פרשת וישב - האדם מתכנן ואלוקים צוחק

This, then, is the line of Jacob: At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended the flocks with his brothers, as a helper to the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. And Joseph brought bad reports of them to their father.

אלה תלדות יעקב 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)

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age (Gen. 37:3). The “son of his features” (ikunim, playing on zikunim, “old age”), for he resembled his father very closely. R. Ishmael said: He was called the son of his old age because Joseph sustained his father and his brethren (ibid. 47:12). That is, he fulfilled a son’s obligation to his aged father. Because Joseph foresaw in his dream that he was destined to rule, and related this fact to his father, his brothers were incensed at him.

And Joseph brought an evil report of them to his father (ibid. 37:2). He told his father: “My brothers eat the limbs of living animals.” The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Be assured, you will be suspected of committing the very act you accused them of committing: And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians that did eat with him (ibid. 43:32). Because he spoke slander against them, his brothers became embittered, and set in motion the chain of events that resulted in the descent of our ancestors to their bondage in Egypt for four hundred years.

“Joseph was taken down to Egypt and Potiphar, the official of Pharaoh, the chief executioner, an Egyptian man, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there” (Genesis 39:1). “Joseph was taken down to Egypt.” It is written: “With ropes of man I drew them, [with bonds of love; I was for them like those who lift the yoke above their jaws, and I leaned to them to provide food]” (Hosea 11:4) – these are Israel, [as it is stated]: “Draw me; after you I will run” (Song of Songs 1:4). “With bonds of love” (Hosea 11:4) – as it is written: “I loved you, said the Lord” (Malachi 1:2). “I was for them like those who lift the yoke” (Hosea 11:4) – as I elevated their enemies over them. Why to that extent? “Above their jaws” (Hosea 11:4) – because of the words that they expressed with their jaws, as they said: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:8). But ultimately, “I leaned to them to provide food” (Hosea 11:4) – I provide them with many foods to eat; “There will be abundance of grain in the land” (Psalms 72:16). Another matter, “with ropes of man I drew them [emshakhem]” (Hosea 11:4) – this is Joseph, [as it is stated]: “They pulled [vayimshekhu] and lifted Joseph from the pit” (Genesis 37:28). “With bonds of love” (Hosea 11:4) – “Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons” (Genesis 37:3). “I was for them like those who lift the yoke” (Hosea11:4) – as I elevated his enemies over him. Who was that? It was Potiphar’s wife. Why to that extent? “Above their jaws” (Hosea 11:4) – because of the words that he expressed with his jaws – “Joseph brought evil report of them to their father” (Genesis 37:2). But ultimately, “I leaned to them to provide food (Hosea 11:4) – an abundance of food.

Another matter, “Joseph was taken down to Egypt.” “Joseph was the ruler” (Genesis 42:6). “Joseph was taken down [hurad] to Egypt” – he ruled over them, just as it says: “He will rule [veyerd] from sea to sea” (Psalms 72:8). He subdued them, just as it says: “For he had dominion [rodeh] over the entire region across the River” (I Kings 5:4). He imposed relocation upon them, just as it says: “He scraped it [vayirdehu] into his hands” (Judges 14:9). He caused Jacob our patriarch to descend [horid] to Egypt. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: This is analogous to a cow that they were pulling to the slaughterhouse, but it would not be pulled. What did they do to it? They pulled its offspring before it, and it was walking after it despite itself, and to its [ultimate] detriment. So, Jacob was supposed to descend to Egypt in chains and neck chains. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Shall I take My firstborn son down [to Egypt] in disgrace? And if I introduce it into Pharaoh’s heart, would I not be taking him down [to Egypt] in public? Instead, I will draw his son before him, and he will descend after him despite himself and to his [ultimate] detriment.’ He took down the Divine Presence with him. Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Simon: From where do we derive that the Divine Presence descended with him? From what is written: “The Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:2). “To Egypt [Mitzraima]” – it is taught in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Any word that requires a lamed at its start, a heh [can be] placed at its end [instead]: Sedoma, Se’ira, Mitzraima, Ḥarana. But is it not written: “The wicked will return to the netherworld [lishola]”? (Psalms 9:18). Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said: [They will be sent] to the lowest compartment in the netherworld.

