Saadia's Tafsir on Bereshit 37 (Parashat Vayeshev)

Bereshit 37:1

וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו--בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן

. .

And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.

Bereshit 37:2

אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף בֶּן-שְׁבַע-עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה רֹעֶה אֶת-אֶחָיו בַּצֹּאן וְהוּא נַעַר אֶת-בְּנֵי בִלְהָה וְאֶת-בְּנֵי זִלְפָּה נְשֵׁי אָבִיו וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת-דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל-אֲבִיהֶם

. . . . .

And this is the exposition of the offspring of Jacob. When Joseph was a son of seventeen years, he was pasturing the flock with his brothers; and he was a youth with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a wicked report of them to his father.

Bereshit 37:3

וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָהַב אֶת-יוֹסֵף מִכָּל-בָּנָיו--כִּי-בֶן-זְקֻנִים הוּא לוֹ וְעָשָׂה לוֹ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים

. . .

And Israel loved Joseph more than all of them, for he was a son of his old age; and he made him a tunic of brocade.

Bereshit 37:4

וַיִּרְאוּ אֶחָיו כִּי-אֹתוֹ אָהַב אֲבִיהֶם מִכָּל-אֶחָיו--וַיִּשְׂנְאוּ אֹתוֹ וְלֹא יָכְלוּ דַּבְּרוֹ לְשָׁלֹם

. . .

And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all of them, they hated him; and they could not greet him in peace.

Bereshit 37:5

וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ

. .

And Joseph saw a dream, and told it to his brothers; and they hated him still more.

Bereshit 37:6

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם שִׁמְעוּ-נָא הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתִּי

.

For he said to them: 'Hear this dream which I have seen:

Bereshit 37:7

וְהִנֵּה אֲנַחְנוּ מְאַלְּמִים אֲלֻמִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַשָּׂדֶה וְהִנֵּה קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם-נִצָּבָה וְהִנֵּה תְסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמֹּתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִי

. . .

Behold, we were binding sheaves in the wilderness; and behold, my sheaf rose and stood upright; and your sheaves were around it, and bowed down to it.'

Bereshit 37:8

וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ אֶחָיו הֲמָלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ אִם-מָשׁוֹל תִּמְשֹׁל בָּנוּ וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ עַל-חֲלֹמֹתָיו וְעַל-דְּבָרָיו

. . . .

His brothers said to him: 'Are you to reign over us as king? Or are you to rule over us with dominion?' And they hated him still more — for his dreams and for his words.

Bereshit 37:9

וַיַּחֲלֹם עוֹד חֲלוֹם אַחֵר וַיְסַפֵּר אֹתוֹ לְאֶחָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה חָלַמְתִּי חֲלוֹם עוֹד וְהִנֵּה הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהַיָּרֵחַ וְאַחַד עָשָׂר כּוֹכָבִים מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לִי

. . . . .

And he saw yet another dream, and recounted it to his brothers; and he said: 'Behold, I have seen another dream — and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.'

Bereshit 37:10

וַיְסַפֵּר אֶל-אָבִיו וְאֶל-אֶחָיו וַיִּגְעַר-בּוֹ אָבִיו וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ מָה הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתָּ הֲבוֹא נָבוֹא אֲנִי וְאִמְּךָ וְאַחֶיךָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲו‍ֹת לְךָ אָרְצָה

. . . . . .

And when he recounted it to his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him: 'What is this dream that you have seen? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow down to you upon the earth?'

Bereshit 37:11

וַיְקַנְאוּ-בוֹ אֶחָיו וְאָבִיו שָׁמַר אֶת-הַדָּבָר

.

And his brothers envied him for it; but his father kept the matter in mind.

Bereshit 37:12

וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶחָיו לִרְעוֹת אֶת-צֹאן אֲבִיהֶם בִּשְׁכֶם

.

And his brothers went to pasture their father's flock in Nablus (Shechem).

Bereshit 37:13

וַיֹּאמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל-יוֹסֵף הֲלוֹא אַחֶיךָ רֹעִים בִּשְׁכֶם--לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֲלֵיהֶם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ הִנֵּנִי

. .

And Israel said to Joseph: 'Behold, your brothers are pasturing in Nablus; come, let me send you to them.' He said to him: 'Here I am.'

Bereshit 37:14

וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ לֶךְ-נָא רְאֵה אֶת-שְׁלוֹם אַחֶיךָ וְאֶת-שְׁלוֹם הַצֹּאן וַהֲשִׁבֵנִי דָּבָר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵהוּ מֵעֵמֶק חֶבְרוֹן וַיָּבֹא שְׁכֶמָה

. . . . .

And he said: 'Go, look upon the welfare of your brothers and the welfare of the flock, and bring me back an answer.' And he sent him from the valley of Hebron, and he came to Nablus.

Bereshit 37:15

וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ וְהִנֵּה תֹעֶה בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיִּשְׁאָלֵהוּ הָאִישׁ לֵאמֹר מַה-תְּבַקֵּשׁ

. . .

And a man found him wandering in the fields; and the man asked him, and said to him: 'What do you seek?'

Bereshit 37:16

וַיֹּאמֶר אֶת-אַחַי אָנֹכִי מְבַקֵּשׁ הַגִּידָה-נָּא לִי אֵיפֹה הֵם רֹעִים

.

He said: 'I seek my brothers; tell me where they are pasturing.'

