We pick up the story of Joseph in Egypt, after his brothers sold him and he's been bought and sold a couple more times. According to Jasher, the Ishmaelites who initially bought Joseph weren't the ones who ultimately sold him to Potiphar. Instead, they encountered four men of Medan, another son of Abraham, near the Egyptian border. These Medanim bought Joseph for twenty shekels, realizing they could turn a profit.
The Medanim, hearing that Potiphar, "an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard," was looking for a servant, decided to try their luck. They approached Potiphar, saying they had a servant who would please him, if the price was right. Potiphar agreed to take a look. Joseph, presented before Potiphar, impressed him greatly. The Medanim asked for four hundred pieces of silver. Potiphar, suspicious, wanted proof of ownership, worried Joseph might be stolen. The Medanim produced the Ishmaelites, who confirmed they had sold Joseph as a slave.
Potiphar, satisfied, paid the Medanim, who then disappeared from the narrative, as did the Ishmaelites.
And so, Joseph entered Potiphar's household. He quickly found favor and was put in charge of everything. The text tells us, "The Lord was with Joseph and he became a prosperous man, and the Lord blessed the house of Potiphar for the sake of Joseph." Everything Potiphar owned was placed under Joseph's control. Joseph, at this point, was eighteen years old, "a youth with beautiful eyes and of comely appearance, and like unto him was not in the whole land of Egypt."
Enter Zelicah, Potiphar's wife. She noticed Joseph and found him incredibly attractive. The text says she "coveted his beauty in her heart, and her soul was fixed upon Joseph." She began to entice him daily, but Joseph steadfastly refused to even look at her.
Zelicah tried flattery, complimenting his appearance. Joseph, however, turned her words toward God, reminding her that the Creator made all mankind. She praised his eyes, saying he had dazzled all of Egypt. Joseph countered, saying they were beautiful now, but would be horrifying in the grave. She asked him to play the harp and sing; he said his words were best used to praise God. She even suggested he curl his hair with a golden comb!
Joseph grew weary of her advances. "How long wilt thou speak these words? cease to utter these words to me, and rise and attend to thy domestic affairs," he told her. But Zelicah claimed there was nothing else to do but focus on him. Yet, despite her efforts, she couldn't sway him.
Driven by her desire, Zelicah fell ill. When the women of Egypt came to visit, asking why she was so unwell, she decided to reveal the cause. She prepared a banquet, giving each woman a knife and citrons to peel. Then, she had Joseph dressed in fine garments and brought before them.
The women were so struck by Joseph's beauty that they accidentally cut their hands with the knives, not even noticing until their hands and the citrons were covered in blood. Zelicah then asked them, “What is this work that you have done? behold I gave you citrons to eat and you have all cut your hands." The women responded with astonishment, declaring they couldn't take their eyes off him. Zelicah used this as a teaching moment, saying, “Surely this happened to you in the moment that you looked at him, and you could not contain yourselves from him; how then can I refrain when he is constantly in my house, and I see him day after day going in and out of my house? how then can I keep from declining or even from perishing on account of this?”
The women, now understanding, suggested she simply tell Joseph how she felt and seize him secretly.
On one particular day, while Joseph was working, Zelicah ambushed him. She grabbed him, but Joseph was stronger and pushed her to the ground. Zelicah, weeping, begged him to listen to her, asking if he had ever known a woman as beautiful as she, who was now ill with love for him. She promised him no harm would come from her husband.
Joseph refused, explaining that he couldn't betray his master's trust or sin against God.
Later, during a festival celebrating the Nile's inundation, Zelicah pretended to be ill and stayed home alone. She dressed in her finest garments, adorned herself with jewels, and perfumed the house. Then, she waited in the entrance of her temple, where Joseph would pass.
When Joseph entered the house and saw Zelicah, he turned back. She called out to him, urging him to continue with his work. As he passed, she seized him and his garment, threatening him with a sword. Joseph, terrified, fled, leaving his torn garment in her hand.
Fearing for her reputation, Zelicah concocted a story. She changed her clothes, took Joseph's garment, and called for her household. She accused Joseph of attempting to lie with her, claiming he fled when she cried out.
Potiphar returned home enraged. Zelicah repeated her story, and Potiphar ordered Joseph to be beaten. While being beaten, Joseph cried out to God, proclaiming his innocence.
Then, a miracle occurred. An eleven-month-old child, according to Jasher, spoke up, declaring Zelicah's lies and recounting the events accurately. Potiphar, ashamed, stopped the beating but brought Joseph before the priests, who served as judges.
The priests examined Joseph's torn garment. They determined that the tear was in the front, indicating Joseph was fleeing from her, not the other way around. However, to avoid scandal, they sentenced Joseph to the prison house.
Even in prison, Zelicah continued to pursue Joseph. She visited him daily, trying to persuade him to yield. Joseph remained steadfast, declaring it better to remain in prison than to sin against God. Zelicah threatened him with torture, but Joseph trusted in God's protection.
And so, Joseph remained in confinement. Meanwhile, back in Canaan, Jacob and his sons continued to mourn his loss, refusing to be comforted.
What are we to make of this expanded version of the story? The Book of Jasher, though not part of the biblical canon, provides a fascinating glimpse into the development of Jewish legend. It amplifies the drama, adds miraculous elements, and explores the themes of temptation, faith, and divine intervention in greater detail. It also reveals a culture's deep concern with the power dynamics between men and women, masters and slaves, and the importance of upholding moral boundaries.
It leaves us pondering: How do we remain steadfast in our convictions when faced with temptation or adversity? And how do we navigate complex situations where truth and appearances clash? Just like Joseph, perhaps we must rely on our faith and integrity, even when the path ahead seems uncertain.
Ginzberg, Louis. The Legends of the Jews. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1909. Midrash Rabbah The Zohar