Midrash Aggadah Reader

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt." The descent is connected to another descent: Alternatively, "He descended to Egypt." Do not read "descended" but rather "caused the Divine Presence to descend to Egypt." Alternatively, "that Jacob, his father, caused to descend to Egypt." "And Potiphar, Pharaoh's chamberlain." Potiphar is Poti-phera (Genesis 41:50). Why is he called Potiphar? Because he fattenedthe calves for idolatry. "An Egyptian man." A cunning man. What was his cunning? In every place, an Egyptian was sold as a Cushite, and here a Cushite was sold as an Egyptian.

"They offended" [the cupbearer], and so forth (Genesis 40:1). The chief cupbearer — a fly was found in his lukewarm drink; and the chief baker — a pebble was found inside his fine loaf. Another interpretation of "they offended": they sought to couple with the daughter of the king. It is said here "they offended," and it is said elsewhere, "How then can I do this great wickedness, [and sin against God]" (Genesis 39:9).

"And it came to pass at the end of two full years" (Genesis 41:1). This is what is written, "and round about Him it storms mightily" (Psalms 50:3). And why was Joseph delayed in the prison-house for two years? Because Joseph said, "but remember me when it is well with you" (Genesis 40:14), and so he set aside the Holy One, blessed be He. There is a prayer that is answered after a hundred years. From where? From Abraham, as it is said, "and Abraham was a hundred years old" (Genesis 21:5). And there is a prayer that is answered after ninety years. From where? From Sarah, as it is said, "and shall Sarah, who is ninety years old" (Genesis 17:17). And there is a prayer that is answered after eighty years, as it is said, "and Moses was eighty years old" (Exodus 7:7). And there is a prayer that is answered after seventy years, as it is said, "for when seventy years are accomplished for Babylon" (Jeremiah 29:10). And there is a prayer that is answered after sixty years, as it is said, "and Isaac was sixty years old" (Genesis 25:26). And there is a prayer that is answered after fifty years—from Samuel, peace be upon him, for Hannah said, "and may he dwell there forever" (1 Samuel 1:22), and the "forever" of the Levites is only until fifty years, as it is said, "and from the age of fifty years" (Numbers 8:25). And there is a prayer answered after forty years, as it is said, "and Isaac was forty years old" (Genesis 25:20). And there is a prayer answered after thirty years, as it is said, "and Joseph was thirty years old" (Genesis 41:46). And there is a prayer answered after twenty years, as it is said, "these twenty years have I been" (Genesis 31:38). And there is a prayer answered after ten years—from Hagar, as it is said, "after Abram had dwelt ten years" (Genesis 16:3). And there is a prayer answered after a year—from the Shunammite, as it is said, "at this season, when the time comes round, you shall embrace a son" (2 Kings 4:16). And there is a prayer that is answered after forty days, as it is said, "and I fell down before the Lord as at the first, forty days" (Deuteronomy 9:18). And there is a prayer that is answered after ten days—from Nabal, as it is said, "and it came to pass about ten days after, that the Lord smote Nabal" (1 Samuel 25:38). And there is a prayer that is until seven days, as it is said, "and Miriam was shut up outside the camp seven days" (Numbers 12:15). And there is a prayer that is until three days, as it is said, "and Jonah prayed" (Jonah 2:2). And there is a prayer that is until an hour, as it is said, "Answer me, O Lord, answer me" (1 Kings 18:37). And there is a prayer that does not leave the mouth of the one who says it before it is answered, as it is said, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Why do you cry unto Me?" (Exodus 14:15). But the prayer of Joseph was for two years, as it is said, "And it came to pass at the end of two full years." "And Pharaoh dreamed; and, behold, he stood by the river" (Genesis 41:1). Woe to the wicked, whose power endures!

