SO JOSEPH'S MASTER TOOK HIM AND

PUT HIM INTO PRISON, THE PLACE WHERE THE KING'S PRISONERS WERE IMPRISONED, AND

HE WAS THERE IN THE PRISON.

(Bereishit

39:20)

Beit

Hasohar [Prison]

Linguists [ReDaK in his Sefer

HaShorashim, Shoresh "SHR"]

explain sohar as an arched chamber, similar in

expression to agan hasohar

In my opinion it is an underground house having a small opening above ground,

through which the prisoners are lowered and from which they have light. The

word sohar is thus derived from the word sihara [light] in Aramaic, just as in Hebrew,

Scripture says: A transparency [tzohar] shall you

make for the ark (Bereishit

6:16), the word tzohar being derived

from tzaharayim [mid-day – when the sun

reaches its zenith]. The difference between tzohar

and sohar is that tzohar

connotes an abundance of light, while sohar

connotes minimal light.

(RaMBaN

Bereishit 39:20, Chavel

translation)

Beit Hasohar

This [expression] is only found in these parashiyot,

and it seems, as Ibn Ezra suggests, that it is an

Egyptian word, since it is immediately followed by an explanation, the place

where, etc., as is found in the verse pur

is the lot (Esther 9:24). This is

also a proof of the Torah's antiquity, for Moses uses an Egyptian word that was

well known to his generation but unknown to the generations that followed him,

for we often find the term beit hakele [another term for "prison"] in the

Prophets, but never once the expression beit

hasohar. Ibn Ezra

thought that Potiphar did not have Joseph killed

because he was uncertain about the case, and HaKorem

contends that he knew that Joseph was innocent but sent him to prison to cover

for his wife – for a similar idea, see Bereishit Rabbah (7:17).

(ShaDaL

ad loc)

"She is more

in the right than I"

Yaakov Deutsch

Chapter 38 of Bereishit,

which contains the story of Judah and Tamar, seems to be disconnected from the

continuous narrative of our parasha, which deals with

Jacob's sons and the struggles between them. In addition, the final verse of

chapter 37, And the Medianites sold him to Egypt,

slaughterers, and the opening verse of chapter 39, Now Joseph had been

chamberlain, chief of the slaughterers, purchased him are very similar to

each other. This phenomenon, known as a connective repetition, points to the

link between the end of chapter 37 and the beginning of chapter 39 and marks

them as belonging to the primary plot. This further strengthens the question

why the continuous narrative was broken and the story of Judah and Tamar

inserted precisely where it was inserted.

Several commentators treat this question. Rashi, for instance, bases his comments on a midrash and claims that the first verse of chapter 38, Now

named Hirah, teaches us that the brothers had

lowered Judah from his greatness and that was why he had to go down to Adullam. According to Rashi's

interpretation, this section is found adjacent to the story of the sale of

Joseph in order to teach us that Judah lost his status because when the

brothers saw their father's sorrow over the loss of Joseph they became angry

with Judah and said that if only Judah had told them to bring Joseph back

instead of selling him, they would have listened to Judah. R. Yosef Bekhor Shor,

in contrast, stated that the reason why Judah went down to Adullam

was that he could not bear seeing his father suffer. Both explanations find a

causal connection between chapter 37 and chapter 38. Both claim that chapter 38

is placed here because Judah's descent was a direct consequence of the events

described in chapter 37. Despite these explanations, I will suggest an

alternative explanation for chapter 38's presence in this particular location,

an explanation that will attempt to find parallels between the story of Judah

and Tamar and the story of Jacob's sons.

The story of Jacob's sons and their conflict

with Joseph tells of a struggle taking place within a family. From its very

beginning, we hear about the brothers' harsh reaction to Joseph's dreams about

how they and their parents will bow down before him. After treating the matter

of the dreams Scripture tells us, And they

words (37:8). However, this is not enough for the brothers and they decide

to solve their problems with Joseph in a more extreme fashion. And so, when

they go down to Dotan and see Joseph coming towards

them they plan to kill him. In the end, they are satisfied by selling him to

the Ishmaelites, thus effectively riding themselves

of Joseph and his dreams (So now, let us kill him, and we will cast him into

will see what will become of his dreams – 37:20).

The story of Judah and Tamar also depicts a

family conflict. Judah's two sons, Er and Onan, have died and now he fears that Shelah

will share the fate of his older brothers. As a result, Judah pushes off Tamar

and asks her to wait for Shelah to grow up. Later,

after Shelah has reached adulthood, Judah still

refuses to let Tamar marry him. Tamar has sitting at home waiting, but when she

understands what has happened she chooses to take action in a way that will not

require a direct confrontation with Judah. She dresses up as a prostitute, and

when Judah meets her he cannot recognize her. She does not rebuke him directly

for having broken his promise. Judah discovers that she has become pregnant and

assumes that she has played the harlot, so he gives the order, "Bring

her out, and let her be burned" (38:24).

