Midrash su Genesi 37:36

‎And the Midianites answered and said unto the sons of Jacob: Is this really your servant and ‎was he ministering to you? It is more likely that you all are his servants, for surely he is of a ‎very fine figure and of comely appearance, and the best looking of all of you and wherefore do ‎ye tell unto us these lies? And now we will not listen unto you nor give ear unto your words; ‎for we have found this lad in a pit in the wilderness and we took him, and we will go away with ‎him. And all the sons of Jacob advanced and stood up against them, saying: Give unto us our ‎servant, and why do ye seek to die by the edge of the sword ' And the Midianites shouted at ‎them and drew their swords, and they fought with the sons of Jacob. And Simeon rose up ‎from his feet jumping to the ground, and drawing his sword he approached the Midianites, ‎and he gave a fearful shriek before them. And his shouting was heard at a great distance, and ‎the earth shook at Simeon’s voice. And the Midianites were greatly afraid of Simeon and his ‎terrible shouting, and they fell upon their faces in terror. And Simeon said unto them: Verily I ‎am Simeon the son of Jacob, who destroyed single handed the city of Shechem, and the other ‎cities of the Amorites with the help of my brothers. And so may the Lord do unto me now and ‎in all future, that if all your brethren the people of Midian together with all the people of ‎Canaan were to come, they could not fight against me. And now give back unto us the lad you ‎have taken, or I will give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the ‎field.And the Midianites approached the sons of Jacob in fear and trembling with soft words, ‎saying: And have ye not said that this lad is your servant who rebelled against you, wherefore ‎you have cast him into the pit? And now what will you do with a servant that hath rebelled ‎against his master? Sell him then unto us and we will give you for him whatsoever you ‎demand. And the Lord was pleased to do this, that the sons of Jacob should not slay their ‎brother.‎

And the sons of Jacob hearkened unto the Midianites, and they sold unto them their brother ‎Joseph for twenty pieces of silver; and their brother Reuben was not with them at that time. ‎And the Midianites took Joseph and continued on their way toward Gilead. And as they ‎passed on along the road, the Midianites were sorry for what they had done in buying the ‎youth, and they said one to the other: What is it that we have done to buy from the Hebrews ‎this young man of such comely appearance and fine figure? For he may have been stolen from ‎the land of the Hebrews, and if he be found in our hands all of us will be put to death on his ‎account. And verily they are strong and powerful men, like the one of those that sold him unto ‎us, and whose strength we have seen. They have certainly carried him away forcibly from his ‎land, and therefore they sold him unto us for such a small price as we have paid for him. And ‎while they were talking over this matter, behold the company of Ish maelites, which was first ‎seen by the sons of Jacob, came towards the Midianites. And the Midianites said to each ‎other: Come and let us sell this lad to the company of Ishmaelites that come towards us, and ‎even if we should receive for him only the little we have paid, let us get out of trouble. And ‎the Midianites did so, and they sold Joseph unto the Ishmaelites, for the twenty pieces of ‎silver which they had paid unto his brothers, and the Midianites continued their journey ‎towards Gilead, and the Ishmaelites took Joseph and seated him upon a camel and they led ‎him down into Egypt. And when Joseph heard that he was to be brought down to Egypt he ‎wept and lamented bitterly, to be removed so far away from the land of Canaan from his ‎father. And he wept greatly while riding upon the camel, and one of the men noticing his ‎weeping made Joseph alight from the camel and go on foot, but Joseph still kept on crying, oh ‎my father, my father! And one of the Ishmaelites arose and struck Joseph on his cheek, but he ‎still continued weeping. And Joseph became very fatigued from walking and from the ‎bitterness of his soul, and all of the Ishmaelites beat him and abused him and they terrified ‎him that he should cease crying. And the Lord saw Joseph’s affliction and the Lord brought ‎over these men darkness and dismay, and every hand withered that struck Joseph. And they ‎said to one another: What is it that hath happened to us on this journey? And they knew not ‎that it was done on account of Joseph.‎

