Midrasch zu Bereschit 37:31

3) (Vayikra 9:2): "And he said to Aaron: Take for yourself a bull-calf for a sin-offering": We are hereby taught that Moses said to Aaron: Aaron, my brother, even though the Holy One Blessed be He has consented to forgive your sins (in the episode of the golden calf), you must "place something in Satan's mouth." Send your gift before you before entering the sanctuary lest he condemn you upon your entering the sanctuary. And lest you say: Is it only I who need atonement? Israel, too, needs atonement, viz. (Vayikra 9:3): "And to the children of Israel shall you speak, saying: Take a kid of goats for a sin-offering, and a calf, etc." And why was it Israel's lot to bring more than Aaron? He said to them: You are culpable in the beginning and culpable in the end. In the beginning (at the sale of Yosef) — (Bereshith 37:31): "And they slaughtered a kid of goats, etc."; in the end — (Shemoth 32:8): "They have made for themselves a molten calf." Let a kid of goats come and atone for the "act" of goats, let a calf come and atone for the "act" of the calf.

Another matter: “Behind your braid your hair is like a flock of goats that streams down [shegaleshu] from Mount Gilad” (Song of Songs 4:1) – the mountain from whose midst you took away [shegelashtem], I rendered a memorial for the nations of the world. Which is this? This is the Temple, as it is stated: “You are awesome, God, from Your Temple” (Psalms 68:36). From where does awe emerge? Is it not from the Temple? This is what it says: “You shall observe My Sabbaths and you shall revere My Sanctuary” (Leviticus 26:2) – as it is sanctified in its destruction just as it was sanctified while it was built. The matters can be inferred a fortiori: If to His Temple the Holy One blessed be He did not show favor, when He will come to exact punishment upon its destroyers all the more so.
What is it that you took away from its midst? “Your teeth are like a flock of ordered ewes” (Song of Songs 4:2) – defined matters, these are the vestments of the High Priesthood, as we learned there:⁴¹Yoma 71b The High Priest serves in eight vestments and the common [priest] in four: tunic, trousers, mitre, and sash. The High Priest adds beyond these the breastplate, ephod, robe, and the sacred frontplate.
The tunic would atone for murderers, just as it states: “They dipped the tunic in blood” (Genesis 37:31); some say for those who don garments of diverse kinds, just as it states: “He made for him a fine tunic” (Genesis 37:3).⁴²This verse refers to the tunic that Jacob made for Joseph. According to one opinion, it contained wool and linen (see Bereshit Rabba 84:8). At the very least, its stripes could be reminiscent of different types of materials. The midrash takes this as an allusion to the fact that the tunic of the High Priest atones for the transgression of diverse kinds. The trousers atone for forbidden sexual relations, just as it states: “Make them linen trousers to cover the flesh of their nakedness” (Exodus 28:42). The mitre atones for the haughty, just as you say: “You shall place the mitre on his head” (Exodus 29:6). For what did the sash atone? For those with criminal thoughts.⁴³Apparently text should be added here such that this sentence reads: For thieves, and some say for criminal thoughts (see Vayikra Rabba 10:6). The reason for the one who says for the thieves, it is because it was hollow, corresponding to thieves who perform their actions clandestinely.⁴⁴There was space inside the sash, like a secret hiding place. According to the one who says it was for criminal thoughts, Rabbi Levi said: It was thirty-two cubits long, and he would twist it to this side and that.⁴⁵He would wrap it all the way around himself multiple times, representing the twisted thoughts of those with criminal and dishonest intent. The breastplate would atone for those who distort justice, just as it says: “You shall place in the breastplate of judgment” (Exodus 28:30). The ephod would atone for idol worshippers, just as it says: “No ephod and no terafim” (Hosea 3:4).⁴⁶Terafim are household idols. The robe would atone for evil speech. Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Yonatan of Beit Guvrin: There are two items for which there was no atonement⁴⁷No offering designated to atone for it. but the Torah designated atonement for them, and these are: Evil speech and one who murders unwittingly. There was no atonement for evil speech, but the Torah designated atonement for it: the bell of the robe, as it is stated: “It shall be upon Aaron to serve, and its sound shall be heard…” (Exodus 28:35). Let the sound come and atone for the sound of evil speech. There was no atonement for one who murders unwittingly, but the Torah designated atonement for it, this is the death of the High Priest, as it stated: “He shall dwell in it until the death of the High Priest” (Numbers 35:25). The frontplate would atone for the impudent, and there is one who says for the blasphemers. The one who says for the impudent, just as it says: “On Aaron’s forehead [metzaḥ]” (Exodus 28:38), and below it says: “Yet you had the impudence [metzaḥ] of a harlot…” (Jeremiah 3:3). According to the one who says for the blasphemers, “it shall be on his forehead always” (Exodus 28:38), and below it says: “the stone penetrated his forehead” (I Samuel 17:49).⁴⁸The stone shot by David penetrated the forehead of Goliath, who had blasphemed God.
It is written: “He fell on his face to the ground” (I Samuel 17:49). Why is it that “he fell on his face”?⁴⁹The force of the stone to his forehead should have caused him to fall backward. Rather, initially you learn: “His height was six cubits and one span” (I Samuel 17:4) – so that this righteous one will not be inconvenienced to walk his entire height, therefore, it is written: “He fell on his face to the ground.”⁵⁰Divine providence had Goliath fall forward so that David would not have to walk too far in order to cut off his head. Rabbi Huna said: It is because Dagon his god was engraved on his heart, to fulfill what is stated: “I will cast your carcasses upon the carcasses of your idols” (Leviticus 26:30).
Another matter: “He fell on his face to the ground” (I Samuel 17:49) – Rabbi said: So that the disgusting mouth that cursed and blasphemed would be hidden [in the ground], like that which is stated: “Hide them in the dust together” (Job 40:13). Alternatively, “he fell on his face to the ground” – so that this righteous one would not have a troubled mind.⁵¹He would be certain that Goliath no longer posed a danger even though he was not yet dead. Alternatively, “he fell on his face” – so that this righteous one would come and step on [the back of] his neck, to fulfill what is stated: “You will trample their high places” (Deuteronomy 33:29).
“That have come up from bathing” (Song of Songs 4:2) – they atone for Israel. “That are all paired” (Song of Songs 4:2) – these are the two braided chains of gold that emerge from the midst of the breastplate and appeared from its midst like two tassels. “And there is none missing among them” (Song of Songs 4:2) – that not one of them was tattered. “Your lips are like a scarlet thread” (Song of Songs 4:3) – this is the sacred crown.⁵²This is a reference to the blue threads that passed over the head of the High Priest and fastened the frontlet to his forehead. “Your speech is lovely” (Song of Songs 4:3) – this is the frontplate.
Rabbi Yonatan was ascending to pray in Jerusalem. When he reached a certain Pelatinus,⁵³This is a reference to Mount Gerizim, which the Cuthites and Samaritans considered sacred. a certain Cuthite encountered him. He said to [Rabbi Yonatan]: ‘Where are you going?’ [Rabbi Yonatan]said to him: ‘To pray in Jerusalem.’ He said to [Rabbi Yonatan]: ‘Would it not be preferable for you to ascend and pray on this blessed mountain and not pray in those ruins [in Jerusalem]?’ [Rabbi Yonatan] said to him: ‘Why is this mountain blessed?’ He said to [Rabbi Yonatan]: ‘Because it was not flooded with the Flood waters.’ That is what people say: The Land of Israel was not flooded with the Flood waters. An answer slipped the mind of Rabbi Yonatan at that moment and he did not respond to him. His donkey driver said to him: ‘Rabbi, allow me, and I will respond to him.’ He said to him: ‘Respond to him.’ He said to that Cuthite: ‘This mountain, what do you consider it? If it is one of the high mountains, is it not written: “All the high mountains were covered” (Genesis 7:19)? If it is one of the low mountains, it is written: “Fifteen cubits upward the waters intensified, and the mountains were covered” (Genesis 7:20). The verse did not address the low mountains. If regarding the high mountains it is written: “All the mountains were covered,” all the more so regarding the low ones.’ At that moment the Cuthite fell silent and was unable to find a response. At that moment, Rabbi Yonatan dismounted and drove his donkey driver three mil, and he read in his regard three verses: “You will be the most blessed of all the peoples; there will be no male or female infertile among you or among your animals” (Deuteronomy 7:14), even among those of you who work with animals; and this: “Any weapon crafted against you will not succeed…” (Isaiah 54:17); and this: “your temple is like a pomegranate slice [rakatekh]” (Song of Songs 4:3) – even the empty [reikan] among Israel is packed with answers like a pomegranate. “Behind your braid [letzamatekh]” – and it goes without saying regarding the modest and the fervent [metzumatin] among you.

