Vayeshev 2017: The Sexual Abuse of Yoisef (Joseph)

by devadmin | December 7, 2017 7:56 pm

Raboyseyee and Ladies:

The Sexual Abuse of Yoisef (Joseph):

 

This week the Oisvorfer begins by bringing sexual abuse charges against a well known Toirah personality. You read it here first. Though the acts perpetrated date back some 3500 years, efsher more, yearly when we read this chapter of the heylige Toirah, we become angry all over again, and what better time to bring charges than now, in this climate? Who is the perpetrator of these despicable events? Let’s find out.

 

Shoin, the world is in gantzin mishuga with the #MeToo’ers.  Kimat daily, another well known person is exposed for some type of abuse. Shreklich (OMG!) And guess what? The same will be found in this week’s parsha where we will be reading about, not one unusual sexual encounter, but two. That is correct. Ober this week we will be shining a light on sexual abuse efsher perpetrated on men by women, two of them, say it’s not so please. OMG! Just what is the Oisvorfer leading with and stating so bluntly? Was Yoisef, everyone’s favorite Toirah hero, mamish sexually abused?  And what about Yehuda? What the hec is going on in the Yaakov Oveenu household this week? Who are these women? Have the wheels come unglued? Let’s find out.

 

Shoin, just as our parsha was wrapping up the bizarre case of Yehudah and Tamar, wherein Tamar, intent on having a child from the Yehudah family tree, be it from his children, or Yehudah himself, took very deliberate acts in furtherance of the conspiracy she had concocted, we read about another case of sexual abuse, this one to include seduction mamish, the cover-up, charges of rape, fake evidence, and more. The heylige Toirah dedicated 30 pisukim to the Yehudah/Tamar events; you can read all about it here in parshas Vayeshev which we will have the pleasure of hearing this coming shabbis. Yehudah, as we all know, was one of Yaakov’s 12 sons, the one from whom the Moshiach will one day trace his lineage. We previously covered and analyzed this caper, how it came to be that Yehudah found himself embroiled and efsher entrapped in a roadside encounter with his own daughter-in-law while she was masquerading about as a zoina (hooker).  Shoin, our heylige Toirah is not shy about providing the colored details. Feel free to check out archives for 2016 and 2013 for more on what went down there, besides Yehudah of course. Ober what happened next is even more shreklich.

 

The heylige Toirah continues and tells us -in mamish inglorious detail- events which took place over in Mitzrayim at Potifar’s house, he the head butcher (according to other sources, he was the head executioner) where Yoisef had, within the past year, been sold into slavery.  In this, our eighth review of Vayeshev, and given the daily news explosions regarding men abusing women, let’s see what happened to Yoisef. Does sexual abuse cut both ways?

 

In order to wrap our heads or arms around what took place, and almost went down, if you chap, we need to review and chazir the pisukim innaveynig (let’s review the text). We begin then with pisukim 7-20 of perek 39 (Chapter 39) in the great book of Bereishis (Genesis). Says the heylige Toirah:

 

