Genesis 39:2 tells us, “The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.” But Bereshit Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Genesis, asks a pointed question: Was God only with Joseph? What about his brothers?
Rabbi Yudan uses a vivid analogy to explain. Imagine a caravan driver with twelve animals, each laden with precious wine. One of these animals wanders into an idolater’s shop. Naturally, the driver would focus all his attention on retrieving that one stray, wouldn't he? He’d leave the other eleven momentarily. Why? Because the wine carried by the others was safe in the public domain. He wasn't worried it would become yayin nesekh (יין נסך), wine used as a libation to an idol, and therefore forbidden.
Think about it: the eleven were safe, mature, and together. But the one? It was vulnerable. Similarly, Joseph's brothers were adults, under their father's protection. Joseph, however, was young, alone, and in a foreign land. That’s why, the Rabbis explain, “the Lord was with Joseph.” It wasn't that God abandoned the others; it’s that Joseph, in his vulnerable state, required special attention.
Then the verse goes on: “He was a successful [matzliaḥ] man.” Rabbi Berekhya interprets matzliaḥ not just as successful, but as "a leaping man." Someone capable of overcoming obstacles. He connects it to the verse in II Samuel 19:18, "They crossed [vetzalḥu] the Jordan before the king." Joseph was able to leap over challenges, to persevere where others might stumble.
And Rabbi Berekhya doesn't stop there. He offers another striking analogy. Picture a she-bear, adorned with jewels and precious stones, standing in the street. People are clamoring to jump on it, hoping to seize the treasure. But a clever man holds back. "You are looking at what is on it," he says, "I am looking at its teeth."
What’s the message? Joseph, like that clever man, recognized the danger lurking beneath the surface. He understood the perilous situation with Potiphar's wife and sought to distance himself. He saw beyond the immediate temptation, the glittering surface, to the potential consequences.
Rabbi Berekhya concludes with a powerful statement: "All the power of that she-bear is in that it is able to jump, and you are greater than it." Even though Potiphar’s wife expended great effort to entice Joseph, he withstood her advances. He was able to leap higher, further, and with greater strength of character.
The story of Joseph isn't just a historical narrative; it's a timeless lesson. It reminds us that even in moments of isolation and temptation, the Divine presence can be with us, guiding and strengthening us. It challenges us to look beyond immediate gratification and to cultivate the ability to "leap" over obstacles with integrity and wisdom. And it reassures us that even when we feel alone, we are not forgotten. We, too, can find the strength to overcome.