Torah Study Vayshev

Bereshit/Genesis 37:1-40:23, Amos 2:6-3:8, Matthew 1:18-25

Torah Portion Bereshit/Genesis 37:1-40:23

3Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his other sons because he was the son of his old age...

Interestingly Joseph was not the only child born in Israel’s old age, Issachar and Zebulun too were born in Jacob’s old age, and Benjamin was born even after Joseph. This might be a mistranslation Onkelos (writer of the Targums) translates, “he was his sage child.” Meaning everything Jacob had learned from Shem(Noah’s Son and Eber Shem’s Great-Grand-Son and an Israelite and Ishmalite) he passed on to Joseph.

5Then Joseph dreamed a dream and told his brothers—and they hated him even more...8“Will you truly be a king over us?” his brothers said to him. “Will you really rule over us?” So they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of his words...10He told it to his father as well as his brothers. Then his father rebuked him and said to him, “What’s this dream you dreamed? Will we really come—your mother and I with your brothers—to bow down to the ground to you?” 11So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the speech in mind.

What seems to be the problem with Joseph and his brothers? Was Joseph being modest?

In classic Jewish understanding Modesty is not just about covering the body but also is about not being flashy or showy.

It is possible for a person to be truthful and immodest.

Would you say Joseph drove his brothers to Jealousy?

In verse 10 we read Israel asks Joseph “Will we really come—your mother and I with your brothers—to bow down to the ground to you?” Rachael has already passed on so who is this referring to?

21But Reuben heard and rescued him out of their hands, saying, “We must not beat him to death.” 22In order to rescue him from their hand and to return him to his father, Reuben said to them, “Don’t shed blood! Throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him!”

What is Reuben trying to do here? What might be his motivation? How does this compare to what we read of Reuben concerning Bilhah’s bed incident?

Reuben is clearly trying to save Joseph’s life. As first born he had the most to lose and the greatest insult from Joseph.

It seems to me he is genuinely concerned for his brothers life.

Reuben genuinely cares for his brother and his father and I do not believe it a stretch to say his mothers as well.

Chapter 38 is devoted entirely to Judah and Tamar. Why does it appear here in the middle of this story of Joseph?

In traditional Torah study the question of why certain verses and chapters appear where they do in the text is often asked.

It is commonly thought in this particular case that this is a turning point in Judah’s life. His interaction with Tamar causes him to repent of not just his treatment of her but also his treatment of Joseph and possibly any way he may have treated other members of his family.

7But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in Adonai’s eyes, so Adonai put him to death...9But Onan knew that the seed would not be his. So every time he went to his brother’s wife he would destroy it on the ground so as not to provide a seed for his brother. 10What he did was evil in Adonai’s eyes, so He put him to death also.

Some of the sages particularly Rashi think that Er and Onan committed the same SIN of wasting seed. What other SIN might also be associated with them?

They where denying there wife Tamar a child which a violation of Torah. A husband is not allowed to deny intimacy to his wife or to deny providing her a child. Exodus 21:10 If he takes another wife, he is not to diminish her food, her clothing, or her marriage rights.

Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, Holy Scriptures: Tree of Life Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015), Ex 21:10.

This was a sever SIN to HaShem.

It is in many ways similar to AAron’s Adab and Abinahu.

26Then Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I didn’t give her to my son Shelah.” He was not intimate with her again.

Why was Tamar more righteous than Judah?

She sought to bring about the children for her husbands following the law.

She was crafty in her method to accomplish the law as it was the only method she had to use.

She could have fled or moved or found a new husband but remained devoted to a family that might have blamed her for the deaths of the sons.

She new what the brothers did with regard to wasting seed and yet she seems to have preserved their dignity.

One of the twins of Tamar is named Perez. To this day this is a common name in Hispanic communities and it is thought that people with this last name might be of Jewish Decent.

3His master saw that Adonai was with him and that Adonai made everything he set his hand to successful.

How did his master know who Adonai was and that Joseph’s success came from him?

Rashi suggests that every time Joseph accomplished a task or was praised he would give credit to HaShem.

This behavior is common in Jewish society to this day. Baruch HaShem or Praise the Lord. Is commonly said whenever an Observant Jew receives a complement or blessing.

The final Chapter of this Parashat is the story of the cup bearer and the baker. Why are they in the Jail?

It is commonly understood that the offense offered by the cup-bearer and baker was that they had failed to provide good quality products. Some say the wine was watered down or had a bug in it and that the bread had a pebble or the flour had been adulterated in some way. This was punishable in this manner because Mitsrayim was a government based on the rule of kings and not the rule of law. The Pharaoh had all of the say and everyone did what he said.

Haftorah Portion Amos 2:6-3:8

Why is Adonai upset with Israel?

They have despised him by not keeping his Torah.

The intention of the heart is never better expressed than serving the one we love in the manner that they want to be served.

Amos 3:2“Only you have I known from among all the families of the earth...

What do you understand this to mean?

The only people as a whole HaShem has revealed his will through is Israel.

Is it still true?

I think so. There is not any new prophecy or scriptures that have been written by a gentile.

Basorah Portion Matthew 1:18-25

19And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, made up his mind to dismiss her secretly.

Joseph is a righteous man. What was the righteous deed he was going to do?

He was going to preserve the dignity of his 15 year old betrothed who was mysteriously pregnant.

Preserving the dignity of others seems to be profoundly important to HaShem.

What does Joseph and Judah have in common?