What is meant by Thy thoughts are very deep? R. Yohanan said: This alludes to the deep thoughts You shared with Abraham (at the covenant) between the pieces (of the covenanat offering) when You said to him: Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger (Gen. 15:13). However, R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Deep thoughts indicates that though they were to become strangers and an alien people, dwellers in a land not their own, where they would be kept in bondage for four hundred years, and would be forced to descend from the prisoner’s block with bands about their neck, He did not do that. He contrived a way for them to descend in dignity. He accomplished this through subterfuge. He made Jacob love Joseph so much that his brothers hated him. As a consequence they sold him to the Ishmaelites, who brought him to Egypt. Then Jacob and his sons descended because of him, as it is said: And Joseph was brought down into Egypt.

It is related that when Antoninus came to Caesarea he summoned our saintly Rabbi. His son, R. Simeon, and the illustrious R. Hiyya accompanied him. R. Simeon noticed the handsome, distinguished-looking legionary, whose head reached the capitals of the columns, and he said to R. Hiyya: “See how fat the calves of Esau are.” Whereupon R. Hiyya took him to the marketplace and pointed out baskets of grapes and figs covered with flies, and said to him: “These flies and these legionaries are one and the same.” When R. Simeon returned to his father he told him: “This is what I said to R. Hiyya, and this is how he answered me.” “R. Hiyya,” he replied, “was only substantially correct in comparing the legionaries to the flies, for the legionaries are considered as nothing (before God), while the Holy One, blessed be He, used flies as His emissaries,” as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uppermost parts of the river of Egypt (Isa. 7:18), and also: And I will send the hornet before thee (Exod. 23;28). Proof of this is that at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to fulfill the decree: Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger (Gen. 15:13), He selected as his emissary one from the smallest tribe. And so Joseph was sold into Egypt, and later Jacob and his sons went there to fulfill the decree. Therefore it is written: And Joseph was brought down into Egypt (Gen. 39:1).

“It was after these matters that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and she said: Lie with me” (Genesis 39:7). “It was after these matters.” “I saw among the naïve [bapetayim]” (Proverbs 7:7) – these are the tribes. Rabbi Levi said: In Arabia, they call children patya. “Discerned among the youths a lad” (Proverbs 7:7) – this is Joseph. He was “devoid of understanding” (Proverbs 7:7), as he would speak slander about his brothers. Is there anyone more devoid of understanding? From that, their descent to Egypt developed. “And behold, there is a woman to meet him” (Proverbs 7:10) – this is Potiphar’s wife, who confronted Joseph. “Dressed like a harlot” (Proverbs 7:10) – for Joseph. “And wily of heart” (Proverbs 7:10) – for Egypt. “She is turbulent and rebellious” (Proverbs 7:11) – muttering and confused. “Her feet do not abide in her house” (Proverbs 7:11) – but rather, “sometimes in the street, [sometimes in the squares, she lurks at every corner]” (Proverbs 7:12) – she would ask and say: ‘Have you seen Joseph?’ “She seized him and kissed him” (Proverbs 7:13) – “she seized him by his garment” (Genesis 39:12). “She was brazen and said to him” (Proverbs 7:13) – “lie with me” (Genesis 39:12).

“She seized him by his garment, saying: Lie with me. He left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside” (Genesis 39:12). “She seized him by his garment…and went outside” – he leapt by the merit of the patriarchs, just as it says: “He took him outside” (Genesis 15:5). Shimon of Kitron said: By the merit of Joseph’s bones, the sea was split for Israel. That is what is written: “The sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114:3), by the merit of: “He left his garment in her hand and fled.” “She called the people of her household, and spoke to them, saying: See, he brought us a Hebrew man to ridicule us; he came to me to lie with me, and I cried out in a loud voice” (Genesis 39:14). “She called the people of her household” – she placed it into the mouths of all of them. “She placed his garment beside her, until his master’s arrival to his home” (Genesis 39:16). “She placed his garment beside her” – Rabbi Ami said: She hugged it and kissed it.