Even then she remains true to her manner of conduct and avoids a direct attack

upon Judah. Instead, she chooses to send him the seal and fringes that he had

left with her as collateral. Eventually, Judah himself comes to the realization

that he had erred and he even admits as much: She is

more in the right than I, because I did not give her to my son Shelah (38:26).

Both of these stories deal with conflicts

within the family, but each depicts a very different way to solve a crisis. The

brothers are angry with Joseph and develop feelings of hatred towards him. These

feelings eventually cause them to seek his death. In contrast, Tamar takes an

almost opposite route. She consistently avoids direct conflict with Judah, but

at the end of the day – and in complete contrast to Joseph's brothers – she

achieves her goal. Not only does Judah recognize his error, she even manages to

become pregnant and one of her descendants is none other than King David.

The story of Judah and Tamar teaches us that there is a different way to

solve conflicts besides the way of hatred and violence; there is a way that

brings the other side to understand and recognize its error. I humbly submit

that the story of Judah and Tamar is inserted between chapters 36 and 37, which

deal with the struggle between the brothers, precisely in order to teach us

this lesson. It does so by presenting us with a parallel story in which violent

confrontation is avoided, a story that ends instead with one of the sides

admitting his error, while the other achieves her goal.

Dr. Yaakov

Deutsch teaches in the Jewish History Department of Tel-Aviv University and in

the School of History at Hebrew University.

Now Jacob Was Settled in the Land Where His Father Had Resided:

Jacob Also had Patience to Wait

Since the previous parasha already proclaimed

that his brother Esau had inherited Mount Seir by his

father's merit, Scripture had to proclaim Jacob's inheritance, and said, Now

Jacob was settled in the land where

his father had resided [eretz megurei aviv, alternatively- the land of his father's sojourning]. This intends to demonstrate his virtuousness, in that he behaved

towards the land as a sojourner. As I explained in the previous parasha regarding the verse I give to you (Bereishit

35: 12) – even so, it [the

Divine promise] did not affect him, and he sojourned as a stranger as did his

father, in the land of Canaan. That is, he behaved in it as in a land not

his, rather the land of Canaan. Or one might say: although the land of

Canaan was given him as an inheritance, even so he sojourned in it until events

were unfolded by Joseph's life-story, and it says, this is the line [toldot – alternatively: life story] of Jacob,

Joseph, etc. And he was sold to Egypt, and our fathers went down to Egypt,

and He who promised to keep his promise brought them up to the Land, and they

inherited their legacy.

(R. Haim

ben Atar's Or HaHaim, Bereishit 37: 1)

Reuben

– Coward or Tzaddik?

But Reuben heard, and he

his father.

in order to save him from their hand[s]

– The Holy Spirit testifies that Reuben said this in order to save him,

so that he could return and pull him out. He said: I am the firstborn and the

oldest of them all, I alone will be blamed."

(Rashi, Bereishit

37:22)

…this is difficult to

understand: What is the basis for Rashi's assumption

that this was the reason for his wanting to save him? Perhaps he was a great tzaddik, and did not want to kill?

It may be explained

thus: Further on, in Parashat Vayehi,

in his blessings to his sons, Jacob blesses Judah who had said: What gain is

there if we kill our brother… Let us sell him…? Why did he not bless

Reuben who wanted to save Joseph completely, i.e., intending to return him to

his father? In contrast, Judah's advice was to sell him! We must conclude that

Reuben's intent was not entirely l'shem Shamayim – for the sake of heaven. It was to prevent

him from being blamed: "You are the firstborn…"

(Siftei Hakhamim, Ibid., ibid.)

But do not lay a

hand upon him – to treat him cruelly, as is written, Wicked

deeds come from wicked men – let my hand not participate in this.

(Seforno

Ibid., ibid.)

Discrimination

Creates Jealousy, Hatred, and Violence

And he made him a

coat of many colors – Resh Lakish said in the name of R. Elazar

ben Azaryah: A person

should not discriminate between his children, since the coat of many colors

which our father Jacob made for Joseph resulted in [he situation of] they

hated him, etc. (Bereishit

37:4)

R. Simon ben Lakish

said in the name of R. Elazar ben

Azaryah: [It is written:] Go and see God's works (Psalms

66:5),

and later it is written, He changed sea into dry land (verse

6).

Why was it that they hated him? So that [as a result of the historical

process set of by their hatred, they would enslaved be in Egypt and would

eventually be redeemed and] the sea would be torn asunder for them into passim

(Bereishit Rabbah 84:8)

That all this was not judicious or wise, that Jacob should

not have listened to his tattle, that altogether to show favoritism to one

child had only evil effects in the history of our forefathers, as indeed it has

in any home, is stressed bitterly enough in the pernicious results which are

shown in this story. They are weaknesses which occur only too frequently in

people's lives, but are none the less weaknesses.