"And his spirit was troubled" (Genesis 41:8). And further on it says, "and his spirit was troubled" (Daniel 2:1, in the intensified form). This one, who knew the dream, of him it is written va-tippa'em rucho (his spirit was troubled, in the lighter form); and that one, who did not know the dream, of him it is written va-titpa'em (his spirit was greatly troubled, in the intensified form), because he had forgotten the dream and its interpretation. Another interpretation: Here, since they came to give greatness to Joseph, who is one, it is written of him va-tippa'em: for he knew the dream but forgot the interpretation. Another interpretation: The dream that came toward morning, of it is said va-tippa'em; and further on, where the dream came from the time of evening, it is written of it va-titpa'em. "And he called for all the magicians of Egypt" (Genesis 41:8). They did interpret, but because their interpretation did not settle upon his heart—for he had seen the interpretation and the dream—everything they would interpret, Pharaoh would answer them, "The matter is not so." And what did they interpret? The seven good cows—seven daughters you will beget; the seven bad cows—seven daughters you will bury. The seven good ears—seven provinces you will conquer; the seven bad ears—seven provinces will rebel against you. This is what is written, "A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none" (Proverbs 14:6)—these are the magicians; "but knowledge is easy to one who has understanding" (ibid.)—this is Joseph, peace be upon him.

"See, I have set you" (Genesis 41:41). Joseph was given from what was his own. The mouth that did not kiss in transgression — of it was said, "and according to your mouth shall all my people be ruled" (Genesis 41:40). The neck that did not cleave in transgression — of it was said, "and he put the gold chain upon his neck" (Genesis 41:42). The hands that did not grope in transgression — "and Pharaoh removed his ring [and put it upon Joseph's hand]" (Genesis 41:42). The body that did not draw near to transgression — "and he clothed him in garments of fine linen" (Genesis 41:42). The foot that did not mount upon it — "and he had him ride in the second chariot" (Genesis 41:43). The heart that did not contemplate transgression — "and they cried before him, Avrekh" (Genesis 41:43): a father (av) in wisdom, and tender (rakh) in years.

"Tzafnat-Paneach" — [the letters tzadi, fei, nun, tav] are a notarikon (acronym): tzofeh (seer), podeh (redeemer), navi (prophet), tomekh (supporter). [Pa'aneach is a notarikon:] pikeach (perceptive), arum (shrewd), navon (discerning), chakham (wise). "Asenath daughter of Poti-phera." The aleph: there was no one (ein) like the great one who raised her. The samekh: she was hidden away (setirah) because of her beauty. The nun: she moaned and cried out (nohemet) that she be saved from the hand of Poti-phera. The tav: she was perfect (tamah) in her deeds. "Daughter of Poti-phera." But was she not the daughter of Dinah? And we have heard that when Jacob our father came from Shechem, he wrote upon a plate of gold all that had befallen them with Hamor son of Shechem; and when Dinah gave birth to Asenath, he placed the plate upon her neck and cast her by the wall of Egypt. On that day Potiphar went out to stroll with his lads, and they reached the wall. He heard the sound of an infant's weeping. He said to his lads, "Bring me this child." And he saw the plate and the events. Potiphar said to his servants, "This girl is the daughter of great ones; take her to my house and bring her a wet-nurse." And because he raised her, she was called his daughter; for thus is it written in Chronicles, "And these are the sons of Michal," and in the Prophets it is written, "And Michal had no child unto the day of her death" (2 Samuel 6:23) — but rather, because Michal raised them, they were called her sons. And so too Potiphar.