7.  Now it came to pass after these events that his master’s wife lifted up her eyes to Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.” זוַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַתִּשָּׂ֧א אֵֽשֶׁת־אֲדֹנָ֛יו אֶת־עֵינֶ֖יהָ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁכְבָ֥ה עִמִּֽי:
8.  But he refused, and he said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me my master knows nothing about anything in the house, and all he has he has given into my hand. חוַיְמָאֵ֓ן | וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת אֲדֹנָ֔יו הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע אִתִּ֖י מַה־בַּבָּ֑יִת וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדִֽי:
9.  In this house, there is no one greater than I, and he has not withheld anything from me except you, insofar as you are his wife. Now how can I commit this great evil, and sin against God?” טאֵינֶ֨נּוּ גָד֜וֹל בַּבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּה֘ מִמֶּ֒נִּי֒ וְלֹֽא־חָשַׂ֤ךְ מִמֶּ֨נִּי֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־אוֹתָ֖ךְ בַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתְּ־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨יךְ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֜ה הָֽרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את וְחָטָ֖אתִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים:
10.  Now it came about when she spoke to Joseph day in and day out, that he did not obey her, to lie beside her [and] to be with her. יוַיְהִ֕י כְּדַבְּרָ֥הּ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף י֣וֹם | י֑וֹם וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֥ע אֵלֶ֛יהָ לִשְׁכַּ֥ב אֶצְלָ֖הּ לִֽהְי֥וֹת עִמָּֽהּ:
11.  And it came about on a certain day, that he came to the house to do his work, and none of the people of the house were there in the house. יאוַֽיְהִי֙ כְּהַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א הַבַּ֖יְתָה לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת מְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨ין אִ֜ישׁ מֵֽאַנְשֵׁ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת שָׁ֖ם בַּבָּֽיִת:
12.  So she grabbed him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside. יבוַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּ בְּבִגְד֛וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר שִׁכְבָ֣ה עִמִּ֑י וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה:
13.  Now it happened, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, יגוַֽיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־עָזַ֥ב בִּגְד֖וֹ בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַיָּ֖נָס הַחֽוּצָה:
14.  that she called to the people of her house, and she spoke to them, saying, “Look! He brought us a Hebrew man to mock us. He came to me to lie with me, but I called loudly. ידוַתִּקְרָ֞א לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵיתָ֗הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר רְא֗וּ הֵ֥בִיא לָ֛נוּ אִ֥ישׁ עִבְרִ֖י לְצַ֣חֶק בָּ֑נוּ בָּ֤א אֵלַי֙ לִשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמִּ֔י וָֽאֶקְרָ֖א בְּק֥וֹל גָּדֽוֹל:
15.  And it happened that when he heard that I raised my voice and called out, he left his garment beside me, and he fled and went outside.” טווַיְהִ֣י כְשָׁמְע֔וֹ כִּֽי־הֲרִימֹ֥תִי קוֹלִ֖י וָֽאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ אֶצְלִ֔י וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה:
16.  So she left his garment beside her, until his master came home. טזוַתַּנַּ֥ח בִּגְד֖וֹ אֶצְלָ֑הּ עַד־בּ֥וֹא אֲדֹנָ֖יו אֶל־בֵּיתֽוֹ:
17.  And she told him the same thing, saying, “The Hebrew slave that you brought to us came to me to mock me. יזוַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּ֣א אֵלַ֞י הָעֶ֧בֶד הָֽעִבְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הֵבֵ֥אתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְצַ֥חֶק בִּֽי:
18.  And it happened when I raised my voice and called out, that he left his garment beside me and fled outside.” יחוַיְהִ֕י כַּֽהֲרִימִ֥י קוֹלִ֖י וָֽאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֥ב בִּגְד֛וֹ אֶצְלִ֖י וַיָּ֥נָס הַחֽוּצָה:
19.  Now it came about when his master heard his wife’s report that she spoke to him, saying, “Your slave did such things to me,” that his wrath burned. יטוַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲדֹנָ֜יו אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּרָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ:
20.  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. כוַיִּקַּח֩ אֲדֹנֵ֨י יוֹסֵ֜ף אֹת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֔הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אֲסִירֵ֥י כתיב אסורי הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲסוּרִ֑ים וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר:

 

Shoin, now that we read those verses, let’s, as a prelude, go back and read very carefully posik 6 wherein we learn the following about Yoisef’s physique and looks.

