CompromiseWelcomingCymbalsHonoring ParentsMaccabeesJudithListeningWomen in Tanakh Ravens The MatriarchsRomeSapphiresRoostersSederChanukkah Bar Mitzvah Free Will EulogiesPurpose of Life StarsHaggadahConvertsHeavens Jonathan SacksRambamKabbalahShofarRenewalEishes ChayilMannaSacrificeThe Nile River Vegetarianism WineKashrutKodeshDesertsViolenceJoyRamsMotherRosh Chodesh King DavidShemaDreamsGemorrahHeartsShowbreadColorsClothingMindfulnessCommandmentsPurimDinahEsauUnityDonkeysWolvesRambanMiraclesVisiting the Sick Lashon HaraKaddishIncenseMatzahSecretsYom TovScienceSplitting of theRed SeaEducationTreesFloodKidneysPearlsTekheletSleepFaithBurialMarriageSamsonTzitzitAzazelGenesisDirtFastingSanhedrinCourageAntsCreativityMedicineSukkotUshpizinDewScienceCuriosityNaomiBirdsBreadTikkun Olam BirdsGolemsElections Book of LifeTimeMountainsChumashMikvehEveSong of SongsConstellationsSynagoguesAnointing Oil PrayerLoveCandlesArts and CulturePhysicalityLionessGracePriesthoodPoetryBirthdaysWillowsJosephJonah False ProphetsEtrogStealingFour QuestionsScorpionsProtectionGenerationsStones SunKindnessGenerosityLightThe Four RiversAngerKindnessPeaceMitzvotKippahBeautyMinyanElulSadnessWellsCovenant of SaltWhat are you curious about?EXPLORE BY TOPICKidneysPearlsKodeshDesertsViolenceIncenseMatzahSecretsYom TovStarsHaggadahConvertsHeavensScienceCuriosityNaomiPhysicalityLionessGracePriesthoodPoetryAzazelGenesisDirtFastingSanhedrinCourageAntsConstellationsSynagoguesAnointing OilEishes ChayilMannaSacrificeThe Nile River VegetarianismCompromiseWelcomingCymbalsHonoring ParentsEtrogStealingFour QuestionsScorpionsProtectionGenerationsStones SunBirdsGolemsElections Book of LifeWomen in Tanakh Ravens The MatriarchsRomeSapphiresRoostersSederUnityDonkeysWolvesRambanGemorrahHeartsShowbreadColorsClothingMindfulnessKinKippahBeautyMinyanElulSadnessWellsCovenant of SaltEXPLORE TOPICSWhat are you curious about?