"But ye, ye are not so, whereas (Deut. 20, 4) For the Lord your God, It is who goeth with you, etc. This refers to the camp containing the Holy Ark." And why so much? Because the Holy Scroll with all its accompanied things was placed in the ark. (Fol. 43) Similar to this says the passage (Num. 31, 6) And Moses sent them a thousand of each tribe to the army. This refers to the Sanhedrian; and Phinehas, this refers to the anointed priest as the chaplain of the army! with the Holy vessels, this refers to the ark and the tables; and the trumpets for blowing the alarm, these are the hornets. We are taught in a Baraitha: Phinehas did not go in rain into that war, but to pay off the judgment of his mother's father, concerning whom it is said (Gen. 37, 36) And the Medionites sold him into Egypt. Do you mean to say that Phinehas is a descendant of Joseph? Behold, there is a passage (Ex. 6, 26) And Elazar, the son of Aaron took himself one of the daughters of Putiel, for a wife. Does not the word Putiel refer to a descend of Jethro, who fattened calves for sacrificing unto idols. [Hence he was a descendant of Jethro and not of Joseph?] Nay the word Putiel refers to Joseph who [is surnamed Putiel because he] conquered his evil inclination. But were not tribes disgracing Phinehas saying to him: "Look at the son of Putti whose mother's father fattened calves to the sacrifice of the idols, should he execute a prince of the tribe of Israel," [hence he is a descendant of Jethro? We must therefore say that if his mother's father was a descendant of Joseph then his mother's mother was of the lineage of Jethro, and if his mother's mother was a descendant of Joseph then his mother's father was of the lineage of Jethro, [hence he was thus a descendant of both.] This may also be inferred from the above passage which is written, one of the daughters (plural) of Putiel, which refers to two names. The inference is finally sustained.

And the men continued their journey and on their road they passed Ephrath the place where ‎Rachel was buried. And when Joseph came near his mother's grave, he ran to the grave and he ‎fell upon it and wept. And Joseph cried out loudly upon his mother's grave, saying: Oh my ‎mother, my mother, thou who gavest me birth, awake and arise now to see thy son sold unto ‎slavery with no one to have compassion upon him. Oh arise to look at thy son, and weep with ‎me in my affliction, and see the hearts of my brothers. Oh my mother arouse and awake and ‎direct thy warfare against my brothers, who have stripped me of my coat and sold me into ‎slavery now for the second time, and have torn me away from my father where there is no ‎one to have pity upon me. Arouse and bring thy complaints against them before the Lord and ‎see who is to be justified in the judgment and who is to be condemned. Arise oh my mother, ‎awake from thy sleep, and see my father whose soul is with me this day, and comfort him and ‎console his heart. And Joseph spoke continually to his mother; and he cried aloud and wept ‎bitterly upon his mother's grave; and he ceased speaking and from the bitterness of his heart ‎he became silent like a stone upon the grave. And Joseph heard a voice speaking unto him ‎from under the ground, answering him in bitterness of heart in a voice of weeping and prayer, ‎in these words: My son Joseph, oh my son, I have heard the voice of thy weeping and crying, ‎and I have seen thy tears and I know thy affliction, oh my son It grieveth me for thy sake, oh ‎my son. And new sorrow hath been added to my sorrow. And now my son Joseph, hope thou ‎in the Lord and wait for his help and do not fear, for the Lord is with thee to deliver thee from ‎all trouble. Arise my son and go down with thy masters unto Egypt, and do not fear for the ‎Lord is with thee my son And she continued to speak unto Joseph according to these words ‎and then she was silent. And when Joseph heard this he was greatly astonished, and he kept ‎on weeping. And one of the Ishmaelites saw him weeping and lamenting over the grave, and ‎his wrath was kindled against Joseph, and he drove him away from the grave, and he beat him ‎and cursed him. And Joseph said unto the men: Let me find grace in your eyes and carry me ‎back unto my father's house, and he will reward you with great riches. And they answered ‎unto him, saying: Verily thou art a slave and where is thy father? For hadst thou a father thou ‎shouldst not have been sold into slavery, this the second time, and for such a small price. And ‎their anger was excited against him, and they beat him and Joseph wept bitterly. And the Lord ‎saw Joseph's affliction, and he smote these men once more.

And his father wept for him. After that Scripture states: The Midianites sold him into Egypt (Gen. 37:36). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Judah: Until now you had no sons, and did not experience the grief caused by sons, but since you tormented your father, and deceived him with the words Joseph is without doubts torn to pieces (ibid., v. 33), by your life, you shall wed, bury your children,¹²His sons Er and Onan sinned grievously and were slain (see Gen. 38:7–10). and suffer the grief that comes with children.” What is written after this verse? Judah went down from his brethren … and he took her … and bore a son (ibid. 38:1–2). This teaches us that Judah became separated from his brothers. If at the time he had said to them: Come, let us sell him (ibid. 37:27), he had said instead: “Come, let us return him (to father),” they would have listened to him. Therefore, Judah went down. That is, he was deposed from his role as leader.

