And Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons,

 because he was a son of his old age;

and he made him a fine woolen coat.

(Bereishit 37:3)

 

and he made him a k'tonet passim [fine woolen coat] - It was an excellent garment, as in the verse ukhtonet tashbetz [a fringed tunic] (Shemot 28:4), and his brothers were envious because of it. The Sages expounded upon this: "One should never favor one of his children over the others" (Shabbat 10b). That coat was the first cause that led to their bodily enslavement in Egypt and to the eventual murder of the Ten Harugei malkhut [rabbis killed by the Romans], for the body is the soul's coat.

Regarding the expression passim, the midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 84:8) says that the term refers to the coat being so large it covered his two palms [pasot yadav]. Another idea: [It was called passim] because they cast lots [payis] amongst themselves to determine with which of the four methods of judicial execution they would kill him, for it is said, they plotted against him to put him to death. Having sold him they cast lots to determine who would bring the coat to their father. The lot fell upon Judah; he was the one who said, now recognize [whether it is your son's coat or not], and for that he was asked, Please recognize whose signet ring, [cloak, and staff are these?] (Bereishit 38:25). When he said whether it is your son's coat Jacob's life ended; that is why the lives of his [Judah's] sons, Er and Onan, ended in this world, for it is said: and requites the iniquity of the fathers in the bosom of the children who follow them (Jeremiah 32:18). Another idea: PaSIM as an acronym for the four troubles he [Joseph] suffered: Potiphar, Sohrim [traders], Ishmaelites, Midianites. Another idea: k'tonet passim, that he [Jacob] transmitted the secret of the twenty-two letters to him. That is enough. The meaning is that he dressed him in knowledge of the wisdom of the twenty-two letters long name [of God] which he learned from Shem and Ever; understand it.

(Rabbeinu Behayeiy ad loc)

 

 

Tamar and Judah (Genesis: chapter 38)

Mordechai Beck

The only two sons of Jacob who we know with certainty whom they married are Joseph and Judah. Both marry non-Hebrew, wives - one Canaanite, the other Egyptian. Since the Torah does not give details about the rest of the sons, we may assume that a similar fate awaited them. The sages say that Asnat-bat-Potifar is actually the product of the union of Shechem ben Hamor and Dinah, who is adopted by the Egyptians. Rashi quotes a somewhat ambiguous Talmud (Pesachim 50a) that suggests that Judah's wife might have been the daughter of a merchant (Canaan in Hebrew) but neither of these explanations are particularly convincing. In his gloss on this Talmudic observation in Torah Temimah (on Genesis 38: 2), Rabbi Baruch Halevi Epstein refers to Rashi's quoting Rabbi Nehemia on Genesis 37:35 where he states explicitly that "the daughters" referred to in the verse are Jacob's Canaanite daughters-in-law. This is in contrast to the pains that both Abraham/Sarah and Isaac /Rebecca took to find suitable marriage partners for their respective sons in the far off Haran. Perhaps the experience at the hands of Laban had soured the desire to return to Haran; perhaps the idea of finding partners for ten young men was simply too unrealistic. Either way, we are left with a fascinating fact that the ancestors of the Jewish people took non-Hebrew wives. Perhaps the assumption was simply that in those days the wives automatically took on the belief system and traditions of the family into which she was marrying. It is impossible to know and the written Torah is significantly silent about the whole affair. The story of Tamar is no less fascinating, in that it is she - a Canaanite woman - who demonstrates the sort of deep human sensitivity that the Torah itself champions, while her would- be lover Judah tries to duck his responsibilities - first to his family, then to his daughter-in-law. From the very first Judah seems strangely blind to what is going on around him. Perhaps the trauma of selling off his brother Joseph - which he had suggested as a substitute for killing him - is still upsetting him, particularly since none of the brothers (or their wives) are able to comfort their ageing father (37:35). Or, according to Rashi, the brothers now claim that had he - Judah - suggested returning Joseph to their father, they would have done so. When Judah takes a wife, he takes "the daughter of Shu'a." This wife has no name, as though he is indifferent to his fate (as well as hers). Perhaps he is the last to take a wife - and wants to prove that he, too, is capable of taking on such a responsibility. Either way the marriage does not produce much happiness. His anonymous wife gives birth to three sons - Er, Onan and Shela (strange names with little apparent meaning, except perhaps for Onan from On meaning strength). The first two sons Judah gives to another foreign lady - Tamar. The Midrash HaGadol (Gen. 83:7) opines that she is a descendant of Shem - and thus from the same root as Jacob - as well as of Melchizedek, king of Shalem - a major spiritual figure at the time of Abraham, and who was considered a high priest (see the essay "Melchizedek"). To emphasize this connection, the midrash quotes the verse: "When she prostitutes herself, the daughter of the Cohen disgraces her father..." (Genesis Rabbah 85:10).How she comes 'to prostitute herself,' is of course part of the visible narrative. Having lost her first husband - Er - for an unstated reason –but one that is 'bad in God's eyes' - Tamar is offered son number two, Onan. Although Onan agrees to the marriage, he does so reluctantly (thus echoing his own father's marriage), and 'spills his vital seed' rather than impregnate his wife. Perhaps this reflects another ancient tradition - namely to have two wives - one for her beauty and the other for her fecundity. Either way Onan dies, only to give his name thereafter to the sin of conscious masturbation, a dubious achievement.

