We're looking at Bereshit Rabbah 87, a section of the great Midrash, which is a collection of rabbinic commentaries on the Book of Genesis. The verse that sparked this particular discussion is from Psalm 125:3: “Indeed, the rod of wickedness will not rest [lo yanuaḥ]…” Now, that Hebrew word, yanuaḥ, is key. It's about rest, satisfaction, finding a place to settle.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Yitzḥak, two wise voices from the past, each offer their take on what this verse really means. Rabbi Abba said that wickedness, that "rod of wickedness," gets no neyaḥa – no satisfaction – in the company of the righteous. It only feels at home among the wicked. Does negativity thrive around positive people? Not really. It needs fertile ground, a place where it can take root and grow. The commentator, Yefeh To’ar, explains that wicked people don't get satisfaction from being with the righteous. Etz Yosef, another commentator, offers a slightly different angle: that the evil inclination itself doesn't find satisfaction in being with the righteous. Why? “Because the righteous will not [set their hands to wrongdoing].” There's no purchase, no opportunity for corruption.
Now, Rabbi Yitzḥak flips the script. He says the opposite: wickedness has no hanaḥa – no rest – in the company of the wicked, but only in the company of the righteous. Wait, what? Why would wickedness be comfortable around righteousness?
Here, Yefeh To’ar clarifies that it is not good for wicked people to be with other wicked people, as they will only increase in wickedness. If they are in the company of the righteous, he will learn from their righteous ways. The idea isn't that wickedness likes righteousness, but that it might be tempered by it. That’s a powerful idea, isn’t it? That even the presence of goodness can have an effect.
And then, the Midrash takes us in another direction. “The rod of wickedness will not rest” – this, they say, is Potiphar’s wife. “Upon the lot of the righteous” – this is Joseph.
Remember the story? Potiphar's wife tries to seduce Joseph, and when he refuses, she falsely accuses him. The "rod of wickedness" – her desire, her deceit – doesn't find rest until it lands on Joseph, the righteous man. It's a striking illustration of how wickedness can target and attempt to corrupt even the most virtuous.
So, what can we take away from all this? Perhaps it’s a reminder to be mindful of the company we keep, and the influences we allow into our lives. Are we surrounding ourselves with things that nourish our best selves, or are we giving "the rod of wickedness" a place to rest? And maybe, just maybe, we can all strive to be a little bit like Joseph – a beacon of righteousness even in the face of temptation.