Genesis Vayeishev

Vayeishev
Genesis 37:1−40:23

I. Summary

A. Vayeishiev = (Jacob now) “settled” (in the land where his father resided, the land of Canaan).

B. Jacob (who has had four wives and thirteen children) favors his son Joseph and makes him a coat of many colors (because Joseph was the son of his old age). Joseph brings malicious reports of his brothers to Jacob (Should Jacob have permitted that? Was this part of Jacob continuing pattern of questionably moral acts?). The other brothers “hated” Joseph (because Jacob favors Joseph). Joseph tells his brothers of his dreams suggesting his superiority over his brothers (wheat sheafs, sun, moon, and eleven stars all bowing to Joseph) which makes his brothers hate him even more. Jacob “kept the matter in mind” (to protect Joseph?). (37:1-11)

C. After Joseph's brothers go to tend the flocks in Shechem, Jacob sends Joseph to report on them. Joseph is directed to his brothers in Dothan by “a man who happened on him” (reminiscent of nameless person/entity who wrestled with Jacob). The brothers decide against murdering Joseph but instead and at Reuben’s urging (who saves Joseph’s life?), throw Joseph into a pit without water (big deal since he is in the desert and dry pit presumably has scorpions). As brothers are sitting down to eat (remarkably insensitive?), they look up to see a caravan of Ishmaelites/Midianites to whom they decide, at Judah’s urging, to sell Joseph as a slave to Midianites (good act of saving Joseph’s life v. bad act of selling Joseph into slavery?). (37:12-28)

D. Brothers take Joseph's coat, which had been dipped in the blood of a kid, and show it to Jacob who then believes that Joseph has been killed by a beast (and “tore his clothes” … basis for torn black ribbon at shiva?). Midianites sell Joseph to Potiphar, one of Pharoah’s officers in Egypt. (37:29-36)

E. Judah marries daughter of Shua (a Canaanite!) and has four sons. Tamar successively marries two of Judah's four sons, Er and Onan, both of whom are “wicked” (?) and die (Judah’s punishment fro his role in selling Joseph to Midianites?). Judah does not permit Tamar’s levirate marriage (duty of a man to marry the widow of his brother per Deut 25:5-10) to his youngest son, Shelah lest Shelah would also die after marrying Tamar. (38:1-11)

F. Tamar poses as prostitute (using veil ... reminiscent of Moses wearing veil at Ex 34:33 and Leah wearing veil at Gen 29:23) in a scheme to force Judah (her father-in-law) to honor the tradition of levirate marriage. Judah solicits Tamar. She becomes pregnant by Judah. Judah is told his daughter-in-law is pregnant “by harlotry” (he thought she was living as widow in her father’s house waiting for Judah’s youngest son, Shelah, to grow up so he could become her husband). As head of family (and not knowing Tamar is pregnant), Judah orders Tamar burned for being adulterous. Tamar takes Judah’s signet seal, cord and staff as pledge for sheep promised to her by Judah for “coupling”. Judah sees truth and admits that Tamar “more in the right”. Tamar gives birth to Zerah (initially first born with crimson thread placed on finger by midwife but goes back in and becomes second born … reminiscent of Jacob holding onto Esau’s heel at birth) and Perez (ancestor of King David) who becomes first born. (38:12-30)

G. Joseph prospers (“Eternal was with Joseph”) and is given authority for all of Potiphar’s possessions. Potiphar’s (unnamed) wife attempts to seduce Joseph rebuffs her. In turn, Potiphar’s wife wrongfully accuses Joseph of rape, whereupon Joseph is imprisoned where Joseph is given authority for other prisoners (“Eternal was (still) with him”). (39:1-23)

H. Joseph interprets dreams of imprisoned cupbearer and baker who are released and hanged, respectively, by Pharoah per Joseph’s dream interpretations. (40:1-23)

II. Commentary (Plaut, various websites and prior Hevreh discussions)

A. Hineni – Joseph’s statement of readiness to Jacob (“I am ready” at 37:13) reminiscent of earlier instances of fathers about to lose sons, i.e. Abraham to God, Isaac and angel (Akedah) at 22:1, 22:7, 22:11 and Esau to Isaac (blind Isaac’s blessing of Jacob and Esau) at 27:1.

B. What motivates us? - What motivated Reuben and Judah to suggest alternative other than killing Joseph? Why did Judah admit that Tamar was more right than he? Why did Joseph rebuff advances of Potiphar’s wife? Consider fear, loyalty, following word of God, making up for past wrongs (see next section on true repentance), personal ethics. Suggests tension between internal and external motivation and between spiritual and physical motivation. Assuming multiple motivations, is there a hierarchy of motivations? Does hierarchy change with circumstances? Assuming static circumstances, should hierarchy be same among all people?

C. True repentance - Truest form of repentance is when someone has not only publicly confessed his or her sin and sought atonement but has subsequently found him or herself in a similar situation and has refrained from sinning again. Judah showed such repentance. Judah’s plan to sell Joseph to the Midianites and report him killed to their father was an act of deceit. When accused by Tamar and faced with public humiliation both for his acts and his lack of faithfulness, Judah publicly repents, i.e. he had opportunity to deceive again but chose not to do so.

D. Tamar – Tamar is a catalyst in Judah’s change from selfishness to righteousness. Sentenced by Judah to death, Tamar does not choose to save herself by publicly identifying him as the father of her child, thereby shaming and humiliating him before his community. Rabbinic view is humiliation = murder, i.e. given that people blush when embarrassed and blanch when humiliated, this sudden loss of blood as a type of public death making the person who inflicts public humiliation, metaphorically, a murderer. Tamar’s humiliation of Judah would have been murder.

E. Seventy Jews in the world - At the time of the Joseph novella (Genesis 37−50), the Land of Israel, is home to all seventy Jews in the entire world - so close to extinction!

F. Free will exists within God's plan – Joseph’s brothers seeing caravan of Ishmaelites and deciding to sell Joseph them echoes Abraham's actions during the Akedah when he looks up and sees the ram caught by its horns in the thicket and makes a decision to substitute the ram for his son in the sacrifice. God gave brothers and Abraham the path to following God’s plan. While brothers and Abraham could exercise their free will, God had knowledge of what they would do. Overriding purpose of divine power cannot be altered.

G. Clothes as a device for treachery – Jacob gives Joseph “coat of many colors” (giving brothers cause to hate Joseph even more). Tamar dresses as prostitute to entice Judah (as part of scheme to get Judah to allow Tamar to marry Judah’s last surviving son). Mrs. Potiphar produces Joseph’s cloak to Potiphar as (false) evidence of Joseph molesting Mrs. Potiphar. In all instances, clothing used as device for treachery. Note that article of clothing is called a begged which shares the same word root as begidah which means "treachery" or "deception.

H. Tamar’s solicitation of Judah v. Mrs. Potiphar solicitation of Joseph – Both reflect sexual enticement, deceit and resolution through act of morality by victim of deceit (Judah and Joseph).

I. Why we are “Jews and not Joes” – Differences in morality between Judah and Joseph? Joseph arguably is driven, focused and opportunistic (gains strength from adversity) but lacks people skills. Judah “saves” Joseph from death by suggesting to brothers that they sell Joseph to Midianites. Joseph also admits that Tamar is “more in the right” in Tamar incident. Redactors arguably had agenda to view Judah positively.

(Revised 12/12/09)