 

6.  So he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he knew nothing about what was with him except the bread that he ate; and Joseph had handsome features and a beautiful complexion. ווַיַּֽעֲזֹ֣ב כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֘ בְּיַד־יוֹסֵף֒ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֤ע אִתּוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־הַלֶּ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא אוֹכֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף יְפֵה־תֹ֖אַר וִיפֵ֥ה מַרְאֶֽה:

 

Ober, why would the heylige Toirah go out of its way to tell us that Yoisef was well built and very good looking? Is this what our heylige Toirah is about? What have looks to do with a person’s character and with events that followed? Let’s find out. Nu, earlier we learned that Potifar either did, or did not, trust Yoisef with his bread -see posik 6 above. One medrish will tell us that Yoisef’s physique and outstanding good looks were the result of his carb-loaded diet; seemingly, he ate only bread and avoided all the tarfus (non kosher) found in the Potifar household. We need to assume that Potifar did not maintain a kosher kitchen, nor offer common fare, if you chap. In any event, how bread helped maintain his physique, ver veyst. Shoin, who are you to argue with a medrish?  In fact, says the RambaN and the Kli Yokor azoy about bread: Yoisef remained well built and good looking davka because he ate only bread and avoided items from the non-kosher menu.  Carbs anyone?

 

Posik 6 also tells us that Potifar, Yoisef’s enslaver and master, left all in Yoisef’s hand except for the bread he ate. In other words: he trusted Yoisef implicitly. And taka says the Ibn Ezra: we must take the words literally: Yoisef had Potifar’s trust on all, except taka for the bread. Why couldn’t Yoisef touch the bread? Seemingly, Yoisef’s Jewish salve hands on Potifar’s Egyptian bread would be an anathema, abhorrent mamish to him. Ober says the Ramban that a careful reading of the posik regarding the bread, suggests a different pshat. Pshat is that Potifar trusted Yoisef implicitly even with the bread. Ober why would Potifar trust his young Jewish slave? Seemingly, during a shakedown of his cell or living quarters, for those who chap, all Potifar found was some bread. In other words: Yoisef did not steal any of Potifar’s personal belongings as do other slaves or prisoners whenever the opportunity presents. Shoin. Ober says Rashi quoting the medrish (Bereishis Rabba 86:6): of course Potifar trusted Yoisef with bread: regular and whole wheat. Ober the bread the heylige Toirah is referring to in the posik, is not real bread; instead the bread is a euphemism for Potifar’s own wife. Seemingly, Potifar did not trust Yoisef with Mrs. Potifar, who as an aside, goes unnamed in the entire narrative, in Yoisef’s hands. Not to worry because what’s a good story like this one, one which ultimately changed the course of Jewish history forever, without the name of one of its main protagonists? Not good at all. And says the Sefer Hayoshor, that Mrs. Potifar’s real name was Zuleika. Shoin, also a name. How the sefer knows this?  Ver veyst?

 

In posik 11 above, we came across these words: “And the day came….”  Which day was that and why does the heylige Toirah mention this specific day? Nu, these words too are subject to interpretation, several. Says the heylige Gemora (Soitah 36b): guess what? It was “the day” that Zulekia, clever and cunning seductress that she was, and after constant (for up to a full year) flirtations and advances during which she tried unsuccessfully to lure Yoisef to sleep with her, or at least, lie near her without sleeping, if you chap, had Yoisef ready. Ready for what? Nu, Rashi quotes a machloikes -what else is new- between Rav and Shmuel. Rav and Shmuel agreed on almost nothing and their myriad disagreements are sprinkled all over the heylige Gemora. In any event, says one: “that day,” was just like any other day; he was merely coming to work, nothing out of the ordinary. Ober said the other: not so! “That day…,” Yoisef’s temptations got the better of him -who cannot relate- and he was mamish ready to succumb to her advances, ready to give in, and do the myseh (act), if you chap, with her.

