Vayeishev: Jacob Settled

By Richard Sison | 2016

Introduction

Parsha Vayeishev introduces the story of Joseph. Joseph, being Jacob’s 11th son, was a 17-year-old shepherd working in the fields alongside his ten older brothers.
The text’s description of him as a “youth,” na-ar in Hebrew, is apt, both biologically and emotionally. As Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg writes: “Joseph behaves with the narcissism of youth, with a dangerous unawareness of the inner worlds of others.”
He is believed to consciously tells Jacob malicious tales about his brothers and by wearing the beautiful, multicoloured coat that Jacob has given him, flaunts the fact
that he is the favorite son for he was the first son of Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob who died while giving birth to Benjamin. It is thus not surprising that when Joseph’s brothers see that their father loves him more than any of them, they developed hatred towards Joseph.

This parsha also talks about the story of Tamar who successively married two of Judah's sons, each of whom dies. Judah did not permit her levirate marriage to his youngest son but in turn, she deceived Judah into impregnating her. Towards the end of the parsha, it narrated that G-D is with Joseph in Egypt until the wife of his master, Potiphar, accuses him of molestation, whereupon Joseph was imprisoned.

For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God.

​Hebrews 11:10

The message