the case because of Onan it is said, (v. 10) “And the Lord slew him also, Onan’s death was for a similar reason as Er’s death. Why did Er commit this sin? So that she should not bear children and her beauty thereby become impaired (Yevamot 34b).

And raise seed. The son will be called by the name of him who is dead.

וְשִׁחֵת אַרְצָה. דָּשׁ מִבִּפְנִים וְזוֹרֶה מִבַּחוּץ (יבמות שם; ב"ר פה,ה).

. ‘כי אמר וגו FOR HE SAID etc., that is to say, he pushed her off with a straw (i.e., he put her off with a lame excuse) because he never intended to give her to him in marriage

For he said lest peradventure he die. She is a woman of whom it may be presumed that the men she marries will always die young (Genesis Rabbah 85:5).

And he went up unto his sheep-shearers. it means: and he went up to Timnah to stand by his sheep-shearers.

He goeth up to timnah. In the case of Samson it is said (Judges 14:1) “And Samson went down to Timnah”. But it lay on the slope of a mountain: from one direction one had to go up to it, from the other one went down to it (Sotah 10a).

And she wrapped herself. she veiled her face that he should not recognise her.

And she sat at the entrance of enayim. (literally, at the opening of the eyes), at the place where the eyes become opened:) at the cross-road which is on the way leading to Timnah. Our Rabbis explain (Sotah 10b) that it means at the door (פתח) of our father Abraham’s residence to which all eyes עינים)) looked forward to pay a visit.

For she saw that shelah was grown. etc., This was the reason why she offered herself to Judah, for she was anxious to have children from him (as an ancestor in some way or other) (Horayot 10b).

And he thought her to be an harlot. because she was sitting at the cross-roads.

For she had covered her face. so that he could not see her face and thus recognize her. A Midrashic explanation of our Rabbis is that כי כסתה פניה means BECAUSE SHE ALWAYS COVERED HER FACE: when she had stayed in her father-in-law’s house she had shown herself a modest woman, and therefore he did not suspect her (of being the woman who was sitting there for that evil purpose) (Sotah 10b).

And he turned unto her by the way. from the road he was following he turned to the road where she was. In old French détourner; English to turn aside.

Come, i pray thee. Prepare yourself and your mind for this. Wherever הבה occurs it signifies “preparing oneself”, except in any passage where it must necessarily be translated by “giving”. And, indeed, those signifying “preparation” have almost the meaning of “giving”. (ערבון (17, means a PLEDGE.

. means a PLEDGE.

Thy signet and thy string. The Targum renders it by “Thy signet and thy cloak”, the ring which you use as a seal and the cloak with which you cover yourself

And she conceived by him. (לו, to him), she conceived men who were strong, similar to himself, and men who were righteous, similar to himself (Genesis Rabbah 85:9).

הקדשה. means a woman who is devoted to, (מקדשת) and who is ever ready for illicit intercourse.

. Let that remain hers which she has in her possession (i.e. LET HER KEEP IT).

Lest we become a scorn. if you seek her further the matter will become public and disgrace will follow, for what more can I do to redeem my promise? (for I have sent this kid etc and I can do no more).

Behold, i sent this kid. Because Judah had deceived his father through a kid of the goats, for he had dipped Joseph’s coat in its blood, therefore he, too, was deceived through a kid of the goats (Genesis Rabbah 85:9).

About three months after. the greater part of the first, the greater part of the third and the entire middle (second) one (Genesis Rabbah 85:10). The expression כמשלש חדשים signifies “when the months repeated themselves three times”. The word משלש is similar in form to (Ester 9:19) “and sending (ומשלח) portions”; (Isaiah 11:14), “sending (משלח) forth their hand”. Onkelos renders it similarly כתלתות ירחיא (where תלתות is the infinitive of תַּלַּת “when the months become three”).

She is with child by harlotry. The word הרה is an adjective, meaning pregnant, like (Exodus 21:22) “a pregnant (הרה) woman” (where הרה can be only an adjective) and as (Song. 7:10) “Clear (ברה) as the sun” (where ברה is an adjective; Rashi perhaps quotes this example to prove also that הרה is from root הרר just as ברה is from ברר)

And let her be burnt. Ephraim the Disputant said in the name of Rabbi Meir: She was the daughter of Shem who was a priest (see Rashi on Genesis 14:18) on this account they sentenced her to be burnt (cf. Leviticus 21:9) (Genesis Rabbah 85:10).

When she was brought forth. to be burnt.

She sent to her father-in-law. she did not wish to put him to shame in public by saying “It is by thee that I am with child”, but she said only “By the man whose these are”. She thought: “if he is to acknowledge it, let him acknowledge it voluntarily, and if not, let them burn me and let me not put him to shame in public”. From this passage our Rabbis derived the teaching: Far better that a man should let himself be cast into a fiery furnace (even as Tamar was ready to be burnt to death) and let him not publicly put his fellow to shame (Sotah 10b).