What is written prior to this matter? “These are the kings [who reigned in the land of Edom before the reign of a king for the children of Israel]” (Genesis 36:31). And here it is written: “Jacob settled” – Rabbi Ḥunya said: This is analogous to one who was walking on the way and saw a pack of dogs. He was afraid of them and he sat in their midst. So, when our patriarch Jacob saw Esau and his chieftains, he feared them and settled in their midst. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a blacksmith whose [forge] was open to a plaza, and his son, a goldsmith, opened opposite him. He saw many bundles of thorns being brought into the city. He said: ‘Where will all these bundles be stored?’ There was a certain clever man there. He said to him: ‘Are you afraid of these? One spark will emerge from your [forge] and one spark from your son’s, and you will burn them.’ So, when Jacob saw Esau and his chieftains, he was afraid. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Are you afraid of these? One spark from you and one spark from your son will burn all of them. That is what is written: “The house of Jacob will be fire, and the house of Joseph a flame” (Obadiah 1:18) – “Jacob settled.” “This is the legacy of Jacob. Joseph, seventeen years old, was herding the flock with his brothers, and he was a lad with the sons of Bilha, and with the sons of Zilpa, his father’s wives; Joseph brought evil report of them to their father” (Genesis 37:2). So said the Sages: “This is the legacy [toledot] of Jacob, Joseph” – all of these offspring [toladot] resulted only due to the merit of Joseph and because of him. Did Jacob not go to Laban only for Rachel? All these offspring were waiting until Joseph was born. That is what is written: “It was, when Rachel bore Joseph” (Genesis 30:25) – when the rival of that wicked one was born, “Jacob said to Laban: Release me, and I will go” (Genesis 30:25). Who caused them to descend to Egypt? Joseph. Who supported them? Joseph. The sea was split only due to the merit of Joseph. That is what is written: “The waters saw You, God; the waters saw You and were frightened” (Psalms 77:17); “the depths sounded its voice” (Habakkuk 3:10); “with Your arm, You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph” (Psalms 77:16). Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shimon said: The Jordan, too, split only due to the merit of Joseph. Another matter: “Jacob settled” – so said the Sages: Jacob our patriarch did not enjoy settlement until he resided in his father’s residence. Which is that? It is the land of Canaan, as it was there that his father, Isaac, resided. Another matter: The numerical value of “residence [megurei]” is two hundred and fifty-nine – [corresponding to the years] from the day that the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: “Know [that your descendants shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs]” (Genesis 15:13) – until the time that Jacob our patriarch settled in the land of his father’s residence [megurei].

“Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was a son of his old age; he crafted him a fine [passim] tunic” (Genesis 37:3). “His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him” (Genesis 37:4). “Israel loved Joseph” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda says: Because the contours of [Joseph’s] face resembled his. Rabbi Neḥemya said: All the halakhot that Shem and Ever had transmitted to Jacob, he transmitted to him. “He crafted him a fine tunic” – Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: A person must refrain from treating one of his children differently, as due to the fine tunic that Jacob crafted for Joseph, “and they hated him…” “Fine [passim]” – as it would reach the palm of his hand [pas yado]. Alternatively, passim – as it was extremely thin and light and could be hidden in the palm of his hand. “Fine [passim]” – they conducted a lottery [shehefisu] in its regard to determine who would take it to his father, and it fell on Judah. “Fine [passim]” – after the troubles that befell him: Peh – Potifar; samekh – merchants [soḥarim]; yod – Ishmaelites [Yishmaelim]; mem – Midianites [Midyanim]. “Fine [passim]” – Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: “Come and see the works of God” (Psalms 66:5), and it is written thereafter: “He turned the sea into dry land” (Psalms 66:6). Why was it that “they hated him”? It was so that the sea would be split before them; passim – strips in the sea [pas yam].

