Shalom Readers,
This week we read Parasha Vayeishev, another great Parasha in the book of Bereshit/Genesis. At this point in the story of the evolution of the Jewish people we read about the birth of Joseph, the son of Jacobs youth. Joseph is physically beautiful and becomes the 'favorite' of his fathers much to the chagrin of his brothers. Joseph is so beloved that Jacob gives him a special 'multicolored' coat which he wears with pride. Such favoritism breeds hatred from his brothers who eventually plot to kill him. This is another portion which contains prophetic dreams (as several of the last few weeks we read about dreams and angels) where Joseph has two prophetic dreams of his family bowing to him. It gets to the point that even Jacob has to tell Joseph that by relating these dreams he is inspiring jealousy in his brothers.
So the brothers plot to kill him, and end up throwing him in a pit of snakes and scorpions. He should have died in the pit but he survives and his brother Judah has an idea to pluck him out of the pit and sell him as a slave to a band of arabs (or Ishmaelites as they are called). They take the 'multicolored coat' and dip it in animal blood and take it to their father Jacob with the story that Joseph was consumed by wild animals.
Then the Torah relates the story of the righteous woman Tamar, who really wanted to contribute to the Jewish people by having sons, but was left childless due to the fact that her husband died young. So she plots how to have a child within the Jewish people, by pretending to be a Harlot (prostitute) and seducing Judah. She is accused of being a Harlot and is sentenced to death, but due to the 'pledge' which Judah left with her, he realizes that she is keeping quiet in order to maintain his honor. Because of this she is viewed as extremely righteous (she was prepared to die rather than dishonor Judah).
Joseph is taken down to Egypt where he is sold into the house of Potiphar, a member of the Egyptian royalty, where Joseph quickly rises within the ranks of the slaves. He becomes the head of Potiphars house but as a result of his inborn beauty (and the suggestion that Potiphar may be homosexual) Potiphars wife throws herself at him in an attempt to seduce him into a forbidden relationship. He refuses her and she becomes enraged at the rejection, she calls the police and has him thrown into the dungeon. It is here where he meets the Butler and the Breadmaker from Pharoahs house and they just so happen to be troubled with dreams which they cannot understand. Because Joseph has been gifted with the ability to read dreams he is able to correctly tell each what the meaning of their dream is. He had hoped that once they were released that they would tell Pharoah of the great dream interpreter in the dungeon, but he is forgotten for several years.
Here is how Chabad's Parasha in a Nutshell explains the story:
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/3202/jewish/Vayeishev-in-a-Nutshell.htm
Jacob settles in Hebron with his twelve sons. His favorite is seventeen-year-old Joseph, whose brothers are jealous of the preferential treatment he receives from his father, such as a precious many-colored coat that Jacob makes for Joseph. Joseph relates to his brothers two of his dreams which foretell that he is destined to rule over them, increasing their envy and hatred towards him.
Simeon and Levi plot to kill him, but Reuben suggests that they throw him into a pit instead, intending to come back later and save him. While Joseph is in the pit, Judah has him sold to a band of passing Ishmaelites. The brothers dip Joseph’s special coat in the blood of a goat and show it to their father, leading him to believe that his most beloved son was devoured by a wild beast.
Judah marries and has three children. The eldest, Er, dies young and childless, and his wife, Tamar, is given in levirate marriage to the second son, Onan. Onan sins by spilling his seed, and he too meets an early death. Judah is reluctant to have his third son marry her. Determined to have a child from Judah’s family, Tamar disguises herself as a prostitute and seduces Judah himself. Judah hears that his daughter-in-law has become pregnant and orders her executed for harlotry, but when Tamar produces some personal effects he left with her as a pledge for payment, he publicly admits that he is the father. Tamar gives birth to twin sons, Peretz (an ancestor of King David) and Zerach.
Joseph is taken to Egypt and sold to Potiphar, the minister in charge of Pharaoh’s slaughterhouses. G‑d blesses everything he does, and soon he is made overseer of all his master’s property. Potiphar’s wife desires the handsome and charismatic lad; when Joseph rejects her advances, she tells her husband that the Hebrew slave tried to force himself on her, and has him thrown into prison. Joseph gains the trust and admiration of his jailers, who appoint him to a position of authority in the prison administration.
In prison, Joseph meets Pharaoh’s chief butler and chief baker, both incarcerated for offending their royal master. Both have disturbing dreams, which Joseph interprets; in three days, he tells them, the butler will be released and the baker hanged. Joseph asks the butler to intercede on his behalf with Pharaoh. Joseph’s predictions are fulfilled, but the butler forgets all about Joseph and does nothing for him.
Rabbi Yakov Nagen of Otniel talks about
Topic: Video Study for Parasha Vayeishev (Read 3241 times)