And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Scripture states elsewhere: Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall clear the way before Me (Mal. 3:1). Observe that every misfortune that occurred to Joseph likewise befell Zion. It is written of Joseph: and Israel loved Joseph more than all his children (Gen. 38:3), and of Zion it is written: God loves the gates of Zion (Ps. 87:2). Concerning Joseph it is stated: And they hated him (Gen. 37:8), and about Zion: She hath uttered her voice against Me, therefore I have hated her (Jer. 12:8). With reference to Joseph it is said: For behold, we are binding sheaves (Gen. 37:7), and in regard to Zion: Ye shall come home with song, bearing sheaves (Ps. 126:6). It is written of Joseph: Shalt thou indeed rule over us? (Gen. 36:8), and of Zion: That sayeth unto Zion: “Thy God reigneth” (Isa. 52:7). Joseph: And Joseph dreamed a dream (Gen. 37:5), and Zion: When the Lord brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream (Ps. 126:1). Joseph: Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down to thee? (Gen. 37:10), Zion: They shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth (Isa. 49:23). Joseph: And his brothers envied him (Gen. 37:11), Zion: I am jealous of Zion with great jealousy (Zech. 8:2). Joseph: Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren (Gen. 37:14), Zion: Seek the peace of the city (Jer. 29:7). Joseph: They saw him from afar off (Gen. 37:18), Zion: Remember the Lord from afar off (Jer. 51:50). Joseph: And before he came near unto them they conspired (Gen. 37:18), Zion: They hold crafty converse against the people (Ps. 83:4). Joseph: And they stripped Joseph of his coat (Gen. 37:23), Zion: They shall strip thee of thy clothes (Ezek. 23:26). Joseph: They took him and cast him into the pit (Gen. 37:24), Zion: They have cut off my life in the dungeon (Lam. 3:53). Joseph: And the pit was empty (Gen. 37:24), Zion: And in the pit there was no water (Jer. 38:6). Joseph: And they sat down to eat bread (Gen. 37:25), Zion: We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to have bread enough (Lam. 5:6). Joseph: And they drew near and lifted up Joseph (Gen. 37:28), Zion: Ebed-Melech the Cushite drew him up (Jer. 38:13). Joseph: And Jacob rent his garments (Gen. 37:34), Zion: And in that day did the Lord, the God of hosts, call to the weeping (Isa. 22:12). Joseph: All his sons and all his daughters rose to comfort him (Gen. 37:35), Zion: Strain not to comfort me (Isa. 22:4). Joseph: And the Midianites sold him into Egypt (Gen. 37:36), Zion: The children also of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the sons of the Jevanim (Joel 4:6).

