“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).24God took Abraham outside and promised him that he would have many descendants, like the many stars in the sky. 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.25She coached them to tell her husband that Joseph had propositioned them as well (Etz Yosef).
“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.