The Lord Inclined Kindness Toward Joseph in Potiphar's House

"And the LORD was with Joseph and inclined kindness toward him" (Genesis 39:21). Yet of Abraham, who was first among the patriarchs and was tested with ten trials, this is not said. A parable: a king had two friends. One was hungry and stole, and was given a loaf of coarse bread, which he ate out of the king's sight; the other was offered food and would not accept it for himself. When the king heard, he said, "The one who did not eat by theft shall enter the feast with me." So with Abraham, "Come, please, to my handmaid" (Genesis 16:2) — immediately, "And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai." But Joseph saw daily the daughters of kings, sometimes adorned, sometimes perfumed, sometimes naked, and would not. "And his master saw that the LORD was with him" (Genesis 39:3). Joseph would whisper [God's name] as he went out and as he came in. At the end he forgot, as it says, "For God has made me forget all my toil" (Genesis 41:51). His master would say, "Mix it boiling," and it was boiling; "mix it lukewarm," and it was lukewarm. Joseph would say, "Do you bring straw to Afarayim? Are there potters in Kfar Hananya, shearers in Damascus, sorcerers in Egypt — in the place of sorcerers, sorcery?" Until when? Until his master saw the Divine Presence standing over him; this is the meaning of "And his master saw that the LORD was with him." "And it was from the time he appointed him" (Genesis 39:5). Wherever the righteous go, the Divine Presence goes with them. Isaac went down to Gerar and blessing came at his heel; Jacob, "And the LORD blessed you because of me"; Joseph, "And the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had." He spent twelve months there, six in the house and six in the field. "Except the bread that he ate" (Genesis 39:6) — a delicate expression. "And Joseph was handsome of form." Throw a stick into the air and it lands on its root: because it is written, "And Rachel was beautiful of form" (Genesis 29:17), therefore Joseph was handsome of form.