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You fled, therefore be assured: The sea will flee before your coffin, as it is said: The sea saw it and fled (Ps. 114:3).

Similarly, Scripture states with reference to Joseph: And when his brethren saw that his father loved him … they hated him (Gen. 37:4). It was because of the cloak of many colors he had made for him out of (royal) purple wool. Four misfortunes are mentioned as befalling him. They are indicated by the letters of the word passim (“cloak”). The peh alludes to his sale to Potiphar; the samekh to his sale to the merchants (sohrim); the yod to his sale to the Ishmaelites (yishma’elim); and the mem to his sale to the Midianites. Because of the cloak of many colors, all the tribes were compelled to descend to Egypt. R. Yudan declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to fulfill the decree Ye shall surely know that thy seed shall be a stranger (Gen. 15:13), but He resorted to subterfuge in every instance to accomplish it. He made Jacob love Joseph, so that his brothers hated him, and as a result they sold him to the Ishmaelites, who brought him to Egypt. When Jacob heard that Joseph was alive in Egypt, he descended there with his descendants. Later they were enslaved there. Though it says: And Joseph was brought down to Egypt, the word should not be read as hurad (“brought down”) but as horid (“he caused”) his father and the tribes to descend to Egypt.

And Joseph was brought down into Egypt (Gen. 39:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Come and see the works of God; he acts circuitously in His doings toward the children of man (Ps. 66:5). R. Joshua the son of Karha declared: Even the fearful experiences You inflicted upon us, You brought about circuitously. For example, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, He fashioned the angel of death on the first day. Whence do we know that? R. Berechiah said: We know it from the verse And darkness was on the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). Darkness refers to the angel of death, for he darkens the face of man.

“And the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him” (Genesis 40:23). “And the chief butler did not remember…” – each day, he would stipulate conditions, and an angel would come and reverse them. He would tie knots and an angel would come and untie them. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You forget him, but I will not forget him.’ That is what is written: “And the chief butler did not remember.” Another matter, the chief butler forgot you, but I will not forget you. Who was expecting Abraham and Sarah, who were old, to have a son born to them? Who was expecting Jacob, who crossed the Jordan with [but] his staff, to expand and become wealthy? Who was expecting Joseph, who experienced all these troubles, to become king? Who was expecting Moses, who was cast into the Nile, to become what he became? Who was expecting Ruth, who was a proselyte, to return to the kingdom of Israel? Who was expecting David to become king until the end of the generations? Who was expecting Yehoyakhin to leave prison? Who was expecting Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya to emerge from the fire? Who was expecting, in the days of Haman, that the Holy One blessed be He would save Israel? Who expects the exiles to achieve renown and glory? Who expects the Holy One blessed be He to raise the fallen booth of David, as it is stated: “On that day, I will raise the fallen booth of David” (Amos 9:11). [Who expects] that the whole world will become one group, as it is stated: “For then I will convert all the peoples to a pure language, for all of them to call in the name of the Lord, to serve Him with a common effort” (Zephaniah 3:9).