[Gen. 46:28:) NOW HE HAD SENT JUDAH.] The text is related (to Mal. 3:1): BEHOLD, I AM SENDING MY MESSENGER TO CLEAR A WAY BEFORE ME…. Come and see. Everything which happened to Joseph happened to Zion.³⁷Tanh., Gen. 11:10. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:3): NOW ISRAEL LOVED JOSEPH; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 87:2): THE LORD LOVES ALL THE GATES OF ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:4): THEY (Joseph's brothers) HATED HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 12:8): < MY HOUSE > HAS SET ITS VOICE AGAINST ME, THEREFORE I HAVE HATED IT. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:7): AND HERE WE WERE BINDING SHEAVES; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 126:6): HE SHALL SURELY COME BACK BEARING HIS SHEAVES WITH REJOICING. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:8): THEN HIS BROTHERS SAID TO HIM: SHALL YOU INDEED REIGN OVER US? And it is written about Zion (in Is. 14:7): WHO SAYS TO ZION: YOUR GOD REIGNS. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:5): ONCE JOSEPH DREAMED A DREAM; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 126:1): WHEN THE LORD BROUGHT BACK THE RESTORATION OF ZION, WE WERE LIKE DREAMERS. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:10): ARE WE TO COME, I AND YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR BROTHERS, AND BOW DOWN TO THE GROUND FOR YOU? And it is written about Zion (in Is. 49:23): THEY SHALL BOW DOWN FOR YOU, NOSE TO THE GROUND, AND LICK THE DUST OF YOUR FEET. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:11): SO HIS BROTHERS WERE JEALOUS OF HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Zech. 8:2): I AM JEALOUS FOR JERUSALEM WITH A GREAT JEALOUSY. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:14): PLEASE GO AND SEE HOW YOUR BROTHERS ARE FARING (shalom); and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 29:7): AND SEEK THE WELFARE (shalom) OF THE CITY. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:18): NOW THEY SAW HIM FROM AFAR; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 51:50): REMEMBER THE LORD FROM AFAR. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:18): THEY CONSPIRED AGAINST HIM TO KILL HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 83:4 [3]): THEY DEVISE INTRIGUE AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:23): THEY STRIPPED JOSEPH < OF HIS TUNIC > ; and it is written about Zion (in Ezek. 23:26): AND THEY SHALL STRIP YOU OF YOUR CLOTHES. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:24): AND THEY CAST HIM INTO THE PIT; and it is written about Zion (in Lam. 3:53): AND THEY HAVE DESTROYED MY LIFE IN THE PIT. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:24): BUT THE PIT WAS EMPTY WITH NO WATER IN IT; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 38:6): AND THERE WAS NO WATER [IN THE PIT], ONLY MUD. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:25): THEN THEY SAT DOWN TO EAT BREAD; and it is written about Zion (in Lam. 5:6): < WE HAVE HELD OUT A HAND TO EGYPT >, TO ASSYRIA TO BE FILLED WITH BREAD. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:28): THEY PULLED AND RAISED JOSEPH FROM THE PIT; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 38:13): {AND EBED-MELECH THE ETHIOPIAN BROUGHT JEREMIAH UP}…. [AND THEY RAISED JEREMIAH BY THE ROPES AND BROUGHT HIM UP FROM THE PIT]. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:34): THEN JACOB RENT HIS GARMENTS AND PUT SACKCLOTH ON HIS LOINS; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 22:12): AND IN THAT DAY [THE LORD] GOD OF HOSTS CALLED TO WEEPING AND MOURNING, TO BALDNESS AND TO GIRDING WITH SACKCLOTH. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:35): BUT HE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 22:4): PRESS NOT TO COMFORT ME. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 37:36): BUT THE MIDIANITES SOLD HIM INTO EGYPT; and it is written about Zion (in Joel 4:6 [3:6]): AND YOU HAVE SOLD THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH AND THE CHILDREN OF JERUSALEM TO THE CHILDREN OF THE GREEKS. All the bad things which happened to Joseph happened to Zion and likewise the good things. It is stated about Joseph (in Gen. 39:6): NOW JOSEPH WAS BEAUTIFULLY BUILT WITH A BEAUTIFUL APPEARANCE; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 48:3 [2]): BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE, JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH, < EVEN MOUNT ZION >.³⁸Cf. above, 9:18. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 39:21): THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH; and it is written about Zion (in I Kings 9:3): MY EYES AND MY HEART SHALL BE THERE FOR ALL TIME. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 39:9): HE IS NO GREATER < IN THIS HOUSE THAN I > ; and it is written about Zion (in Ps. 99:2): THE LORD IS GREAT IN ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 39:21): AND HE EXTENDED HIS FAITHFULNESS UNTO HIM; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 2:2): I HAVE REMEMBERED IN YOUR FAVOR THE FAITHFULNESS OF YOUR YOUTH. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 41:14): HE SHAVED AND CHANGED HIS GARMENTS; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 4:4): WHEN THE LORD SHALL HAVE WASHED AWAY THE FILTH OF THE CHILDREN OF ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 41:40): ONLY WITH RESPECT TO THE THRONE SHALL I BE GREATER THAN YOU; and it is written about Zion (in Jer. 3:17): THEY SHALL CALL JERUSALEM THE THRONE OF THE LORD. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 41:42): AND HE CLOTHED HIM WITH CLOTHES OF FINE LINEN; and it is written about Zion (in Is. 52:1): AWAKE, AWAKE, PUT ON YOUR SPLENDOR, O ZION. It is written about Joseph (in Gen. 46:28): NOW HE HAD SENT JUDAH AHEAD OF HIM < UNTO JOSEPH TO SHOW THE WAY BEFORE HIM >; and it is written about Zion (in Mal. 3:1): BEHOLD, I AM SENDING MY MESSENGER TO CLEAR A WAY BEFORE ME.