But wait: a few more sages chimed in and had their own interpretations on those words. What was taka “that day” all about?  Said Rebbe Yehudah: it was the day the Nile River overflowed and all went out to witness the event.  All that is except Yoisef who reported to work.  Ober said Rebbe Nechemiah: it had nothing to do with the Nile, nor anything else overflowing, except for Mrs. Potifar’s lust for Yoisef. It was instead the ‘day’ that the theater was performing and all went down to see the comedy show being performed.  So says the medrish (Yalkut Shimoni) for those interested. Nu, whatever day it was, or wasn’t, shtellt zich di kasha (the question arises), how did Potifar’s wife beg out of the theater production or the overflowing Nile celebration?  Was she not, as a married woman, expected to be at her husband’s side? Shoin, clever vixen that she was, she feigned sickness and went home. There she found Yoisef alone and locked the doors. Let’s go veyter and find out what happened next.  As an aside, there are still other views as to what “that day” was but you get the picture. The bottom line: it was the day that she sexually abused him, threw herself upon him, the day he ran out leaving his torn tunic in her hands, and the day she concocted the cover-up by blaming a hapless Yoisef for her misdeeds.

 

Shoin.  Let’s recall that Yoisef was a young man, all of 17 years old when kidnapped by his loving (not) holy brothers who then unceremoniously sold him for $20 worth of silver. Let’s not forget the 22 year cover-up to follow, ober that for another day.  A year later, he was 18 and his hormones mistama raging. Zicher you recall being 18 and even acting 18 though decades have past, chazerim that you are. Mamish? Says Rabaynu Bachaya: although Yoisef refused to even look at Mrs. Potifar for many months, nebech he was but human. Nu, can you imagine nebech his state of affairs, to use the term lightly, when at his young age, and given his good looks, which the heylige Toirah points out, as it does for no other male mentioned in the entire heylige Toirah, he was being seduced daily by this very powerful woman who had some dominion over him? Says the Yafeh Toar (page 477) azoy: Yoisef’s anguish during this time was greater that what Yitzchok experienced while bound on the akeydo. Well blow me down and OMG! Mrs. Potifar or Zuleika, or whatever her real name was, was mamish trying to lure Yoisef in daily. How so? Says the heylige Gemora (Yoma 35B): she dressed in very sexy seductive clothing which she changed several times daily. How much teasing can a young man endure? How was a young Jewish slave, bereft of family support, or a rebbe like Shaim and Ever to turn, or run to, supposed to withstand the advances of this powerful vixen of a woman, and the wife of his master?  She was clearly sexually abusing him.  But he did! Says the medrish (Tanchuma): she mamish took ill from the lack of attention; Yoisef wasn’t biting; or doing anything else; she was left nebech lust-stricken. Says another medrish that she mamish begged him and tried many other tricks to get Yoisef into her boudoir, ober Yoisef stood strong, if you chap. Shoin. Are you chapping the scene?  For sure, various commentators who reviewed these pisukim (verses) did, and mamish painted all the pictures the Oisvorfer is mentioning and a few others.  But wait, there’s more.

 

What happened next? On that day, she seemingly cornered him at the edge of her bed and made one more final advance. She grabbed him by his shirt, or whatever he was wearing. Somehow Yoisef refused. He ran out and left her holding his clothing. One medrish (Sefer Hayashar) tells us the following took place in the bedroom: Potifar’s wife literally attacked Yoisef. She grabbed his throat with one hand and in her other, she held a stiletto. And she said: “if you do not listen to me (and bed me right now), I will kill you. I have locked all the doors so that no one will surprise us.” Shoin, as many husbands know, or should, one does not argue with a wife who is pointing 3 or 4 inch stilettos at your throat. Ober, did Yoisef give in?

Ober said Reb Chiya as found in the heylige Zoihar: the events were slightly different: she taka grabbed him by his garment stating “sleep with me!” According to Reb Chiya, Zulikea, or whatever her name was, was not wearing or holding stilettos, nor much of anything else. In any event, with or without shoes, the message was clear: she wanted Yoisef!

 

One medrish tells us that the shalsheles cantellation which make the tonic sound, which is found atop the word for refused (Vayimoane), which is used but 4 times in the entire heylige Toirah, and makes a triple sound, davka means that Yoisef said NO at least three more times. Ober ‘that day’ with no one home, and zicher before security cameras were invented, when his powerful female mistress grabbed hold of him and made one final attempt at seduction, Yoisef tore away and left her holding his tunic and ran out. The pisukim above provide ample detail and color. Ober why didn’t Yoisef grab his shirt back, why did he opt instead to run out sans clothing and efsher -according to some- totally naked? Nu, as it turns out, this question is answered by the Tzeydah Laderech and the Ramban who tell us that it’s taka emes that Yoisef ran out without his clothing. Why? Because he would have been forced to wrestle her for the clothing and since she was his mistress -so to speak- he still showed her respect.  Shoin.  The pisukim tell us what followed.