Tamar - still attracted to Judah's family - is now faced with Judah's refusal to give up his third and last son - Sheylah - for obvious reasons. Judah's refusal is connected in the text to a part of the tradition that has yet to be formally given - the obligation by a brother to marry his widowed sister-in-law (yibum), hinting again that Judah is less worried by this femme fatale causing the demise of his third son, than by his fear of breaking an, as yet, ungiven Divine law. His suggestion to his daughter-in-law that she wait for Sheylah to grow up is another way of postponing the evil moment, so that she might voluntarily give up the whole idea of marrying into this family and just disappear. In some sense she almost does. Tamar's attraction to this family is unquenchable. If she can't have the son, she will try for the father. As her luck would have it, Judah's anonymous wife dies, thus leaving him free. She is even told of his whereabouts - he has gone to Timnah (near today's Beit Guvrin in the coastal plane).

In the source text in Genesis, Tamar goes to arrange a tryst at a place called Fetach Eiynaim - which literally means 'Opening of the Eyes' - a crucial clue in unravelling this enigmatic plot. The sages suggest that this is a crossroads near the house of Abraham and thus a popular attraction - or more simply a conspicuous place where anyone passing would have to look. at who was hanging out there. Having divested herself of her 'widow's weeds,' Tamar now takes a scarf of some sort as though to cover herself. At this point the rabbis are presented with a quandary. If she is out to entice Judah, why would she cover herself? Despite the traumas she has experienced, she remains an attractive lady. According to the Midrash HaGadol she is very beautiful (Genesis 83:7), and presumably counts on her physical beauty to realize the plan she has conceived. Moreover, as a prostitute she would presumably want to expose herself as much as possible. So why would the text appear to say that she covers herself so that Judah would not recognise her? Here the rabbis invent a novel way of reading the text. The 'covering up' they opine took place when she was married to Judah's sons (this is possible linguistically since the Hebrew has no distant past tense per se). Thus they understand the verse as saying that her modesty was such that Judah never saw her during the time she was married and presumably living in the vicinity. Indeed the Talmud goes so far as to say that Judah had disliked her because of her anger (Megilla 10). She was obviously a woman of spirit. When she stood at Fetach Eynaim,- her beautiful face exposed, her former father-in-law would simply have not recognised her (Megilla 10; Sota 10). Not that it would have availed her since another source has it that Judah walked straight past her (presumably still grieving for his own wife, but also still in an introspective mood). It was only through the intervention of the Angel of Passion that he is prompted to look, as it is written "and he turned aside" - a conscious and not a casual turning aside (Genesis Rabbah 85:8). At this point Tamar shows how smart and determined she really is. Before agreeing to sleep with Judah she asks for her payment. He offers a young goat but she prefers something more personalised, at least until he is able to deliver the kid. He agrees to give her his seal, his rod, and (perhaps) the strings that held his seal (or some sort of garment, see Rashi). They sleep together and he impregnates her. According to the Talmud she assists in the process by removing her virginal hymen with her finger (T.Yevamot 34). Thereafter, she doffs her harlot's clothing and returns to her widow's weeds. Judah then sends the promised kid through a friend (perhaps he is now embarrassed and doesn't want to be seen in her company again) but when