“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].26This was a sign of status, as it indicated that the wearer did not need to labor with his hands.
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].27See Genesis 37:28.
“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].28God arranged that the brothers would hate Joseph, leading to his becoming a slave in Egypt, so that Joseph could withstand the temptation of Potifar’s wife.
Consequently, he would accrue great merit, and it was as a result of that merit that the sea was split for the Israelites (Rashash).