November 30, 2007

Vayeshev Genesis 37:1-40:23 

With this Week’s Torah reading we begin the final and longest epic story in Genesis, the Joseph story. It is at one and the same time a most intricate, beautiful and purposeful tale. It will serve the purpose of winding up the affairs of the patriarchs in the land of Canaan and serve to bring that small clan to settle in Egypt, where the story of the Exodus, the Jewish master story can unfold.

Parshat Vayeshev is the first of four installments in the story that is told in sections each ending in cliff hangers. We meet Joseph as a 17 year old. Though he has 10 older brothers, he is the first born of Rachel, who died while giving birth to Joseph’s younger brother Benjamin. Jacob gives Joseph a “coat of many colors”, a sign that he is Jacob’s favorite, and Joseph delivers evil reports about his brothers to his father. Joseph has dreams of grandeur, that his family will some day bow down to him. His brothers, quite understandably, hate him.

When the older brothers have gone off to shear the sheep, Jacob sends Joseph to spy on them. When he arrives, they consider killing him. Instead they sell him to merchants who are on their way to Egypt. They take the coat and dip it in blood. They bring it to their father Jacob, who is convinced that Joseph was killed by a wild beast. Joseph meanwhile was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh’s.

The story is briefly interrupted by the intervening story of Judah and Tamar. Judah, one of the brothers, has three sons, the oldest married to Tamar. When the oldest dies, the second is obligated to marry his childless sister-in-law. When he refuses to consummate the marriage, he too dies. When Tamar realizes that Judah is procrastinating in marrying her to the youngest son, she disguises herself as a harlot. Judah, not knowing her true identity, sleeps with her and leaves his seal and cord as temporary payment. When it is discovered that Tamar is pregnant, Judah wants to have her burned. She announces that she is pregnant by the man who owns the cord and seal that she presents. Judah accepts that her act was not of promiscuity, but of righteousness. She gives birth to twins, Peretz and Zerah. (Peretz will become the ancestor of Boaz, who when married to Ruth will become the ancestor to King David!)

Meanwhile Joseph is given responsibility to oversee the home of Potiphar. Potiphar’s wife attempts to seduce Joseph, but he refuses. In return she accuses Joseph of attacking her. Joseph is thrown into prison where he meets two other prisoners, the chief butler and baker. They have dreams which Joseph interprets. The chief butler will be returned to his post. The chief baker will die. When the chief butler is taken from prison Joseph asks him to remember him languishing in prison, but the butler soon forgets him.

Shabbat Shalom
Candle lighting: Friday, November 30, 2007 4:11pm