And the Lord opened the mouth of the beast in order to comfort Jacob with its words, and it ‎answered unto Jacob and it spake these words: As God liveth who hath created me in the ‎earth, and as thy soul liveth, oh my master, I have not seen thy son nor have I torn him to ‎pieces. . But I am coming from a distant land likewise seeking my son, and as it hath happened ‎unto thee and thy son, even so it hath happened unto me and my son. And it is now ten days ‎since I have come unto this land in search of my son, who hath left me and I know not where ‎he is, and whether he be dead or alive. And when I came to-day unto the field to seek my son, ‎thy sons found me and they seized me, adding grief to my grief, and they brought me to thee ‎this day; and I have spoken unto thee all concerning my affairs. And now, oh son of man, ‎behold I am in thy hands and thou canst do unto me as it seem eth best in thine eyes, this day, ‎but as the Lord liveth who hath created me in the earth, I have not seen thy son, neither have ‎I torn him to pieces, nor has ever human flesh entered my mouth all the days of my life. And ‎when Jacob heard the words of the beast he was greatly astonished, and he released the ‎animal and it went away. And Jacob continued weeping and lamenting for Joseph, and he ‎mourned over his son many days. And the Ishmaelites who bought Joseph from the ‎Midianites who had bought him from his brothers went with Joseph unto Egypt. And when ‎they reached the boundaries of Egypt they met with four men of the sons of Elam, the son of ‎Abraham, who came on their way from Egypt. And the Ishmaelites said unto them: Would you ‎not like to buy this slave from us? And they said: Give him unto us. And they delivered Joseph ‎unto them and they examined him and they saw that he was a lad of very fine appearance and ‎they bought him for nine shekels. And the Ishmaelites went on their journey into Egypt, and ‎the Midianites returned like wise to Egypt on the same day. And they said to each other: ‎Behold we have heard that Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, captain of the guards, is seeking a ‎good servant to stand before him and to minister unto him and to take charge of his house and ‎all belonging unto him. And now let us go and sell him unto him as this is precisely the servant ‎he wants, and he will pay us for him whatsoever we desire. And those Midianites came unto ‎the house of Potiphar, saying unto him: We have heard that thou desirest to procure a good ‎servant to attend thee. Behold we have with us a servant according to thy desire, and if thou ‎canst give unto us what we ask for him, we will sell him unto thee. And Potiphar said unto ‎them : Bring him into my presence, and if he pleaseth me then I will pay for him whatsoever ‎you ask for him. And the Midianites brought Joseph before Potiphar, and Potiphar saw him ‎and he pleased him exceedingly,‎

Another interpretation (of Eccl. 10:7): I HAVE SEEN SLAVES ON HORSEBACK. < The text > speaks about Midianites (in Gen. 37:36): THE MIDIANITES SOLD HIM INTO EGYPT. R. Abbin bar Hama the Levite said: The children of a female slave were selling, and the children of a male slave were buying.⁴⁵Eccl. R. 10:7:1. Although the Buber text has the singular “child” in both parts of this sentence, the plural verbs require a collective sense. “The child of the female slave” refers to the descendants of Ishmael, whose mother was Abraham’s female slave, Hagar (Gen. 16:1, 15). “The child of the male slave” denotes the descendants of Egypt (Mizraim), whose father was Ham (Gen. 10:6). According to Yalqut Shim‘oni, Exod., 168 (citing Divre haYamim, edited by A. Jellinek, Bet ha-Midrasch [Leipzig: Vollrath, 1853—1877], vol. II, pp. 1 — 11), all Ham’s children were slaves (see Gen. 9:22-25). Between the former and the latter Joseph was sold.

(Exod. 9:13:) GO EARLY IN THE MORNING. This text is related (to Prov. 22:29): DO YOU SEE SOMEONE DILIGENT AT HIS WORK?…⁹³Exod. R. 11:1; PR 6:2. Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: It is speaking about Joseph. When he was sold into Egypt, he was diligent in his work (according to Gen. 39:11): AND HE CAME INTO THE HOUSE (of Potiphar) TO DO HIS WORK. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS. This is Joseph. What is written about him (in Gen. 41:46)? Now Joseph was thirty years old [when he stood before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt]. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE. This refers to Potiphar's wife.⁹⁴Cf. Cant. R. 1:1:1, according to which the obscure (literally: darkened) one is Potiphar, whose eyes the Holy One darkened by making him a eunuch. See Gen. 37:36, part of which can be translated, POTIPHAR, A EUNUCH OF PHARAOH.

(Bamidbar 31:6) "And Moses sent them, a thousand to a tribe to the host, them and Pinchas": We are hereby apprised that they were as "weighty" as Pinchas, and Pinchas was over and against all of them. Why did Pinchas go and not Elazar? Because Pinchas went to take revenge (of the Midianites) for his mother's father (Yithro, viz. Shemot 2:16), it being written (Bereshit 37:36) "And the Midianites sold him (Joseph) to Egypt." (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "and the holy articles … in his hand": This refers to the ark, viz. (Ibid. 4:20) "And they shall not see when the 'holy' is being covered, lest they die." (Ibid. 31:6) "in his hand": "his hand" is his domain, as in (Ibid. 21:26) "and he took all his land from his hand," and (Bereshit 24:10) "and all the good of his master in his hand."