Joseph Brought Down to Egypt and the Presence That Went With Him

(Genesis 39:1) "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt." It is written, "With cords of a man I drew them" (Hosea 11:4) this is Joseph, "and they drew up and lifted Joseph out of the pit." "With bands of love" (ibid.), as it is said, "and Israel loved Joseph." "And I was to them as those who lift the yoke" (ibid.) for I lifted his foes over him, and which one was this? This was Potiphar's wife. Why all this? "upon their jaws" (ibid.) because he brought forth a matter from his jaw [his mouth], as it is said, "and Joseph brought their evil report." And in the end, "and I laid food before him" I bring upon him many feedings, [as it is said] "and Joseph was the ruler [shallit] over the land" (Genesis 42:6). "And Joseph was brought down" he ruled over them [the verb yarad read as 'to rule'], as you say, "and he shall have dominion from sea to sea" (Psalms 72:8); he subdued them, as you say, "for he ruled over all the region beyond the River"; he uprooted them from their place, as you say, "and he scraped it into his palms" (Judges 14:9). "And Joseph was brought down [hurad]" he brought down our father Jacob. A parable: of a cow they were dragging to the slaughterhouse, and it would not be drawn. What did they do? They drew its calf before it, and it walked along against its will, not of its own desire. So it was fitting that our father Jacob go down to Egypt in iron chains. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "He is My firstborn son, and shall I bring him down in disgrace? Behold, I will draw his son before him, and he will go down after him against his will, not of his own desire." From where do we know that the Divine Presence went down to Egypt? As it is written, "and the LORD was with Joseph" (Genesis 39:2). "To Egypt [Mitzraymah, with a final heh]." It was taught in the name of Rav Nachman: Anything that requires a lamed at its beginning [meaning 'to'], one places a heh at its end Seir-ward, Sodom-ward, Egypt-ward, Haran-ward. They objected: But is it not written, "the wicked shall return to Sheol [she'olah]"? [Meaning] to the lowest chamber that is in Sheol. "And he bought him." The bought ones acquire [Joseph would acquire Egypt though he was the one bought]. All slaves diminish their master's house, but this one "and the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake." All slaves are suspected of theft, but this one "and Joseph gathered up all the money." All slaves are suspected regarding forbidden relations, but this one "he did not listen to her." All slaves are fed terumah by their master, but this one fed his master terumah, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha said: Eleazar took a wife from the daughters of Potiphar [Potiphera]. ["Potiphar."] He is Potiphera who would fatten [mefatem] bulls for idolatry; Potiphera, who would bare himself [po'er] to idolatry; and once Joseph went down there he became Potinon. "Officer [seris] of Pharaoh" who was castrated in his body [seris also meaning eunuch], teaching that he took him for [carnal] use, and the Holy One, blessed be He, castrated him in his body. A parable: of a bear that was bereaving the people of the province; he said, "Break out its fangs." So this teaches that he took him only for [carnal] use, and the Holy One, blessed be He, castrated him, as it is written, "for the LORD loves justice and does not forsake His pious ones" (Psalms 37:28) it is written "His pious one" [in the singular], and who is this? This is Joseph the righteous; "they are preserved forever, but the seed of the wicked is cut off" teaching that he took him only for use, and the Holy One, blessed be He, castrated him in his body. "An Egyptian man" a cunning man. What was his cunning? In every place a German sells a Cushite, but here a Cushite sold a German [an unlikely sale, so the buyer was wary]; "this is no [ordinary] slave." He said to them, "Bring me a guarantor," and this expression is none other than a term of suretyship, as you say, "I will be surety for him; of my hand" (Genesis 43:9); and it is written "from the hand of the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there." A slave may sell [property] and the son of a slave-woman may sell, but a free man is a slave to both of them.