the friend tries to locate the lady she is nowhere to be found. No one knows of such a harlot in this place - or at least she is not known to be among the regular ladies of the night in that neighbourhood. Judah is still upset over not being able to fulfil his promise of a kid to his passing lady friend. Nevertheless he feels he has done his best in searching for her, and is prepared to let the whole incident pass (how would it look if word got out that he was searching for a harlot?). But three months later, word gets about that his former unmarried daughter-in-law is pregnant. This incenses him. Perhaps family honour is at stake - although when his sons refuse to do their marital duty there is no such response. To underline just how the patriarchal norms are at work the Midrash tells us that a court of three (and not just Judah as is described in the source text) - consisting of Isaac, Jacob and Judah - condemn the lady to the stake: "Take here and burn her!" they cry in fired up unison. (M..Tanhuma Veyashev 17). This really does seem to be the nadir of the drama. Instead of supporting this twice-widowed young woman, these leaders of the generation are prepared to kill her, on evidence of hearsay.

Perhaps though this is merely an instinct, made on the spur of the moment - and inter alia it softens criticism of Judah - see who he comes from!

Tamar luckily has kept her wits about her. When ordered to appear for her execution by fire, she produces the three items Judah had given her as a surety - the rod, the seal and the woven cords(?). Whoever these belongs to is the cause of my pregnancy, she declares. It is a powerful moment for Judah. Suddenly he 'sees' everything. "You are more righteous than I," he avers admitting his rash behaviour presumably in public before the members of his court.

The text then says that "he ceases to be with her" –a strange 'reward' for the woman who has demonstrated what real love and understanding are. Rashi quoting the Talmud in Sota (10b) opines the opposite thesis - that he never left her again, which would make more sense given the depths of the revelation to which he is privy. Indeed in the very last paragraph of the story shows them choosing at least one of the names of their offspring together. The experience through which Judah passes may be reflected in the names that they give their twins - Paretz and Zerach. Paretz suggests "breaking out" - which is precisely what both the two protagonists of the story do in the context of their immediate norms. Zerach is a cipher for light - which is what Judah's spiritual journey traces. From the darkness of Joseph's pit he reaches the heights of his own self-revelation. Judah's journey has indeed been an incredible one. From the outset he has literally not been there, alienated from his own feelings, guilt-ridden by his actions towards Joseph, shunned by his brothers, cold-shouldered by his father. This lack of presence continues through his marriage, the death of his two sons and the episode with this apparent harlot - the personification of an emotionless, uncommitted relationship. It is only when he is confronted with what he has done - irresponsibly impregnating a woman he has used as an object - that he achieves a degree of self-understanding, even enlightenment. He who thought himself morally superior to his brothers is now revealed as a thoughtless, heartless individual who has lost his inner compass and is prey to his passions. Now he, too, is prepared to kill - to execute in cold blood. Only some last minute revelation can stop him in his tracks, and open him again to feelings of compassion, not only towards Tamar but also towards himself. His heartfelt cry "You are more righteous than I," signals his return to the world of living flesh and blood. It is no less salutary to address the mystery that is Tamar.