Joseph in Egypt

AI Info Icon
Some of the text on this page has been AI generated.  Learn More
Feedback
Stories
Notable Sources
All Sources
A
Divine Favor in Egypt
TANAKH
Joseph's rise from slavery to a position of power in Egypt demonstrates the profound impact of divine favor. The Torah recounts how Joseph, sold into slavery, gained success and trust in Potiphar's household due to God's blessings.
When Joseph was taken down to Egypt, Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh and his prefect —a [type of] Egyptian official —bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. יהוה was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he stayed in the house of his Egyptian master. And when his master saw that יהוה was with him and that יהוה lent success to everything he undertook, he took a liking to Joseph. He made him his personal attendant and put him in charge of his household, placing in his hands all that he owned…
Genesis 39:1-7
The Miraculous Retrieval of Joseph's Coffin
TOSEFTA
The miraculous retrieval of Joseph's coffin by Moses highlights the continuity of Jewish heritage and the fulfillment of promises to the patriarchs. According to Tosefta Sotah 4:3, Moses learned from Serakh bat Asher that Joseph's coffin was buried in the Nile River. The text describes how Moses, invoking God's promise and the urgency of redemption, summoned Joseph's coffin from the Nile through a supernatural act, demonstrating the divine intervention and the importance of honoring the patriarchal oath.
How did Moses know where Joseph had been buried? They said: Serakh daughter, of Asher was of the same generation, and she went and said to Moses: "In the Nile River, Joseph is buried. And the Egyptians made for him metal skewers and affixed them with wood." Moses went and stood at the Nile River and said, "Joseph, the time has come for the Holy Blessed One to redeem Israel. Behold, the Shekhina is delayed for you, and the Israelites are delayed for you, and the clouds of glory are delayed for you…
Tosefta Sotah 4:3
The Mystery of Joseph's Egyptian Name
COMMENTARY
The name 'TZAPHNATH PA’NEI’ACH' given to Joseph by Pharaoh reflects a fascinating blend of Egyptian and Hebrew influences. Ramban, a 13th-century Spanish Torah commentator, delves into the linguistic and cultural significance of Joseph's Egyptian name.
‘TZAPHNATH PA’NEI’ACH.’ Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said, “If this is an Egyptian word, we do not know its meaning, and if it is a translated one [from Yoseiph, the Hebrew name for Joseph], then we do not know the meaning of the name Yoseiph, [that is, the aspect of the name which has this translation].
But according to the opinion of earlier scholars, who say that it means “explainer of secrets” and is a Hebrew expression, it is possible that Pharaoh called him by this honorable name in accordance with the language of Joseph’s country after he asked him…
Ramban on Genesis 41:45:1
Joseph's Mystical Role
CHASIDUT
Joseph, as a tzaddik, is seen as the spiritual root and sustainer of all Jewish souls. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, in his early 19th-century work Likutei Moharan, delves into the mystical authority and encompassing role of Joseph in Jewish spirituality.
2. For the principle is that the tzaddik has the power to exercise rule as he sees fit. As our Sages taught: “a tzaddik rules…” (2 Samuel 23:3) —Who rules over Me? The tzaddik (Moed Katan 16b). This corresponds to “Yosef was the ruler” (Genesis 42:6). He is the encompassing root of all Jewish souls, and they are the extensions that receive from him.
Likutei Moharan 34:2:1
Joseph's Political Imprisonment
COMMENTARY
Joseph's imprisonment in Egypt was not just a personal ordeal but a reflection of the political dynamics and lack of judicial fairness in ancient Egypt. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible provides a clear and engaging exploration of Joseph's time in a prison for political prisoners.
Joseph’s master took him, without any judicial process, and placed him in the prison in order to punish him, in the place where the king’s prisoners were incarcerated. It later becomes apparent that this prison housed distinguished political prisoners, not convicted criminals. And he was there in the prison as one of the prisoners.
Steinsaltz on Genesis 39:20
The Journey of Joseph's Bones
COMMENTARY
The journey of Joseph's bones from Egypt to the Promised Land symbolizes the continuity and fulfillment of Israelite history. Everett Fox’s essays explore the significance of this journey, connecting the end of Genesis, the Exodus, and the conquest of Canaan.
Two other elements of weight enter in this brief passage. One concerns Yosef’s bones, which leave Egypt with his descendants. The body of Yosef seems to anchor early Israelite history: its mummification brings the Genesis stories to a close, its journey here links up Israel’s patriarchal past with the radically new deliverance from bondage, and its final interment in the land of Israel formally closes out the conquest of the land under Yehoshua (Joshua) (Josh. 24:32).
The Five Books of Moses, by Everett Fox, Exodus, Part I; The Deliverance Narrative, The Route and the Escort 3
An End to Darkness
CHASIDUT
The end of Joseph's imprisonment is seen as a metaphor for the eradication of the evil inclination and the arrival of salvation. Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica, in his Hasidic commentary Mei HaShiloach, interprets the phrase 'at the end of two years of days' as marking the end of evil and darkness, leading to immediate salvation.
“And it was, at the end of two years of days, and Pharaoh dreamed ….” (Bereshit, 41:1)
“Years—of days” hints that in two days all the good of the world were created. That is, in the third day God created all the good we receive from eating, and on the sixth day God created the form of man, meaning the root of life and the honor of elevation, for man is elevated above all. Salvation comes when man is refined in these two aspects. This is the meaning of “and it was, at the end of two years of days,” meaning when there is a complete end of the evil in these two days…
Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Genesis, Miketz 2
Joseph's Steadfastness
TALMUD
Joseph's refusal to sin with Potiphar’s wife had profound spiritual and eternal consequences. Rabbi Elazar's interpretation in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism consisting of discussions and commentary on Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history, emphasizes that avoiding sin in this world impacts one's fate in the World-to-Come.
Rabbi Elazar says: The transgression is tied to him like a dog and does not leave him, as it is stated with regard to Joseph and Potiphar’s wife: “And he did not listen to her, to lie by her, or to be with her” (Genesis 39:10). This teaches that Joseph refused “to lie by her” in this world, which would have meant that he would have had “to be with her” in the World-to-Come.