“It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers and turned to an Adulamite man, and his name was Ḥira” (Genesis 38:1). “It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers” – “Judah has betrayed, and an abomination has been performed…” (Malachi 2:11). [God] said to him: ‘You have denied, Judah; you have lied, Judah’ – “and an abomination has been performed in Israel” (Malachi 2:11). ‘Judah has become profane’ – “for Judah has profaned the holy of the Lord that He loves” (Malachi 2:11). “It was at that time.” “I will yet bring to you a dispossessor, inhabitant of Maresha; [the glory of Israel] will come as far as Adulam” (Micah 1:15) – the King and Holy One of Israel. [Alternatively,] should the glory of Israel have “come as far as Adulam”? “Come as far as Adulam” – as it is written: “And turned to an Adulamite man.” “It was at that time” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman began: “For I have known the thoughts” (Jeremiah 29:11) – the tribes were engaged in the sale of Joseph, Joseph was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Reuben was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Jacob was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Judah was engaged in taking a wife for himself, and the Holy One blessed be He was engaged in creating the light of the messianic king: “It was at that time, Judah descended from his brothers.” “Before she begins labor, she will give birth” (Isaiah 66:7) – before the first one who would enslave [Israel] was born, the ultimate redeemer was born. “It was at that time” – what is written prior to the matter? “The Medanites sold him to Egypt” (Genesis 37:36).

“A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, saying: What do you seek? He said: I seek my brothers. Please tell me where they are herding. The man said: They traveled from here, for I heard them saying: We shall go to Dotan. Joseph went after his brothers, and he found them in Dotan” (Genesis 37:15–17). “A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field” – Rabbi Yannai said: Three angels came to his assistance: “A man found him”; “the man asked him”; “the man said.” “They traveled from here” – from the attributes of the Omnipresent. “They saw him from afar, and before he approached them, they conspired against him to kill him” (Genesis 37:18). “They saw him from afar” – they said: Come let us sic the dogs on him. “They said one to another: Behold, that dreamer is coming” (Genesis 37:19). “Now let us go and kill him and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say: A savage beast devoured him; and we will see what will become of his dreams” (Genesis 37:20). “They said one to another: Behold, that dreamer [baal haḥalomot]” – The Rabbis said: Here he is coming, bearing his dreams. Rabbi Levi said: This one is destined to mislead them to follow the Baal. “Now let us go and kill him” – the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You say: “And we will see” and I say: We will see – now we will see “whose word will stand” (Jeremiah 44:28), mine or yours.’

AND A MAN FOUND HIM, AND BEHOLD, HE WAS STRAYING IN THE FIELD. The verse is stating that Joseph was straying from the road, not knowing where to go, and he entered a field since he was looking for them in a place of pasture. Scripture mentions this at length in order to relate that many events befell him which could properly have caused him to return, but he endured everything patiently for the honor of his father. It also informs us that the Divine decree is true and man’s industry is worthless. The Holy One, blessed be He, sent him a guide without his knowledge in order to bring him into their hands. It is this that our Rabbis intended when they said that these men were angels, for these events did not occur without purpose, but rather to inform us that It is the counsel of the Eternal that shall stand.

Come and see the works of God,who is held in awe by men for His acts.

He who is enthroned in heaven laughs;the Lord mocks at them.

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall have them in derision. – As he has said that they have taken counsel together against the Lord, to nullify His word, (so now) he says that He sits in heaven, and hears their words, and laughs at and derides them. And when he says of God - Blessed be He ! - He shall laugh at and deride (them), it is metaphorical, an accommodation to human language; for a man laughs at and mocks one whom he despises and esteems as nothing at all. And so: "And Thou, Lord, shalt laugh at them, Thou shalt mock at all the nations" (Ps.lix. 9); "The Lord shall laugh at him, for He sees that his day is coming" (Ps. 37:13). And when he says: He that sitteth in the heavens, the meaning of "sitting" is abiding (enduring), as "and Thou, Lord, remainest (lit. sittest) for ever" (Ps. 102:13). And so every expression of sitting, when it is used of God - Blessed be He ! - as, "O Thou that sittest in the Heavens" (Ps. 123:1); "That hath His seat on high" (Ps. 113:5). And when he says in the heavens, it is because they are stable and endure for ever, and their individualities do not come to an end like those of the earth.

Many designs are in a man’s mind,But it is the LORD’s plan that is accomplished.

Many are the thoughts and plans in the heart of a man, but ultimately it is the counsel of the Lord that will stand. Some explain that one should seek out and attempt to identify the counsel of God, which is actually present within one’s heart among his many other thoughts.