Whore or saint? Exploiter or exploited? The sages seem in little disagreement. She is compared to the matriarch Rebecca. Both cover themselves with scarves from their prospective husbands, and both give birth to twins (Genesis Rabbah 60:15). The midrash might also have added that both young ladies were outward going, even assertive, in a social milieu where such conduct might be misconstrued as provocative. The sages also compare Tamar to Ruth. Both lose their first husbands, attempt to get pregnant and establish the seed of Judah but in a way deemed proper, kosher - despite the outward appearances of their actions (Zohar part 1:188). Moreover, in contrast to Zimri's tryst with Cozbi (see essay on Pinhas) - the rabbis point to the results - Zimri's immoral behaviour resulting in the deaths of 24,000 Israelite men, Tamar's risky encounter producing kings and prophets.(Genesis Raba 85). Beneath the surface of the story, seems to run another narrative, one of perception or lack of it. Tamar - the foreign bride - suggests a certain duality about mental and physical sight. Her presence is tangible and intangible. Now we see her, now we don't. Now she is exposed to the naked eye, now she is covered and unrecognisable. Or not. The sages seem to hint at both - even when she takes off her scarf, she is invisible to Judah. In this they may be pointing to a deeper mystery of woman - when she is most hidden, she is most revealed; when most revealed she is most hidden. In other contexts, she might be a cipher for the revealed and hidden Torah itself. Is it surprising that Tamar is to be the progenitor of the Hebrew Messiah?

No wonder the Talmud (Megillah 25) observes that this story is read out in the synagogue, but not explained.

Mordechai Beck is a Jerusalem based artist and writer.

 

Reuben - Coward or Tzaddik?

But Reuben heard, and he saved him from their hand[s], and he said, "Let us not deal him a deadly blow." And Reuben said to them, "Do not shed blood! Cast him into this pit, which is in the desert, but do not lay a hand upon him," in order to save him from their hand[s], to return him to his father.

(Bereishit 37)

 

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.)

 

Midrashei Tzafon

From the pen of our member, Ronen Ahituv

The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master (39:2).

Joseph began to lift up his head in pride, saying, "I am like my father Jacob of whom it was said, and the man became exceedingly wealthy (30:43)."

The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: "You lift up your head, there are others who will also lift up - against you," for it is said: his master's wife lifted up her eyes (39:7).

Joseph said: "Whether I hearken to her or not, in the end my master will know. And am I successful? I just move from one pit to another." He read this verse as referring to him: I have greatly hoped for the Lord… And He drew me up out of the roaring pit…Praiseworthy is the man who made the Lord his trust, and did not turn to the haughty (Psalms 40:2-5).

 

 

 

If you wish to subscribe to the email English editions of Shabbat Shalom, to print copies of it for distribution in your synagogue, to inquire regarding the dedication of an edition in someone's honor or memory, to find out how to make tax-exempt donations, or to suggest additional helpful ideas, please call +972-52-3920206 or at ozshalom@netvision.net.il

If you enjoy Shabbat Shalom, please consider contributing towards its publication and distribution.

• Hebrew edition distributed in Israel $700
• English edition distributed via email $ 100

Issues may be dedicated in honor of an event, person, simcha, etc. Requests must be made 3-4 weeks in advance to appear in the Hebrew, 10 days in advance to appear in the English email.

 

About us

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom is a movement dedicated to the advancement of a civil society in Israel. It is committed to promoting the ideals of tolerance, pluralism, and justice, concepts that have always been central to Jewish tradition and law.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom shares a deep attachment to the land of Israel and it no less views peace as a central religious value. It believes that Jews have both the religious and the national obligation to support the pursuit of peace. It maintains that Jewish law clearly requires us to create a fair and just society, and that co-existence between Jews and Arabs is not an option but an imperative.

4,500 copies of a 4-page peace oriented commentary on the weekly Torah reading are written and published by Oz VeShalom/Netivot Shalom and they are distributed to over 350 synagogues in Israel and are sent overseas via email. Our web site is www.netivot-shalom.org.il.

Shabbat Shalom is available on our website: www.netivot-shalom.org.il