All that night Lot was seeking mercy on behalf of the Sodomites, and they were accepting it from his hand. When they said (below, 19:5) "Where are the men? Bring them out to us, that we may know them" for intercourse, immediately they said to him (there, verse 12) "Whom else have you here?" Up to here you had permission to teach a defense; from here onward you have no permission. His disciples asked Rav Yosef: What is "Azazel"? He said to them: When the generation of the Flood arose and worshiped idolatry, the Holy One, blessed be He, was grieved. Immediately two angels arose, Shamchazai and Azazel, and said before Him: "Master of the universe, did we not say before You when You created Your world, 'What is man that You are mindful of him?' (Psalms 8:5)." He said to them: "And the world, what shall become of it?" They said to Him: "Master of the universe, we would have managed with it." He said to them: "It is revealed and known before Me that if you were dwelling on the earth, the evil inclination would rule over you, and you would be harsher than human beings." They said to Him: "Give us permission and we will dwell among the creatures, and You will see how we sanctify Your name." He said to them: "Go down and dwell among them." Immediately they became corrupt with the daughters of man, who were beautiful, and they could not subdue their inclination. Immediately Shamchazai saw a certain maiden whose name was Istahar. He set his eyes upon her; he said: "Hearken to me." She said to him: "I will not hearken to you until you teach me the Ineffable Name by which you ascend to the firmament when you mention it." He taught her that Name; she mentioned it and ascended to the firmament and did not become corrupt. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "Since she separated herself from the transgression, go and set her among these seven stars, so that you may gain merit through them forever," and she was set in the Pleiades. When Shamchazai and Azazel saw this, they arose and took wives and begot children, Hiva and Hiya. And Azazel was over the kinds of dyes and over the kinds of ornaments of women that entice human beings to thoughts of transgression. Immediately Metatron sent a messenger to Shamchazai and said to him: "The Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to destroy His world and to bring a flood upon the world." Immediately he stood up weeping and was grieved over the world and over his sons: what would his sons do, from what would they eat if the world were destroyed, for each and every one of them used to eat each day a thousand camels and a thousand horses and a thousand oxen. At night Hiva and Hiya, both of them, saw dreams. One of them saw a great stone spread over the earth like a table, and the earth was engraved and written in lines upon lines, and an angel was descending from the firmament and in his hands a kind of knife, and he was scraping and erasing all those lines and left in it only four words. And the other one saw a great, excellent orchard planted with all kinds of trees, and in it were angels and in their hands axes, and they were cutting down all the trees and left in it only one tree of three branches. When they awoke, they arose in alarm and came to their father. He said to them: "The Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to bring a flood, and He will leave only Noah and his sons." When they heard this, they were crying out and weeping. He said to them: "Do not grieve, for your names will not cease from among the creatures, for whenever one decrees decrees, or raises up stones, or ships, they mention your names, Hiva and Hiya." Immediately their minds were set at ease. Shamchazai repented and suspended himself between heaven and earth, his head downward and his feet upward, and he is still suspended in repentance. Azazel did not repent and still stands in his corruption, to incite human beings to a matter of transgression by means of the colored garments of women. And for this reason Israel used to offer sacrifices on the Day of Atonement, one ram to the LORD to atone for Israel, and one ram to Azazel that he should bear the iniquities of Israel; and he is the Azazel of the Torah.

"And he searched, beginning with the eldest" — so that they would not say he knew in which place it was placed. "And the goblet was found" — once the goblet was found, his brothers said to him: "Thief, son of a thief-woman! Rachel your mother stole the teraphim, and you have stolen the goblet." And they were striking him until he swore by the life of his father Jacob, and by the mourning and the burial of Joseph his brother, that there was no transgression in him: "And in all this I did not know who placed it in my sack." Immediately they believed him, because he was not accustomed to swearing. When Joseph heard that they called him "thief, son of a thief-woman," he said to them: "There is a kid of goats here; there are brothers here who sold their brother."

"And Judah said: What shall we say to my lord?" — concerning the affair of Tamar. "What shall we speak?" — concerning the affair of Bilhah. "How shall we clear ourselves?" — concerning Dinah. "God has found out the iniquity of your servants" — concerning the selling of Joseph. Another interpretation: "What shall we say to my lord?" — concerning the first money. "What shall we speak?" — concerning the second money. "How shall we clear ourselves?" — concerning the goblet. Another interpretation: "What shall we say to my lord?" — to our father who is in the land of Canaan. "What shall we speak?" — concerning Simeon. "How shall we clear ourselves?" — concerning Benjamin. Another interpretation: "What shall we say?" — if we say "we have sinned," the sin is revealed and known before the Name that we have not sinned; and if we say to you that we have not sinned — "God has found out the iniquity of your servants": the creditor has found a way to collect His debt. Another interpretation: "How shall we clear ourselves (nitztadak)?" — by way of notarikon: nun — innocent (neqiyyim); tzadi — righteous (tzaddiqim); tet — pure (tehorim); dalet — crushed/cleansed (dakkim); quf — holy (qedoshim). Another interpretation: "What shall we say to my lord?" — as its plain meaning. "What shall we speak?" — to my father, for I pledged myself as surety for him. "How shall we clear ourselves?" — before the Shekhinah.

