Who is Joseph?
What type of person is Joseph?
Therefore, of Yosef it is said: “Yosef brought bad reports of them [to their father]” (Genesis 37:2). This is the element of severities, since the left hand pushes away (Sotah 47a). Yet it is also written concerning Yosef, “I am seeking my brothers” (Genesis 37:16). This is the element of benevolences, since the right hand brings close (Sotah, ibid .)
According to Jewish mystics, Joseph was the paradigm of virtue and righteousness, the personification of tzaddik yesod olam, a man of such holiness that his merit sustains the entire world. Joseph was also Jacob’s favorite son, and they shared a special relationship. When Jacob lay dying he called Joseph and requested burial in the Land of Israel.
How do we expect a person like Joseph to act towards others?
What words would you expect would categorize Joseph's behavior?
Do you expect Joseph to be a fair man?
את דבתם רעה THEIR EVIL REPORT — Whatever he saw wrong in his brothers, the sons of Leah, he reported to his father: that they used to eat flesh cut off from a living animal, that they treated the sons of the handmaids with contempt, calling them slaves, and that they were suspected of living in an immoral manner. With three such similar matters he was therefore punished. In consequence of his having stated that they used to eat flesh cut off from a living animal Scripture states, (Genesis 37:31) “And they slew a he-goat" after they had sold him and they did not eat its flesh whilst the animal was still living. And because of the slander which he related about them that they called their brothers slaves — (Psalms 105:17) “Joseph was sold for a slave.” And because he charged them with immorality (Genesis 39:7) “his master’s wife cast her eyes upon him etc.” (Genesis Rabbah 84:7).
What does Rashi add to your understanding of our story and Joseph?
When is a bad report gossip and when is it not?
ויבא יוסף את דבתם רעה, “Joseph reported negative reports about them;” (no wonder that they all began to hate him as a tale bearer). The sons of Bilhah and Zilpah hated him as talebearer, and his other brothers hated him because he was a favorite of their father. They were therefore afraid that in due course their father would appoint him as his firstborn. When the Torah writes (in verse four: וישנאו אותו, “they hated him,”) it refers to all of the brothers except Binyamin who was only 10-11 years old. Each group of brothers had a different reason for hating him. They were afraid that their father would treat Joseph as their grandfather Yitzchok had treated his son Esau, because of emotional attachment, not based on objective considerations.
Do we still carry this inherited trauma?
Must parents parent objectively?
What is the role of emotion in parenting?
Does it matter that Joseph is only 17?
"Joseph was seventeen years of age, etc" (Genesis 37:2), and it further says "He was a youth" (ibid.), rather that he did youthful things. He touched up his eyes, he picked up his heels, he fixed his hair. "He was a shepherd... he brought negative reports [of his brothers, to his father]"
Is gossip different in youth?
Amongst family?
Joseph is selected here as the stereotype of a Jew... Whatever befell Joseph sooner or later befell Zion etc. Just as Joseph was tending the sheep near his brothers at the beginning of his historic career, so the Jewish people were close to the land of Edom their cousins at the beginning of its historic career when they received the Torah. By its acceptance of G-d’s law, Israel, so to speak, brought "evil" reports about other nations who had failed to accept the Torah when it was offered to them. When G-d says in Jeremiah 2,2, "I remember your love and kindness in your youth when you followed Me into the desert etc," this corresponds to Joseph being loved by his father more than his brothers. G-d gave Israel the Torah, accorded it special status, just as Jacob chose Joseph, gave him the colored coat and assigned him priestly duties (as Rachel's eldest). When the cousins (gentile nations) perceived this, they hated Israel just as the brothers had hated Joseph. Our sages point out that the reason the mountain on which the Torah was given was called Sinai, was because the word is reminiscent of hatred, i.e. events on that mountain accounted for the hatred of the Jewish people and Judaism by the gentile nations.
Is "Chosen-ness" connected to / the source of Antisemitism?
Does the light you shine put others in a bad light?