(Rabbi S.R. Hirsch on Bereishit

37:3, Levy translation)

And when his

brothers saw that their father loved him (Bereishit

37:4)

– Otherwise, they would have thought it was because he was the son of the

beloved Rachel, that he loved her sons more than

the rest. But when they saw that he was best loved of all the brothers, including

Benjamin, they were sure that it was because of the ill reports that

he would bring about them, their disrepute gaining him honor and prestige from

their father. That is why they hated him – this is plain to see.

(Meshekh

Hokhmah ad. loc.)

Good Deeds Should be Performed Discretely

There we were binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my

bowed low to my sheaf.

(Bereishit 37:7)

It would appear that words in the field are

superfluous. However, it could be that their point is in line with that which

is found in Tractate Sukkah 49b: "What do we

learn from the verse, the curve of your thighs (Song

of Songs 7:2)? Just as the thigh is hidden, so too

things of Torah should be hidden. This is [in line with] that which is written:

What does the Lord ask from you… to walk modestly with the Lord

your God (Micah 6:8). Even things that are usually done in public should be

performed discretely. The reason is that one who performs [a commandment] in

public cannot be sure that unwanted thoughts will not come to his mind, that

is, he may become conceited and boastful out of pride [when everyone sees him

perform a commandment], and then it [the commandment] will not have been

performed for its own sake.

(Rav Tov 65a)

Everyone performs commandments openly and sins secretly,

while our rabbi sins openly and performs commandments

discretely.

(A saying of the Kotzker

Hassidim about their rabbi, R. Menahem Mendel MiKotzk, ztz"l)

His master's wife lifted

up her eyes to Joseph, and she said, "Lie with me."

But he refused

…take note that Scripture does not say, "Joseph did

not want to listen to hear," but rather vayima'en

expressions. One who refuses wants to do the act in question and is not

repelled by it. Rather, he does not do it for a different reason. "Did not

want" means that he does not desire to do it and is repelled by it. This

can be demonstrated throughout Scripture. Here Joseph was not repelled by his

master's wife – he did not find her ugly and nasty, since in that case

Scripture would have said "Joseph did not want." Instead, he did find

her attractive but even so he refused to do as she wished because he set the

fear of God before him, and the righteous man shall rule in the fear of God

(II Samuel 23:3).

(R. Shemuel Reggio on Berishit 39:8)

The philosophers said: One who rules over his soul – even

though he performs good and important acts – he does so while inwardly desiring

and longing for the forbidden acts, yet he conquers his desires; his actions

contradict his desires, he does the proper thing. He suffers from the stormy

conflict between his two inclinations.

The righteous person, however, is one whose actions follow

from his desire and his attributes; he does good – his

desire is to do good, and for that he longs. The philosophers all agree that

the righteous man (who is free of the battle between his inclinations) is a

spiritually more perfect man than one who subdues his inclination. – because the latter's very desire to do evil is a defective

trait of the soul. King Solomon, may he rest in peace, said similarly: The

desire of the wicked is set upon evil (Proverbs 21:10). And he spoke

of the joy of the righteous in the good deed, and was saddened by the person

who is not righteous in his actions: Justice done is a joy to the righteous;

to the evildoers, ruination (ibid.,

ibid., 15). This which is seen in the words of the prophet [David and

Saul] is consonant with the views of the philosophers.

But upon examination of the words of our Sages on this

subject, we find the following: One who desires sin and longs for it [yet does

not sin] – he is more important and perfect than he who has no longing for sin,

and suffers none by avoiding it. Our Sages said: the more important and perfect

a person is– the greater will be his longing for sin,

and the more acute his suffering at not satisfying his desire. They cited

sources: "The more a person is greater than his companion, so is his

inclination greater". They were not satisfied with this, and they added:

The reward given one who conquers his inclination is proportionate to his pain

in ruling over his inclination. They said "In proportion to the pain – the

reward." Yet more, they encouraged man to desire sin; Let him not say: By

nature I have no desire for this sin – even had the Torah not forbidden it to

me. "Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel

says: Let man not say: ‘I have no desire to eat meat with milk; I have no

desire to wear shaatnez; I have no

desire to have an illicit sexual relationship' – rather let him say: ‘I desire,

but what can I do? – my Father in heaven decreed!"

Cursory comparison of the words of the philosophers and of

our Sages would seem to indicate contradiction – but such is not the case. Both

are true, and there is no contradiction at all. The evils of which the

philosophers spoke when they said that one who has no inclination for evil is

more important than the one who has the inclination but conquers it – these are

those matters universally considered to be "evils," such as

bloodshed, theft, plunder, cheating, damaging someone without just cause,

repaying a benefactor with wickedness, disrespecting parents, etc. These are

the commandments of which the Sages said, "Even were they not written,

they would have been worthy of being written (mitvot

ha'sichliyot, rational commandments). Without

doubt a soul that longs for these evils has a defective soul… But those

matters of which the Sages thought when saying that one who conquers his

inclination is more important – and receives greater reward – are the torot shim'iyot,

those prohibitions that, had the Torah not proscribed them, would not have been

considered bad at all.

(RaMBaM, Eight

Chapters, Chap. 6)

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