Now, Potiphar – yes, that Potiphar, the Egyptian priest – had promised his daughter he wouldn't mention a certain… plan… again. The moment Joseph's arrival was announced, Asenath retreated to her own rooms. Imagine her, standing by the window, catching her first glimpse of Joseph.
And…bam! She was completely overwhelmed.
According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, she was "so transported with his divine beauty and his indescribably noble carriage that she burst into tears." Tears! Can you imagine? It wasn't the reaction she expected.
"Poor, foolish me," she lamented. "What shall I do? I permitted myself to be misled by friends, who told me that Joseph was the son of a Canaanitish shepherd."
Ouch. Talk about a misjudgment!
Asenath’s perception shifted dramatically in that single moment. The splendor emanating from Joseph, she thought, was "like unto the splendor of the sun, illuminating our house with his rays." She realized she had been utterly wrong.
She continued her lament, acknowledging her own "audacity and folly." She confessed she had "looked down upon him, and had spoken absurd nonsense against him." It's a powerful moment of self-awareness.
And then comes the kicker: "I knew not that he was a son of God, as he must be, for among men such beauty as his does not exist." Now, that’s some serious admiration. This idea of divine beauty isn't unique to this story. We often find in Jewish texts the notion that exceptional beauty can be a sign of divine favor or even a hint of divinity itself.
In a heartfelt prayer, Asenath then pleaded, "I pray Thee, O God of Joseph, grant me pardon! It was my ignorance that made me speak like a fool. If my father will give me in marriage to Joseph, I will be his forever."
Forever!
It's a complete 180-degree turn. From disdain to devotion in a heartbeat. Asenath's initial prejudice, based on hearsay and social standing, crumbled before the sheer force of Joseph's presence.
What does it tell us? Maybe it's about the danger of judging a book by its cover. Or perhaps it highlights the transformative power of genuine beauty, both internal and external. Or maybe, just maybe, it reminds us that even our most deeply held beliefs can be challenged and changed when we open ourselves to seeing the world, and the people in it, with fresh eyes.