Recognise, i pray thee. The word נא is used as an expression of entreaty: Acknowledge (הכר) I beg of you, your Creator and do not destroy three lives (Genesis Rabbah 85:11).

She is righteous. (right) in what she has said

From me. is she with child. Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, explained this to mean that a Bath-kol came forth and said the word ממני, from Me and by My agency have these things happened: because she proved herself a modest woman whilst in her father-in-law’s house I have ordained that kings shall be descended from her, and I have already ordained that I would raise up kings in Israel from the tribe of Judah (Genesis Rabbah 85:11) (therefore I have brought it about that these two persons who are to be the ancestors of kings should unite to become so).

Because that i gave her not. For (כי) she has acted rightly, because (על כן) I did not give her to Shelah, my son.

And he knew her again no more. Some explain that ולא יסף means he did not continue to know her (Sifrei Bamidbar 88): others explain that it means he did not cease to know her (Sotah 10b). An exactly similar instance occurs in reference to Eldad and Medad (Numbers 11:25), where ולא יספו which some translate “and they did not continue to prophesy” is translated in the Targum by “and they did not cease to prophesy”.

At the time of her bearing. But in the case of Rebecca Scripture says (25:24) “And when her days to give birth were fulfilled”, in the latter case the months of pregnancy were complete, here, however, they were short of the full term (Genesis Rabbah 85:13).

And behold twins. Here the word is written plene (with א and י whilst there (in the case of Rebecca) it is written defective (תומם without these letters) because one (viz., Esau) was wicked, but here both were righteous (Genesis Rabbah 85:13).

The one put out his hand. one stretched forth his hand outside, and after she had bound the scarlet thread upon his hand he drew it back.

Thou hast burst forth. What a strong effort hast thou made!

That had the shining red thread upon his hand. The word יד is written here four times corresponding to the four acts of sacrilege which Achan, who was a descendant of Zarah, committed with his hand. Others say these correspond to the four things which he took with his hand of the spoil of Jericho: a Babylon garment, two hundred shekels, and a wedge of gold (Genesis Rabbah 85:14).

And his name was called zarah. (bright, shining), because of the bright colour of the scarlet thread.

And Joseph was brought down. It (Scripture) now reverts to the original subject (and consequently it states ויוסף הורד “Joseph had been brought down to Egypt” before the events last mentioned); it interrupted it only in order to connect the account of the degradation of Judah (Genesis 38:1) with that of the sale of Joseph, thus suggesting that it was on account of him (i.e. Joseph, Judah’s part in the sale of Joseph) that they (his brothers) degraded him from his high position. A further reason why this narrative of Judah and Tamar is interpolated here is to place in juxtaposition the story of Potiphar’s wife and the story of Tamar, suggesting that just as this woman (Tamar) acted out of pure motives so also the other (Potiphar’s wife) acted out of pure motives, for she foresaw by her astrological speculations that she was destined to be the ancestress of children by him (Joseph), but she did not know whether these children were to be hers or her daughter’s (Genesis Rabbah 85:2).

ה‘ אתו that the Lord was with him. the name of G-d was a familiar word in his mouth (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 8).

And all that he had. This is an elliptical phrase, the word אשר is omitted after.

And he knew not aught he had. he paid no attention to anything.

Save the bread. this means his wife, but Scripture uses here a euphemism (Genesis Rabbah 86:6) (cf. Joseph’s own words in Genesis 39:9).

And Joseph was of beautiful form. As soon as he saw that he was ruler (in the house) he began to eat and drink and curl his hair. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Your father is mourning and you curl your hair! I will let a bear loose against you” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 8). Immediately.

וַתִּשָא אֵשֶׁת אֲדוֹנָיו.

אַחַר. כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "אַחַר", סָמוּךְ (תנחומא, ח; ב"ר מד,ה; פז,ג-ד).

And sin against G-d. The “Sons of Noah” (בני נח) were subject to the command which forbade immorality (Sanhedrin 56b).

To lie by her. even without sinning (Genesis Rabbah 87:6).

To be with her. in the world to come (Gehinnom) (Genesis Rabbah 87:6).

And it came to pass on a certain day. This means as much as “and it came to pass when a certain distinguished day arrived”, a day of merriment, a day of their sacred feast when they all went to the temple of their idols, she said), “I shall find no day fitting to associate with Joseph as this day”. She therefore told her attendants I am sick and cannot go to the temple (Sotah 36b).

To do his work. Rab and Samuel differ as to what this means. One holds that it means, his actual house-work; the other that it means to associate with her, but a vision of his father’s face appeared to him and he resisted temptation and did not sin as is stated in Treatise Sotah 36b.

See, he hath brought in unto us. This is an elliptical phrase: “he hath brought in to us” without stating plainly who brought him in She was referring to her husband.

A hebrew. is one who came from the other side (עבר) of the river Euphrates, being at the same time of the sons of Eber (אדניו).

His master. Joseph’s master (not the master or owner of the garment).