 

She turned the tables and told her assistants that Yoisef the Hebrew came to the house with intentions of raping her.  Shoin, what’s a man to do when sex abuse charges -false one’s- are leveled against him? And listen to this bombshell: says the medrish (Targum Yoinoson, a man with incredible imagination and more), azoy: to bolster her claim and to prove Yoisef was a predator and had rape on his mind, she went and cracked open an egg. Was it breakfast time? Not! Instead she spilled the egg whites all over the bed and told her staff that Yoisef left sperm behind as he ran out once she raised her voice. You hear this raboyseyee?  Was Yoisef mamish a predator?  Not!  To help adjudicate the charges of sexual abuse against Yoisef by Mrs. Potifar, and the ensuing counter charge of rape by Yoisef, we turn first to the heylige Toirah which tells us the end of the story. Let’s recall posik 20 from page 1 and let’s read it and 19 one more time.

 

19.  Now it came about when his master heard his wife’s report that she spoke to him, saying, “Your slave did such things to me,” that his wrath burned. יטוַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲדֹנָ֜יו אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּרָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ:
20.  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. כוַיִּקַּח֩ אֲדֹנֵ֨י יוֹסֵ֜ף אֹת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֔הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אֲסִירֵ֥י כתיב אסורי הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲסוּרִ֑ים וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר:

 

Ober was Mrs. Potifar guilty of sexual abuse?  Were Yoisef’s hands not entirely clean? Was he entrapped mamish? Or, did he play some small part in stirring her passions? Was the RBSO involved in this entire conspiracy? Nu our sages, the medrish, and other commentators will act as jurors and here’s what they had to say.

What did Potifar do when he heard his wife level abuse and rape charges, and efsher worse, against Yoisef? And when did he hear them? Let’s look at a few key words found in posik 19 above. There we read how the cunning wife told her husband “… your servant did such things to me.” What things was she referring to?  Says Rashi and the medrish (Bereishis Rabbah 87-9) azoy: Rebbe Abahu said: while the Potifars were enjoying an intimate moment, while Potifar was making moves and servicing the wife, if you chap, she stated those words. In other words: she told Potifar that whatever he was doing to her, Yoisef had made those very moves earlier! Potifar was copying Yoisef’s moves? Mamish out of Seinfeld! Yikes. What chutzpah, assuming she was speaking the emes. Ober with all that, did Potifar react violently as would many a husband upon learning that their wives were unfaithful, and even worse, already enjoyed the very moves the husband was now making? He did not! Instead he opted to place Yoisef in jail. And the question is why?

 

Shoin, for help, we turn first to the Medrish Rabba who tells us that Yoisef was taken to trial mamish where he was proven innocent. Ober say most other medroshim (exegetes) azoy:  It’s clear that she made up the charges against Yoisef in order to cover up her promiscuous behavior. Moreover, her own husband did not believe her. And the proof? It’s quite poshit: had he believed her, Yoisef would have been killed on the spot. Who would come to the defense of a Jewish slave over in Egypt? Let’s recall: at this time, Yoisef was likely the only Hebrew in all of Egypt. No one would miss him were he sentenced to death. Shoin. One medrish tells us that Yoisef was loved by Potifar; he knew that Yoisef was innocent. He believed Yoisef’s story over the tale his wife, that tzatzkila, was spinning. Let’s recall that Potifar had entrusted Yoisef with his entire household and that Yoisef was found honest at every turn.

