His story, a cornerstone of the Hebrew Bible, is filled with dramatic turns, betrayal, and ultimately, triumph. But let's zoom in on one particularly painful chapter: his journey into slavery in Egypt.
According to Legends of the Jews, as retold by Louis Ginzberg, a fascinating detail emerges right away. Usually, the Ishmaelite caravans carried foul-smelling goods like pitch and animal hides. But this time? This time, they were laden with perfumes. Why? Providence, of course! The fragrance was meant to comfort Joseph on his way to Egypt. The midrash even suggests Joseph himself emitted such a pleasant aroma that it perfumed the road and drew royal princesses to him upon his arrival. Can you imagine such a thing? Even after his death, his bones retained this fragrance, helping Moses identify them, so he could fulfill the oath to return them to the Holy Land.
But let’s not romanticize this too much. The journey was brutal. Joseph, heartbroken at being taken so far from his father Jacob and their homeland of Canaan, wept bitterly. When an Ishmaelite tried to ease his discomfort by letting him walk instead of ride, Joseph continued to sob, crying out "O father, father!" Another, growing impatient with the lamentations, beat him. The midrash says they all joined in, relentlessly cruel, trying to silence him.
But here's where the story takes another turn. The text tells us that God witnessed Joseph's distress and intervened. The hands of the Ishmaelites became rigid when they tried to strike him. Darkness and terror descended upon them. They were bewildered, not understanding that it was all for Joseph's sake.
The caravan eventually reached Ephrath, the site of Rachel's tomb. Joseph, overcome with grief, threw himself upon his mother's grave. He cried out to her, begging her to witness his suffering and plead his case before God. "Arise, O mother," he wailed, "awake from thy sleep, see how my father is with me in his soul and in his spirit, and comfort him and ease his heavy heart."
And then, a voice. A voice heavy with tears, responding from the depths of the grave. “My son Joseph, my son," it said, "I heard thy complaints and thy groans, I saw thy tears, and I knew thy misery, my son… put thy trust in God, and wait upon Him. Fear not, for the Lord is with thee.”
Imagine hearing that! A direct message of comfort from beyond. But the reprieve was short-lived. An Ishmaelite, angered by Joseph's continued weeping, kicked him away from the grave. When Joseph pleaded to be returned to his father, the Ishmaelites mocked him, asking how a slave could have a free man as a father. Their cruelty only intensified.
Again, divine intervention. Darkness enveloped the land. A storm raged. Lightning flashed, and the earth trembled. The Ishmaelites, terrified, believed their misfortune was due to their treatment of Joseph. They begged for his forgiveness, and when Joseph prayed and the storm subsided, they knew their troubles were linked to him.
They debated what to do. Should they return him to his father? No, too far. Instead, they resolved to sell him in Egypt for a good price. And so, they did. They reached the borders of Egypt and sold Joseph to descendants of Medan, son of Abraham, for a mere five shekels.
These Medanites, hearing that Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard, sought a good slave, immediately offered him Joseph. Potiphar was willing to pay a hefty sum – four hundred pieces of silver! – but he had one condition. He wanted to know who sold them the slave. He suspected Joseph was no ordinary slave, perhaps even of noble birth.
The Medanites, of course, brought the Ishmaelites to Potiphar, who testified that Joseph was indeed a slave they had owned and sold. Satisfied, Potiphar paid the price, and the Ishmaelites and Medanites disappeared.
So, Joseph had three masters: the Ishmaelites, the Medanites, and finally, Potiphar. Each encounter marked by hardship and a glimmer of hope. It's a testament to Joseph’s resilience that he not only survived this ordeal, but eventually rose to power in Egypt. His story reminds us that even in the darkest of times, divine intervention, or perhaps simply unwavering faith, can pave the way for an extraordinary destiny. What can we learn from Joseph's trials about our own capacity to endure and even thrive amidst adversity?