Genesis Rabbah 84

¹“Jacob settled in the land of his father’s residence, in the land of Canaan” (Genesis 37:1). “Jacob settled” – it is written: “Your gathering will save you when you cry out” (Isaiah 57:13). It is taught: His gathering and the gathering of his sons saved him from Esau. “But all of them the wind will carry off; futility will take them” (Isaiah 57:13) – this is Esau and his chieftains. “And the one who trusts Me will inherit the land” (Isaiah 57:13) – this is Jacob. “Jacob settled.” ²“The wicked flee without a pursuer, but the righteous will be secure as a young lion” (Proverbs 28:1) – the wicked flee, but no one pursues them, as it is written: “[Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the members of his household, his livestock, all his animals, and all his possessions that he acquired in the land of Canaan,] and went to a land” (Genesis 36:6). Rabbi Elazar said: Due to a promissory note. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Due to the shame. “But the righteous will be secure as a young lion” – “Jacob settled.” ³“If a lash causes death suddenly” (Job 9:23) – Antoninos asked Rabbeinu, he said to him: ‘What is the meaning of what is written: “If a lash causes death suddenly”?’ Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: ‘[If you were to] decree that one should receive one hundred lashes and they would give him one hundred dinars. The total of this is the total of that, but he will not get anything from him, and in that way he makes a mockery of the one receiving the lashes. “He mocks at the undoing of the innocent” (Job 9:23) – Rav Aḥa said: When the righteous live in tranquility and seek to live in tranquility in this world, ). the accuser comes and accuses them. He says: Is what is prepared for them in the World to Come not sufficient for them, that they seek to live in tranquility in this world? Know that it is so; Jacob our patriarch, because he sought to live in tranquility in this world, was confronted by the accuser regarding Joseph. “I was not tranquil, was not silent” (Job 3:26). “I was not tranquil” – from Esau; “was not silent” – from Laban. “And I did not rest” (Job 3:26) – from Dina. “But turmoil came” (Job 3:26) – the turmoil of Joseph came upon me. ⁴Another matter: “Jacob settled…” – Abraham converted proselytes. That is what is written: “Abram took Sarai his wife…[and the people that they had made in Ḥaran]” (Genesis 12:5). Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: Were all who entered the world to assemble, they would be unable to create even a small gnat, and you say: “And the people that they had made in Ḥaran”? Rather, these are the proselytes that Abraham converted. Why, then, did it say “made” and did not say “converted”? It is to teach you that anyone who draws a proselyte near, it is as though he created him. Lest you say that Abraham was converting [proselytes] and Sarah was not converting [them], the verse states: “And the people that they had made in Ḥaran.” It is not written here, “That he had made,” but rather, “that they had made.” Rabbi Ḥunya said: Abraham would convert the men, and Sarah would convert the women. Why does the verse state: “That they had made”? It teaches that Abraham would bring them into his house, feed them, give them to drink, draw them near, and bring them under the wings of the Divine Presence. ). Jacob, too, converted proselytes, as it is written: “Jacob said to his household, [and to all who were with him: Remove the foreign gods that are in your midst, and purify yourselves].… They gave to Jacob [all the foreign gods that were in their possession]” (Genesis 35:2, 4). In Isaac’s regard we have not heard. Where did we hear? Rabbi Yitzḥak said, and some taught it in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya Rabba in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: Here it is written: “Jacob settled in the land of his father’s residence.” What is [the meaning of] “his father’s residence [ megurei ]”? Those whom his father converted [ migiyurei ]. ⁵What is written prior to this matter? “These are the kings [who reigned in the land of Edom before the reign of a king for the children of Israel]” (Genesis 36:31). And here it is written: “Jacob settled” – Rabbi Ḥunya said: This is analogous to one who was walking on the way and saw a pack of dogs. He was afraid of them and he sat in their midst. So, when our patriarch Jacob saw Esau and his chieftains, he feared them and settled in their midst. Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a blacksmith whose [forge] was open to a plaza, and his son, a goldsmith, opened opposite him. He saw many bundles of thorns being brought into the city. He said: ‘Where will all these bundles be stored?’ There was a certain clever man there. He said to him: ‘Are you afraid of these? One spark will emerge from your [forge] and one spark from your son’s, and you will burn them.’ So, when Jacob saw Esau and his chieftains, he was afraid. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Are you afraid of these? One spark from you and one spark from your son will burn all of them. That is what is written: “The house of Jacob will be fire, and the house of Joseph a flame” (Obadiah 1:18) – “Jacob settled.” “This is the legacy of Jacob. Joseph, seventeen years old, was herding the flock with his brothers, and he was a lad with the sons of Bilha, and with the sons of Zilpa, his father’s wives; Joseph brought evil report of them to their father” (Genesis 37:2). So said the Sages: “This is the legacy [ toledot ] of Jacob, Joseph” – all of these offspring [ toladot ] resulted only due to the merit of Joseph and because of him. Did Jacob not go to Laban only for Rachel? All these offspring were waiting until Joseph was born. That is what is written: “It was, when Rachel bore Joseph” (Genesis 30:25) – when the rival of that wicked one was born, “Jacob said to Laban: Release me, and I will go” (Genesis 30:25). Who caused them to descend to Egypt? Joseph. Who supported them? Joseph. The sea was split only due to the merit of Joseph. That is what is written: “The waters saw You, God; the waters saw You and were frightened” (Psalms 77:17); “the depths sounded its voice” (Habakkuk 3:10); “with Your arm, You redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph” (Psalms 77:16). Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Shimon said: The Jordan, too, split only due to the merit of Joseph. Another matter: “Jacob settled” – so said the Sages: Jacob our patriarch did not enjoy settlement until he resided in his father’s residence. Which is that? It is the land of Canaan, as it was there that his father, Isaac, resided. Another matter: The numerical value of “residence [ megurei ]” is two hundred and fifty-nine – 40; gimmel – 3; vav – 6; resh – 200; yod – 10. Together they sum to 259. – [corresponding to the years] from the day that the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: “Know [that your descendants shall be strangers in a land that is not theirs]” (Genesis 15:13) – until the time that Jacob our patriarch settled in the land of his father’s residence [ megurei ]. ⁶Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: “This is the legacy [ toledot ] of Jacob, Joseph” – the verse need not have said so, but rather, “this is the legacy of Jacob, Reuben.” ] of an individual, what follows is a list of his sons, and, often, their sons (see, e.g., Genesis 10:1). That being the case, the verse should have listed Reuben, Jacob’s oldest son, first, and then the rest of the sons. Rather, why does the verse state “Joseph”? It is because everything that befell this one befell that one. Just as this one was born circumcised, so too, that one was born circumcised. 63:7; Midrash Tehillim 9:7. Just as this one’s mother was barren, so too, that one’s mother was barren. Just as this one’s mother bore two [sons], so too, that one’s mother bore two. Just as this one was firstborn, so too, that one was firstborn. ). Just as this one’s mother encountered difficulty with birth, so too, that one’s mother encountered difficulty when she gave birth. Just as this one’s brother hated him, so too, that one’s brothers hated him. Just as this one’s brother sought to kill him, so too, that one’s brothers sought to kill him. Just as this one was a shepherd, so too, that one was a shepherd. This one was hated, and that one was hated. This one was robbed twice, and that one was robbed twice. This one was blessed with wealth, and that one was blessed with wealth. This one went outside of the Land [of Israel], and that one went outside the Land [of Israel]. This one married a woman from outside the Land [of Israel], and that one married a woman from outside the Land [of Israel]. This one bore children outside the Land [of Israel], and that one bore children outside of the Land [of Israel]. This one was accompanied by angels, and that one was accompanied by angels. This one rose to greatness by means of a dream, and that one rose to greatness by means of a dream. ). This one was blessed in the house of his father-in-law, and that one was blessed in the house of his father-in-law. This one descended to Egypt, and that one descended to Egypt. This one ended the famine, and that one ended the famine. 89:9). This one administered an oath, and that one administered an oath. This one commanded, and that one commanded. This one died in Egypt, and that one died in Egypt. This one was embalmed, and that one was embalmed. This one’s bones were taken up [to the Land of Israel], and that one’s bones were taken up [to the Land of Israel]. ⁷“Joseph, seventeen years old…” – and you say he was a lad? It is because he would perform the actions of a lad – he would groom his eyes, lift his heels, and curl his hair. “Was herding…Joseph brought evil report of them to their father” – what did he say? Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Shimon: Rabbi Meir says: Your sons are suspected of eating the limb of a living animal. Rabbi Shimon says: They are directing their glances at the girls of the land. Rabbi Yehuda says: They are demeaning the sons of the maidservants and calling them slaves. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: He was punished for all three of them. “Balance and scales of justice are the Lord’s” (Proverbs 16:11) – the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You said: Your sons are suspected of eating the limb of a living animal; as you live, even at their time of corruption, they will slaughter and only then will they eat’ – “and slaughtered a goat” (Genesis 37:31). ‘You said: They are demeaning the sons of the maidservants and calling them slaves’ – “Joseph was sold as a slave” (Psalms 105:17). ‘You said: They are directing their glances at the girls of the land; as you live, I will incite the bear against you’ – “His master’s wife cast her eyes [upon Joseph, and she said: Lie with me]” (Genesis 39:7). ⁸“Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was a son of his old age; he crafted him a fine [ passim ] tunic” (Genesis 37:3). “His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him” (Genesis 37:4). “Israel loved Joseph” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda says: Because the contours of [Joseph’s] face resembled his. Rabbi Neḥemya said: All the halakhot that Shem and Ever had transmitted to Jacob, he transmitted to him. “He crafted him a fine tunic” – Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: A person must refrain from treating one of his children differently, as due to the fine tunic that Jacob crafted for Joseph, “and they hated him…” “Fine [ passim ]” – as it would reach the palm of his hand [ pas yado ]. Alternatively, passim – as it was extremely thin and light and could be hidden in the palm of his hand. “Fine [ passim ]” – they conducted a lottery [ shehefisu ] in its regard to determine who would take it to his father, and it fell on Judah. “Fine [ passim ]” – after the troubles that befell him: Peh – Potifar; samekh – merchants [ soḥarim ]; yod – Ishmaelites [ Yishmaelim ]; mem – Midianites [ Midyanim ]. “Fine [ passim ]” – Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: “Come and see the works of God” (Psalms 66:5), and it is written thereafter: “He turned the sea into dry land” (Psalms 66:6). Why was it that “they hated him”? It was so that the sea would be split before them; passim – strips in the sea [ pas yam ]. ⁹“His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers” – Rabbi Ahava bar Ze’eira said: From the defamation of the tribes you learn their praise. Elsewhere: “Avshalom did not speak to Amnon, either good or bad” (II Samuel 13:22) – what was in his heart remained in his heart; however, here: “And could not speak peaceably to him” – what was in their heart was in their mouth. ¹⁰“Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more” (Genesis 37:5). “He said to them: Please, hear this dream that I dreamed” (Genesis 37:6). “Joseph dreamed a dream.… He said to them: Please [ na ], hear” – he said: In this manner the prophets will rebuke you: “Hear now [ na ] what the Lord is saying” (Micah 6:1) “Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright, and behold, your sheaves gathered around and prostrated themselves to my sheaf” (Genesis 37:7). “Behold, we were binding sheaves” – you were reaping produce, and I was reaping produce; yours would rot, and mine would keep. “And behold, my sheaf [ alumati ] arose and also stood upright” – Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Aḥa: Rabbi Levi said: You are destined to craft mute [ ilmim ] idols before Yerovam’s calves, and say: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Rabbi Aḥa said: You are destined to conceal matters about me before our father, saying: “A savage beast devoured him” (Genesis 37:20). What will stand in my favor? It is mother’s silence. “And behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright, and behold, your sheaves gathered around” – this corresponds to the five times that they are destined to prostrate themselves to him. , which appears five times in this verse. “His brothers said to him: Will you reign over us; will you have dominion over us? They hated him even more, for his dreams and for his words” (Genesis 37:8). “His brothers said to him: Will you reign over us” – Rabi Levi and Rabbi Simon: One said: Because they answered him begrudgingly, that is why he produced wicked ones. One said: Because they answered him with a double expression, that is why he produced kings. ¹¹“He dreamed yet another dream, and related it to his brothers, and he said: Behold, I dreamed another dream: and, behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars prostrated themselves to me” (Genesis 37:9). “He dreamed yet another dream…” – when Joseph said: “Behold, the sun, the moon,” Jacob said: Who revealed to him that my name is sun? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Joshua said to the sun: Wayward slave, were you not purchased with the money of my father? Did my father not see you in the dream: “Behold, the sun, the moon…prostrated themselves to me”? You, too, stand still before me. Immediately, “the sun stood still, and the moon stopped” (Joshua 10:13). “He related it to his father and to his brothers, and his father scolded him and said to him: What is this dream that you dreamed? Will we come, I, your mother, and your brothers, to prostrate ourselves to you to the ground?” (Genesis 37:10). “He related it to his father and to his brothers, and his father scolded him” – the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘So you will scold your prophets,’ as it is stated: “Now, why did you not scold Jeremiah of Anatot” (Jeremiah 29:27). “And said to him: What is this dream that you dreamed”? Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: So, our patriarch Jacob believed that the revival of the dead would occur in his lifetime, as it is stated: “Will we come [ havo navo ]” – Will I and your brothers come? That is fine. “[Will we come,] I and your mother” – is your mother not dead; and you say: “I, your mother, and your brothers? However, Jacob our patriarch did not know that the matter related to Bilha, Rachel’s maidservant, who raised him as though she was his mother. ¹²“His brothers envied him; but his father kept the matter in mind” (Genesis 37:12). “His brothers envied him; but his father kept [the matter] in mind” – Rabbi Levi said: He took a quill and wrote on which day, at which hour, at what place. Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba said: “But his father kept the matter in mind” – the Divine Spirit was saying: Keep these matters in mind because they are destined to occur. Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: This is what our patriarch Jacob believed. He saw that these matters were impending. ). He said: If his ledger was scrutinized, what can I do? ). ¹³“His brothers went to herd their father’s flock in Shekhem” (Genesis 37:12). “His brothers went to herd [ lirot et ]” – there are dots over the word et , indicating that they went only to herd themselves. “Israel said to Joseph: Are your brothers not herding in Shekhem? Go, and I will send you to them. He said to him: Here I am” (Genesis 37:13). “Israel said to Joseph: Are your brothers not herding in Shekhem?” Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Berekhya: He treated him with deference in accordance with the reverence due a father from the son. “He said to him: Here I am” – Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Jacob our patriarch would remember these words, and his innards would be torn to shreds: You knew that your brothers hated you, and you would say to me: Here I am. “He said to him: Go now, observe the well-being of your brothers and the well-being of the flock and bring me back word. He sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shekhem” (Genesis 37:14). “He said to him: Go now, observe the well-being of your brothers and the well-being of the flock” – “the well-being of your brothers,” fine; but what is “the well-being of the flock”? This is [the source of] the saying: A person must inquire after the well-being of an item from which he derives benefit. “And bring me back word. He sent him from the valley of Hebron” – but is Hebron not situated in the mountain, yet it is written: “He sent him from the valley of [ me’emek ] Hebron”? Rav Aḥa said: He went to fulfill that profound [ haamuka ] counsel that the Holy One blessed be He arranged between Himself and His noble friend who is buried in Hebron: “They will be enslaved to them, and they will oppress them” (Genesis 15:13). ¹⁴“A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, saying: What do you seek? He said: I seek my brothers. Please tell me where they are herding. The man said: They traveled from here, for I heard them saying: We shall go to Dotan. Joseph went after his brothers, and he found them in Dotan” (Genesis 37:15–17). “A man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field” – Rabbi Yannai said: Three angels came to his assistance: “A man found him”; “the man asked him”; “the man said.” “They traveled from here” – from the attributes of the Omnipresent. “They saw him from afar, and before he approached them, they conspired against him to kill him” (Genesis 37:18). “They saw him from afar” – they said: Come let us sic the dogs on him. “They said one to another: Behold, that dreamer is coming” (Genesis 37:19). “Now let us go and kill him and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say: A savage beast devoured him; and we will see what will become of his dreams” (Genesis 37:20). “They said one to another: Behold, that dreamer [ baal haḥalomot ]” – The Rabbis said: Here he is coming, bearing his dreams. Rabbi Levi said: This one is destined to mislead them to follow the Baal. “Now let us go and kill him” – the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You say: “And we will see” and I say: We will see – now we will see “whose word will stand” (Jeremiah 44:28), mine or yours.’ ¹⁵“Reuben heard, and delivered him from their hand and said: Let us not smite him mortally” (Genesis 37:21). “Reuben heard, and delivered him” – where had he been? ). Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yosei said: Each one of them would serve his father on his day, and that day was Reuben’s day. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Reuben said: I am the firstborn, and the blame will be attributed only to me. The Rabbis say: Reuben said: He enumerates me with my brothers; shall I not rescue him? I was under the impression that I had been banished because of that incident, and he enumerates me with my brothers, As it is stated: “And eleven stars prostrated themselves to me” (Genesis 37:9) – shall I not rescue him? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You were the first to engage in the saving of lives; as you live, they will designate cities of refuge first only within your boundaries.’ That is what is written: “Betzer in the wilderness…[for the Reubenites]” (Deuteronomy 4:43). ¹⁶“It was when Joseph came to his brothers that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the fine tunic that was upon him” (Genesis 37:23). “It was when Joseph came to his brothers that they stripped Joseph of his tunic” – Rabbi Elazar said: He came with praise. “They stripped Joseph” – this is the cloak. “Of his tunic” – this is his shirt. “The fine tunic” – this is the tunic. “That was upon him” – this is his undergarment. “They took him [ vayikaḥuhu ] and cast him into the pit, and the pit was empty; there was no water in it” (Genesis 37:24). “They took him [ vayikaḥuhu ]” – it is written “he took him [ vayikaḥehu ].” Who was it? It was Simeon. When did [Joseph] repay him? It was later: “He took Simeon from them [and incarcerated him before their eyes]” (Genesis 42:24). “And cast him into the pit, and the pit was empty; there was no water in it” – there was no water in it, but there were serpents and scorpions in it. There were two pits, one filled with stones and one filled with fiery snakes and scorpions. Rav Aḥa said: “The pit was empty” – Jacob’s pit was emptied. “There was no water in it” – there were in it no matters of Torah, which are likened to water, just as it says: “Ho, everyone thirsty, go to water” (Isaiah 55:1). It is written: “If a man is found abducting any of his brethren…[and he sold him, that thief shall die]” (Deuteronomy 24:7), and you are selling your brother? ¹⁷“They sat to eat bread, and they lifted their eyes and saw, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilad, and their camels were bearing spices, and balm, and ladanum, going to take them down to Egypt” (Genesis 37:25). “They sat to eat bread” – Rabbi Aḥva bar Ze’eira said: The transgression of the tribes is remembered forever; it gave hope to the world. “They sat to eat bread” – he gave everyone in the world bread to eat. “And they lifted their eyes and saw…” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: But is it not typical of the Ishmaelites to bear only hides and tar? Rather, see what the Holy One blessed be He prepared for that righteous one at that moment: Sacks filled with spices, so that the wind would blow through them [and provide a pleasant smell] to counteract the odor of the Arabs. “Judah said to his brothers: What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood” (Genesis 37:26). “Judah said to his brothers…” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Ilai said: The verse is speaking in praise of Judah. In three places, Judah spoke before his brothers and they crowned him king over them. “Judah said to his brothers”; “Judah and his brothers came [.…And Judah said]” (Genesis 44:14); “Judah approached him [and said]” (Genesis 44:18). “Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites , and let our hand not be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh. His brothers heeded him” (Genesis 37:27). “Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites” – they said: Let us adopt the way of the world. Canaan, who sinned, 36:7). was he not cursed to be a slave? This one, too, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites. “His brothers heeded him.” ¹⁸“Midianite men, merchants, passed, and they pulled and lifted Joseph from the pit; they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces, and they brought Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28). “Midianite [ midyanim ] men, merchants, passed” – their contentiousness [ hadayyanim ] passed. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Baitus in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: It is written: “Why do you lead us astray, Lord, from Your ways?” (Isaiah 63:17) – when You wished, You placed in their heart to love, and when You wished, You placed in their heart to hate. The Holy One blessed be He said: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty maot , which are five sela’im . That is why each and every one of you will separate as the value of his son five sela’im of the Tyrian maneh . Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the tribes: You sold Rachel’s son for twenty silver pieces. Consequently, each and every one of you received a beka per person. , which equals half a shekel. That is what is written: “One beka per head, one half-shekel” (Exodus 38:26). ¹⁹“Reuben returned to the pit, and behold, Joseph was not in the pit, and he rent his garments” (Genesis 37:29). “Reuben returned to the pit” – where had he been? Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua: Rabbi Eliezer said: In his sackcloth and his fasting. When he was free, he went and peered into that pit. That is what is written: “Reuben returned to the pit.” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘A person has never sinned before Me and repented, and you are the first to initiate repentance. As you live, your descendant will arise and be the first to initiate repentance.’ ). Who is that? It is Hosea, as it is stated: “Return, Israel, to the Lord your God” (Hosea 14:2). “They took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood” (Genesis 37:31). “They took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a goat” – why a goat? Because its blood is similar to that of man. “They sent the fine tunic, and they brought it to their father and said: We found this. Identify, please: Is it your son’s tunic or not” (Genesis 37:32). “They sent the fine tunic…” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Judah: ‘You said: “Identify, please”; as you live, Tamar will say to you: “Identify, please”’ (Genesis 38:25). “He identified it and said: My son’s tunic! A savage beast devoured him; Joseph has been mauled” (Genesis 37:33). “He identified it and said: My son’s tunic” – he said: I do not know what I am seeing. “My son’s tunic! A savage beast devoured him…” – Rav Huna said: The Divine Spirit flashed in him: “A savage beast devoured him” – this is Potifar’s wife. ²⁰“Jacob rent his garments, placed sackcloth on his loins, and mourned his son many days” (Genesis 37:34). “Jacob rent his garments” – Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: The tribes caused their father to rend. Where did they receive retribution? In Egypt, as it was stated: “They rent their garments…” (Genesis 44:13). Joseph caused the tribes to rend; his descendant arose, and retribution was exacted against him, as it is stated: “Joshua rent his garments” (Joshua 7:6). Benjamin caused the tribes to rend. ). Where was retribution exacted against him? In Shushan the citadel, as it is stated: “Mordekhai rent his garments” (Esther 4:1). Manasseh caused the tribes to rend; ). that is why his inheritance was split, half of it in the land of the Jordan and half of it in the land of Canaan. “Placed sackcloth on his loins” – Rabbi Aivu said: Because Jacob our patriarch adopted sackcloth, it does not depart from him, from his children, and from his descendants until the end of all the generations. But it is practiced only among his prominent descendants, [such as] David, as it is stated: “David and the elders, covered in sackcloth, fell on their faces” (I Chronicles 21:16). Ahab – “and placed sackcloth upon his flesh” (I Kings 21:27). Yoram – “the people looked, and behold, the sackcloth was upon his flesh” (II Kings 6:30). Mordekhai – “he donned sackcloth and ashes” (Esther 4:1). “And mourned his son many days” – these were twenty-two years. ²¹“All his sons and all his daughters arose to console him, but he refused to be consoled; he said: For I will descend mourning to the grave, to my son. His father wept for him” (Genesis 37:35). “All his sons and all his daughters arose” – how many daughters did he have? He had one, and if only he had buried her. It is, rather, that a person does not refrain from calling his son-in-law his son and his daughter-in-law his daughter. Rabbi Yehuda says: The tribes married their sisters. That is what is written: “All his sons and all his daughters arose to console him.” 82:8). Each son then married one of the daughters of Jacob from a different mother, as according to the Noahide laws one is permitted to marry a half-sister from a different mother ( Etz Yosef ). “But he refused to be consoled” – a certain noblewoman asked Rabbi Yosei, she said to him: It is written: “For Judah prevailed over his brothers” (I Chronicles 5:2), and it is written: “Judah was consoled, and he went up to his sheepshearers” (Genesis 38:12), ). and this one, the father of them all, “refused to be consoled”? He said to her: One is consoled for the dead, but one is not consoled for the living. “His father wept for him” – this is Isaac. Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Simon said: When [Jacob] was with him he would weep, but when he would leave him, he would go, bathe, and anoint himself with oil. Why did he not reveal it to him? He said: The Holy One blessed be He did not reveal it to him and I will reveal it to him? Rabbi Simon said: This was based on: Anyone for whom one mourns, one mourns with him. 20b). ²²“The Medanites sold him to Egypt, to Potifar, an official of Pharaoh, the chief executioner” (Genesis 37:36). “The Medanites sold him” – how many bills of sale were written for him? Rabbi Yudan said: Four – his brothers to the Ishmaelites, the Ishmaelites to the merchants, the merchants to the Midianites, and the Midianites sold him to Egypt. Rav Huna said: Five – the Midianites sold him to the country’s treasury. Potifar came and purchased him from the country’s treasury.