 

Ober why would Potifar not trust his own wife? Was the evidence tampered with? What about the torn shirt she was now holding? Was the evidence fake? Let’s find out. Says one medrish azoy: Potifar did call in the experts to examine the torn shirt and they, after examining it, concluded that Mrs. Potifar was not a credible witness. Had the shirt been torn from the front, logic would have dictated that she tore it in self defense. Ober since it was torn in the back, they concluded that Yoisef was but trying to avoid contact and that she tore it. Ober Targum Yoinoson, whom we quoted earlier, says something mamish so astounding and amazing it’s worthy of the shabbis tish. Let’s recall that in desperation, the seductress cracked open an egg and poured the egg white onto the bed where she passed it off as semen. OMG! So she told those who came running once they heard her screams. What did Potifar do? To his credit, he wanted the evidence examined. He called in Egypt’s finest kohanim (priests). Grada, many a priest knows from semen on the bed, ober that for another day. Sadly, such knowledge is also known by a number of rogue rebbes and pirchei leader going back a few decades. These priests, utilizing Egypt’s finest technology at the time, lit a candle and held it to the substance on the bed. And? They were able to determine that her story was false mamish, a total fabrication. How they knew that semen reacts differently to fire than does egg white, ver veyst, ober that’s what the Targum tells us. And his proof? It all comes together later where we learn that Yoisef never forgot their honesty. In two weeks time, as parshas Vayigash closes out, we will be reading how Yoisef, then Viceroy of Egypt and the overseer of its granaries during the famine, rewarded them for their honesty. Stay tuned.

 

Ober, after reading the various defenses offered by Rashi, the Ramban and a number of other medroshim, we must conclude as follows. How was it that Yehudah did not recognize that he was being serviced by his own daughter-in- law? It was the will of the RBSO! He so willed these events to take place; case closed. Her intentions were lofty; she did it all lishaim shomayim, for a holy purpose. Mistama she knew, or did not, her destiny; it included the Davidic kingdom and ultimately the Moshiach. She chapped that all this would emanate from her loins. Shoin: she’s innocent of entrapping Yehuda into a roadside encounter.

 

Mrs. Potifar, she the wife of the head of the butchers (or executioner) over in Mitzrayim, also had a vision. She was star-gazing and through astrology, foresaw that a child needed to be born, and that somehow, she and Yoisef were to be its ancestors. Seemingly, the skies were a shtikel cloudy that night; the stars were aligned but did not involve her. In the end, it was her daughter Osnas who was destined to have a child with Yoisef.  She taka tried valiantly to bed Yoisef, she was taka infatuated with his good looks, and Yoisef may have wittingly or not played some role in attracting her to him by those very good looks he was endowed with and his grooming habits. As an aside, those very grooming habits -constantly looking in the mirror- may have also enraged his brothers. Ober it appears that she too is innocent. In the end, she too was but a pawn. It was all a master plan put in place by the RBSO and executed by those actors whom He commissioned and empowered for this mission.  Shoin: Eishes Potifar is then declared innocent of the sexual abuse of Yoisef and were she a member of Congress, we would argue that she need not resign.  As we look back, it all makes sense. He gave Yoisef exceptional good looks -the Ohr Hachaim tells us he looked like his mother Rochel about whom the heylige Toirah used the exact same phrase of:

וְרָחֵל֨ הָֽיְתָ֔ה יְפַת־תֹּ֖אַר וִיפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה:

“… Rachel had beautiful features and a beautiful complexion.”  Next, He allowed 11 brothers to rationalize behavior which in the ordinary course would lead one to life in prison for kidnapping and worse. He conspired with the brothers to keep the secret quiet for 22 years until they would reunite, and where Yoisef could feed the family during the famine. He gave Yoisef additional charm so that Potifar would like and trust him. Seemingly it was Yoisef’s destiny to also spend as many as 12 years in prison before enjoying a meteoric rise to unprecedented authority, glory, wealth, and power. Not too shabby for a former slave and prisoner.

 

That’s life!

A gittin Shabbis-

The Heylige Oisvorfer Ruv

Yitz Grossman

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