"Then Judah approached him" (Genesis 44:18). This "approaching" we find is used in three senses: for war, for appeasement, and for prayer. For war, as it is written, "And Joab approached, and the people who were with him, to the battle" (II Samuel 10:13). For appeasement, as it is written, "And they approached him and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle" (Numbers 32:16). For prayer, as it is written, "And Elijah the prophet approached" (I Kings 18:36). And so Judah said to Joseph: if it is for war I come, and if it is for prayer I come, and if it is for appeasement I come. "Pray, my lord" (Genesis 44:18) — by the life of [God], you pass this over us, for so you said to us, "Bring him down to me," etc. (Genesis 44:21). "Let your servant speak a word in my lord's ears" (Genesis 44:18) — let my words enter your ears. The grandmother of this one [Benjamin], because Pharaoh detained her one night, he and all his house were stricken with plagues; beware, lest this man be stricken with leprosy. And they said concerning Judah that at the time he grew hot with anger, the hairs of his heart would pierce his garments and come out, and he would put bars of iron into his mouth and bring them out as dust. "For you are like Pharaoh" (Genesis 44:18) — just as Pharaoh decrees and does not fulfill, so too you decree and do not fulfill; just as Pharaoh lusts after males, so too you lust after males.

"And his brother is dead" (Genesis 44:20). Joseph said to him: Did you see him dead? He said to him: He is dead. [Joseph said:] Did you stand at his grave? He said to him: Yes. Did you place dust upon his eyes? He said to him: No. Joseph said to him: And why do you lie? Behold, Joseph is here beside me. Another interpretation: "My lord asked his servants" (Genesis 44:19). Judah said to him: Know for yourself that it is with a false pretext that you have come against us. How many provinces have come down to buy [grain] — but did you at all question them as you have questioned us? Is it perhaps your daughter that we seek to marry, or is it your sister that we seek? Yet even so we did not conceal a thing from you. "And we said unto my lord etc., and his brother is dead." Now, would a man like Judah say a thing that was not certain? "And his brother is dead" — rather, Judah said: If I tell him that he is alive, he will say to me, Go and bring him, just as he said concerning Benjamin. Therefore he said, "And his brother is dead."

"And if ye take this also from me" etc. (Genesis 44:29). Our father Jacob said to his sons: Now, while Benjamin is with me, it is as though Rachel is with me and Joseph is with me; but now, when you take him from me, it is as though all three of them were taken in one day. And to what is Benjamin like to me? To a lamp that is burning and has three mouths: when one of them is extinguished, the three are extinguished. "And mischief befall him" (Genesis 44:29). Jacob said: Woe is me, lest a [decree] has been decreed upon Rachel and upon her two sons that they should be consumed. She died on the way, Joseph died on the way, and now, if this one too should die on the way, I shall die of grief. Joseph said to him: Judah, why do you speak more than your brothers? Are there not [among your brothers some greater than you? Judah said to him: You have spoken truly, for there are among my brothers some greater than I. But my brothers stand apart from the bargain, whereas I — my bowels, my bowels yearn within me like a mourner. Joseph said to him: Why? Is there silver or gold owed by you? I will give it on your behalf. He said: Neither silver nor gold is owed by me. Joseph said to him: If so, why are you anxious? He said to him: Thus I said to my father — if I do not bring him back to you, I shall be under the ban all my days. Judah said to Joseph: Why do you seek Benjamin? If for greatness, I am greater than he; and if for might, I am mightier than he. Better that I be a slave in his place, and that I not cause grief to my father, as it is said, "For how shall I go up to my father" (Genesis 44:34). And when he mentioned his father's grief, he could no longer contain himself. What did he do? He strengthened himself and sat down. He said to them: Where is your brother of whom you said that he is dead? Surely he is dead; call him and he will answer you. And he kept calling, "Joseph son of Jacob, Joseph son of Jacob," and they kept looking into the four corners of the house. He said to them: What are you looking at? I am Joseph your brother. And they did not believe him until he uncovered himself and showed them the covenant of circumcision.]

And he fell on his neck. And why didn't Yaakov kiss Yosef? Because he was saying Kriat Shema (recitation of the shema prayer) at that same time.