R. Judah held that he told his father: My brothers eat the limbs of living animals. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Even in the hour of their deepest degradation, they will not do that. They will slaughter their animals according to the rules of ritual slaughter, as is said: And they slaughtered the he-goat and dipped the coat (Gen. 37:31).

"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]" (ibid.). What did he say? Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Shimon [offered explanations]. Rabbi Meir said, [he said to his father Ya'akov] "Your sons are suspect regarding [the consumption of] a limb of a living animal". Rabbi Shimon said "They cast their eyes on the daughters of the land". Rabbi Yehuda said "They scorn the sons of the maidservants and call them slaves". Rabbi Yehuda son of Simon said, on his words [??] he was struck -- "honest scales and balances are the LORD's" (Proverbs 16:11). The Holy Blessed One said to him, "You said "Your sons are suspect regarding a limb of a living animal" -- by your life, even in a time of corruption they never did anything but slaughtered and [then] ate, (Genesis 37:31) "They slaughtered a kid"! You said they scorned the sons of the maidservants and called them slaves -- (Psalms 105:17) "Yosef, sold into slavery". You said they cast their eyes on the daughters of the land -- by your life, that I will stimulate in you the bear [??], (Genesis 39:7) "And his master's wife cast [her eyes upon Yosef]".

And Reuven returned to the pit. Where was he? Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua [disagree]. Rabbi Eliezer said from his sackcloth and fast, when he finished he returned and looked into the pit, as it is written "And Reuven returned to the pit". The Holy One of Blessing said: "there has never been a time ever when a person who sinned before me did teshuva. You were the first one to do teshuva, and [as a reward] I swear that your grandson will stand and open the way to teshuva. Who is this? Hoshea, as it says: "return Israel unto Hashem, your God". "And they took the striped coat and they slaughtered a goat" (Gen. 37:31). Why a goat? Because its blood is similar to human blood. "And they sent the cloak etc" (Gen. 37:32). Rabbi Yochanan said that the Holy One of Blessing said to Yehuda, 'you said to your father 'do you recognize it?' I swear that Tamar will say about you, "do you recognize it?" (Gen. 38:25). "He recognized it and said: 'it is my son's cloak."(Gen. 37:33) I don't know what I am seeing. "A wild animal must have eaten him!' (Gen. 37:33) Rav Huna said the Holy Spirit was on him, when he said he a wild animal - this was Potiphar's wife.