Avodah Zarah 5a:5
Joseph's Strategic Foresight
COMMENTARY
Joseph's strategic planning during the famine in Egypt highlights his logistical acumen and psychological sensitivity. The 18th-century commentary Or HaChaim by Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar delves into Joseph's thoughtful distribution of food, ensuring accessibility and reducing stress during the famine.
Another reason why Joseph opened all the silos simultaneously was that he had arranged for the silos to be close to the various population centres. Had he opened only one silo at a time the people would have had to travel long distances to receive their rations. As it was, Joseph made sure the people knew that there was a supply of food close by. This made the famine a great deal easier to bear. Our rabbis have described this psychological fact by coining the phrase אינו דומה מי שיש לו פס בסלו למי שאין לו…
Or HaChaim on Genesis 41:56:2
Invoking Joseph's Strength
CHASIDUT
Joseph's spiritual strength and divine assistance in overcoming his evil inclination can inspire us to seek similar divine support for our own spiritual growth and purity. Rabbi Nathan of Breslov's Likutei Tefilot offers prayers that invoke the merit of Joseph (Yoseph the Tzaddik) to help us in our personal spiritual struggles.
You helped Yoseph the Tzaddik when he was tested: You saved him and gave him the strength to overcome his evil inclination. In the same way, arouse Your compassion for me. Through the merit and strength of Yoseph, give me intelligence, wisdom, understanding and knowledge, holy strength and power, so that I will be able to avoid all impurity in my life and conquer my impulses and inclinations. Let my thoughts be bound and attached to Your holiness at all times, without a single moment's interruption.
Likutei Tefilot, Volume I 2:6
Judah's Resolve in Egypt
MIDRASH
Judah's unwavering determination to free Benjamin highlights the themes of brotherhood, leadership, and justice. Louis Ginzberg's early 20th-century work, Legends of the Jews, offers a rich synthesis of Jewish folklore and biblical stories, bringing to life the narrative of Joseph and his brothers.
Joseph dismissed his brethren, and carried Benjamin off by main force, and locked him up in a chamber. But Judah broke the door open and stood before Joseph with his brethren. He determined to use in turn the three means of liberating Benjamin at his disposal. He was prepared to convince Joseph by argument, or move him by entreaties, or resort to force, in order to accomplish his end.
Legends of the Jews 2:1:270
The Silver Cup Confrontation
MUSAR
The confrontation between Yehudah and Joseph over the silver cup in Benjamin's sack is a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative. Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horowitz’s 17th-century work, Shenei Luchot HaBerit, delves into the deeper ethical and mystical implications of this dramatic incident.
Another problem in the whole episode is the argument between Yehudah and Joseph with Benjamin as its focus. This argument appears to have been provoked by the planting of Joseph's silver cup in Benjamin's sack.
Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Vayeshev, Miketz, Vayigash, Torah Ohr 49
The Reunion in Goshen
TARGUM
The emotional and spiritual reunion between Joseph and his father Israel in Goshen is a moment of profound significance. The Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, an Aramaic translation and interpretation of the Torah, provides additional context and elaboration on this biblical event.
And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen; and his father, before he recognised him, worshipped him, and thus became liable to be shortened (or cut off) in his years. And he wondered, and beheld him, and fell upon his neck, and wept still upon his neck, because he had worshipped him.
Targum Jonathan on Genesis 46:29
The Chief Baker's Dream
SECOND TEMPLE
The chief baker's dream and Joseph's interpretation of it reveal the profound impact of dreams and their interpretations in the biblical narrative. Philo of Alexandria, a first-century Jewish philosopher, provides a detailed account of the chief baker's dream and Joseph's interpretation, emphasizing the baker's initial optimism and the vivid imagery of the dream.
[93] The chief baker, for his part, approved the interpretation, and, thinking that he himself had had a lucky dream, though in reality it was very much the reverse, and misled by the comforting hopes of the other, proceeded as follows: “I too had a dream. I thought I was carrying three baskets—full of bakemeats—on my head, the uppermost full of all the different kinds which are regularly provided for the use of the king, for the delicacies produced by the caterers for the king’s table are varied and elaborate…
On Joseph 18:1
Joseph's Mystical Burial
KABBALAH
Joseph's burial and his covenantal role are of profound spiritual significance, as he was uniquely placed in a coffin in Egypt and later buried in the Holy Land. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, offers a mystical interpretation of Joseph's burial, emphasizing his unique covenantal role.
Thus there they will rise up first, for the reason that it is the portion of him who was put in an ark, as it says, “and he was put in an ark in Egypt”(Gen. 50, 26), and subsequently was buried in the Holy Land, as it says “And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem” (Jos. 24, 32); and he it was who kept the purity of the holy covenant symbol in a special degree.
Zohar, Vayakhel 43:494
Moral Accountability in the Story of Joseph
LITURGY
The brothers who sold Joseph into slavery are held morally accountable, highlighting the severe consequences of their actions and their hypocrisy. This text, part of the Yom Kippur Musaf service, recounts the martyrdom of ten rabbis by the Romans, invoking deep reflection and penitence.
They answered him: “The kidnapper should be put to death.” He then exclaimed “Where are your fathers, who sold their brother and dealt him to a caravan of Ishmaelites for pairs of shoes.”
Machzor Yom Kippur Ashkenaz, Musaf for Yom Kippur, The Ten Martyrs 6
The butler and the baker's dreams, Joseph interpreting their dreams, Pharaoh's dream. From the Haggadah for Passover (the 'Sister Haggadah'), Catalonia, mid 14th century
The butler and the baker's dreams, Joseph interpreting their dreams, Pharaoh's dream. From the Haggadah for Passover (the 'Sister Haggadah'), Catalonia, mid 14th century

Relatedראו גם

More

Sheetsדפי מקורות

Related Sheets
We use cookies to give you the best experience possible on our site. Click OK to continue using Sefaria. Learn More.OKאנחנו משתמשים ב"עוגיות" כדי לתת למשתמשים את חוויית השימוש הטובה ביותר.קראו עוד בנושאלחצו כאן לאישור