"And from among his brothers he took [five men]" (Genesis 47:2). And why does it say "and from among his brothers he took"? To teach you that all of the tribes were mighty men. And who were these five? Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, and Benjamin. And why did Joseph the Righteous take these five men from among his brothers? Because he knew who among his brothers was mighty and who was weak. And he said: If I present the mighty ones among them before Pharaoh, perhaps he will make them into his men of war. Therefore he presented these five men who were not mighty.

"And Jacob lived." Why is this parasha closed? Because Jacob our father sought to reveal the End to his sons, and it was closed off from him; therefore this parasha is closed. Another interpretation: why is it closed? Because all his troubles were closed off. "Seventeen years." And why were thirty-three years subtracted from the years of Jacob? Because he spoke against Heaven. For we hold that just as a man blesses over the good, so should he bless over the reverse, and he did not do so. For at the time when Pharaoh asked him, "How many are the days of the years of your life?" and Jacob said to Pharaoh, "Few and evil" (Genesis 47:8-9) — and the count of the words is thirty-three words. Another interpretation: "Seventeen years." Jacob sustained Joseph for seventeen years; likewise Joseph sustained him seventeen years.

"And the days of Israel drew near, etc." Our Sages of blessed memory said: Of everyone concerning whom "drawing near" is stated, it means he did not reach the years of his fathers. The years of Boaz, Obed, and Jesse were four hundred years their lifetimes, yet David lived only seventy years and did not reach the days of his fathers; therefore "drawing near" is stated of him, "And the days of David drew near to die" (1 Kings 2:1). Amram lived a hundred and thirty-seven, yet Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, lived only a hundred and twenty years; therefore "drawing near" is stated of him, as it is said, "Behold, your days draw near to die" (Deuteronomy 31:14). And of Jacob "drawing near" is stated because he did not reach the days of his fathers, for Isaac lived a hundred and eighty years, yet Jacob lived only a hundred and forty-seven years; therefore "drawing near" is stated of him. "And he called his son Joseph." And why did he not call Reuben or Judah, for they were his sons—Reuben the firstborn, Judah the king? Yet he set them aside and called Joseph. And why did he do so? Because the capacity to act lay in his hand; therefore he called only Joseph, who had the ability in his hand to do it: "and you shall deal kindly and truly with me." And Jacob said to Joseph: If you do kindness and truth with me today, then after my death too do it. "Bury me not, I pray you, in Egypt." Because he foresaw by the Holy Spirit that the Egyptians were destined to be smitten with lice, and they would be swarming about beneath his bed. Another interpretation: Why did he not request to be buried in Egypt? So that they would not make him into idolatry, for just as punishment is exacted from the worshippers, so punishment is exacted from the one worshipped, as it is said, "and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments, etc." (Exodus 12:12). "Bury me not, I pray you"—but rather in the cave of my fathers; for if you do not wish to bury me there, against your will I shall lie there, as it is said, "and I shall lie with my fathers" (verse 30); and even if I be buried in another place, my soul shall go with my fathers. "Put, I pray you, your hand under my thigh." And he made him swear by the circumcision, upon which the six hundred and thirteen commandments depend—the covenant being [six hundred and twelve], and the body of circumcision completes the count of the six hundred and thirteen commandments.

Another interpretation: "This is the animal" (Leviticus 11:2). This is what is written: "Every word of God is refined" (Proverbs 30:5). Rav said: The commandments were given to Israel only in order to refine the creatures through them. And why so much? As it is said: "He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him" (Proverbs 30:5). Rabbi Yudan son of Rabbi Shimon said: All the beasts and Leviathan are the hunting-spectacle of the righteous in the time to come, and whoever did not watch the hunting-spectacles of the nations of the world in this world will merit to see it in the world to come. Rabbi Avin bar Kahana said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "A new Torah will go forth from Me" (Isaiah 51:4) [the plain sense is "a teaching will go forth from Me"], a renewal of Torah will go forth from Me. Rabbi Berekhiah said in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak: The Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make a banquet for His righteous servants in the time to come, and whoever did not eat carcasses in this world will merit to see it in the world to come. This is what is written: "And the fat of a carcass and the fat of a torn animal may be used for any work, but you shall not eat it" (Leviticus 7:24) so that you may eat from it in the time to come. Therefore Moses warns Israel and says to them: "This is the living creature that you may eat" (Leviticus 11:2).