. The sentence means: the Hebrew servant whom thou hast brought unto us came to me to have his sport with me.

And it came to pass when his Lord heard. etc., She said this when he was alone with her, caressing her. This is what she meant by כדברים האלה “things like these did thy servant do to me”, caresses such as these.

And caused him to find favour. so that he was liked by all who saw him. We have the expression חסד in a like sense in the Mishna (Baraitha): “a handsome bride liked by all (חסודה)” (Ketubot 17a).

He was the doer of it. understand this as the Targum does: it was done at his command.

. means BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH HIM (i.e. באשר means because).

After these things. Because this malignant woman made the righteous man (Joseph) a familiar topic of conversation with every one so that he was spoken about discreditably the Holy One, blessed be He, brought about the offences of these men in order that people should turn their attention to them and not to him (Genesis Rabbah 88:1), and also in order that relief should come to the righteous man by their agency (Genesis Rabbah 88:3).

Had sinned. in the case of the one, a fly was found in the goblet of aromatic wine, in the case of the other, a pebble was found in the loaves he baked (Genesis Rabbah 88:2).

And the baker. of the king’s bread. The root (אפה) is only used of baking bread. old French pistor; English, kneader.

And the officer of the executioners appointed Joseph. to be WITH THEM (i.e. supply the word להיות to complete the sense).

And they were a year in ward. ימים means twelve months (cf. Rashi on Genesis 24:55).

. means AND BOTH OF THEM DREAMED A DREAM, This is the real meaning (that שניהם is the subject of ויחלמו and is not to be connected with חלום). A Midrashic explanation is, taking חלום as construct case: each dreamed the dream of both of them, i.e. he dreamed his own dream and the interpretation of the other’s dream. This is what it means when it states (v. 16) “And the chief baker saw that he had interpreted well”). (Genesis Rabbah 88:4; Berakhot 55a).

Each man according to the interpretation of his dream. each dreamed a dream consistent with the interpretation which foretold the future that was to befall them.

. means SAD. Similar are (1 Kings 20:43) “sullen and displeased (וזעף)”; (Micah 7:9) “I will bear the displeasure (זעף) of the Lord (the sadness which the Lord has imposed on me).’

Branches. long branches called in old French. vitis.

. means AND IT WAS AS THOUGH IT BUDDED, it seemed to me in my dream as though it budded, and after the bud its blossom sprang up, i.e. it began to flower; old French spanier, and after that the clusters brought forth ripe grapes. The Targum has והיא כד אפרחת אפיקת לבלבין “and it, when it budded, brought forth blossoms”, These words (ע״כ, abbreviation for עד כאן “till here”. The abbreviation is employed to show where a quotation ends.) are the translation of the word פרחת"” only. A נץ is larger than a פרח (i.e. נץ is a later stage of the bud), as it is written (Isaiah 18:5) “and the blossom (נצה) becometh a ripening grape”, and it is written (Numbers 17:23) “And it brought forth buds (פרח)” and afterwards it states “it brought forth (ציץ) blossoms”.

. translate it as the Targum AND I PRESSED, The word occurs frequently in the Mishna (but only here in the Bible).

Are three days. They are a symbol to you of three days. There are many Midrashic explanations of these words (cf. Chullin 92a).

Pharaoh shall lift up thy head. The words נשא ראש denote to count (cf. Exodus 30:12). When he musters his other servants to wait upon him during the meal he will count you also among them.

. means THY POST and thy place.

. means: You will be restored to your post and will have great influence (cf. Nehemia’s position as cupbearer at the Persian court), so that. (כי) if (אם) thou at all bear me in mind after it is well with thee as I have interpreted.

Then show kindness i pray thee unto me. The word נא is an expression of entreaty.

. In our country there are many such baskets and sellers of fancy rolls, old French oublies, usually put them in these baskets.

His. (PHARAOH’S) BIRTHDAY. It is called (Avodah Zarah 10a) “The birthday festival”. The causative passive form (הלדת) is used because the infant is born only by the assistance of others, for the midwife delivers the woman. On this account a midwife is called מילדת a Piel form “one who brings to birth”. This passive form occurs similarly (Ezekiel 16:4) “And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born (הולדת אתך)”. A similar passive form is used in (Leviticus 13:55) “after the plague (הכבס) is washed away”, because the washing is done by others).

. ‘וישא את ראש וגו means he counted them amongst his other servants, because he counted those who might serve him at his feast, and he remembered these amongst them. The phrase is similar to (Numbers 1.2) “שא את ראש” which signifies counting.

And the chief of the butlers did not remember him. on that day

And he forgot him. afterwards. Because Joseph had placed his trust in him that he should remember him he was doomed to remain in prison for two years. So it is said (Psalms 40:5) “Happy is the man who maketh the Lord his trust and turneth not to (רהבים) the arrogant”, i.e. doth not trust in the Egyptians who are called arrogant (Genesis Rabbah 89:3 cf. Isaiah 30:7).