Bereshit 37:17

וַיֹּאמֶר הָאִישׁ נָסְעוּ מִזֶּה--כִּי שָׁמַעְתִּי אֹמְרִים נֵלְכָה דֹּתָיְנָה וַיֵּלֶךְ יוֹסֵף אַחַר אֶחָיו וַיִּמְצָאֵם בְּדֹתָן

. . . .

The man said: 'They have journeyed from here; and I heard them saying, "Let us go to Dothan."' And Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan.

Bereshit 37:18

וַיִּרְאוּ אֹתוֹ מֵרָחֹק וּבְטֶרֶם יִקְרַב אֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ אֹתוֹ לַהֲמִיתוֹ

. .

And they saw him from afar; and before he drew near to them, they conspired against him to kill him.

Bereshit 37:19

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל-אָחִיו הִנֵּה בַּעַל הַחֲלֹמוֹת הַלָּזֶה--בָּא

.

And they said one to another: 'Behold, the owner of those dreams is coming.

Bereshit 37:20

וְעַתָּה לְכוּ וְנַהַרְגֵהוּ וְנַשְׁלִכֵהוּ בְּאַחַד הַבֹּרוֹת וְאָמַרְנוּ חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ וְנִרְאֶה מַה-יִּהְיוּ חֲלֹמֹתָיו

. . .

Come now, let us kill him, and cast him into one of the wells; and we shall say, "An evil beast has devoured him." And we shall see what shall come of his dreams.'

Bereshit 37:21

וַיִּשְׁמַע רְאוּבֵן וַיַּצִּלֵהוּ מִיָּדָם וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא נַכֶּנּוּ נָפֶשׁ

. . .

And Reuben heard them, and delivered him from their hands; and he said: 'Let us not slay a soul.'

Bereshit 37:22

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם רְאוּבֵן אַל-תִּשְׁפְּכוּ-דָם--הַשְׁלִיכוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל-הַבּוֹר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בַּמִּדְבָּר וְיָד אַל-תִּשְׁלְחוּ-בוֹ לְמַעַן הַצִּיל אֹתוֹ מִיָּדָם לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ אֶל-אָבִיו

. . . .

Then he said to them: 'Shed no blood; cast him into this well, which is in the wilderness; and do not put your hands upon him.' [He said this] in order to deliver him from their hands, to restore him to his father.

Bereshit 37:23

וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר-בָּא יוֹסֵף אֶל-אֶחָיו וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּ אֶת-יוֹסֵף אֶת-כֻּתָּנְתּוֹ אֶת-כְּתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו

. .

And when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his tunic — the tunic of brocade which was upon him.

Bereshit 37:24

וַיִּקָּחֻהוּ--וַיַּשְׁלִכוּ אֹתוֹ הַבֹּרָה וְהַבּוֹר רֵק אֵין בּוֹ מָיִם

. . .

And they took him, and cast him into the pit; and the pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Bereshit 37:25

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ לֶאֱכָל-לֶחֶם וַיִּשְׂאוּ עֵינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה אֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים בָּאָה מִגִּלְעָד וּגְמַלֵּיהֶם נֹשְׂאִים נְכֹאת וּצְרִי וָלֹט--הוֹלְכִים לְהוֹרִיד מִצְרָיְמָה

. [[ . . . . .

Then they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked — and behold, a caravan of Bedouin Arabs was coming from al-Khalus (Gerar), and their camels laden with carob, and theriac, and chestnut, on their way to bring it down to Egypt.

Bereshit 37:26

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה אֶל-אֶחָיו מַה-בֶּצַע כִּי נַהֲרֹג אֶת-אָחִינוּ וְכִסִּינוּ אֶת-דָּמוֹ

. . .

And Judah said to his brothers: 'What greed is there in our killing our brother and covering his blood?

Bereshit 37:27

לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים וְיָדֵנוּ אַל-תְּהִי-בוֹ כִּי-אָחִינוּ בְשָׂרֵנוּ הוּא וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶחָיו

. . .

Come, let us sell him to the Bedouins; and let our hand not strike at him — for he is our brother, our own flesh.' And his brothers accepted from him.

Bereshit 37:28

וַיַּעַבְרוּ אֲנָשִׁים מִדְיָנִים סֹחֲרִים וַיִּמְשְׁכוּ וַיַּעֲלוּ אֶת-יוֹסֵף מִן-הַבּוֹר וַיִּמְכְּרוּ אֶת-יוֹסֵף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים בְּעֶשְׂרִים כָּסֶף וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת-יוֹסֵף מִצְרָיְמָה

. . .

And when those Midianite traders passed by them, they drew Joseph up out of the pit, and sold him to them for twenty drachma; and they brought him to Egypt.

Bereshit 37:29

וַיָּשָׁב רְאוּבֵן אֶל-הַבּוֹר וְהִנֵּה אֵין-יוֹסֵף בַּבּוֹר וַיִּקְרַע אֶת-בְּגָדָיו

. .

And when Reuben returned to the pit — and behold, Joseph was not in it — he tore his garments.

Bereshit 37:30

וַיָּשָׁב אֶל-אֶחָיו וַיֹּאמַר הַיֶּלֶד אֵינֶנּוּ וַאֲנִי אָנָה אֲנִי-בָא

. .

And he returned to his brothers, and said: 'The boy is not — and I, where shall I go?'

Bereshit 37:31

וַיִּקְחוּ אֶת-כְּתֹנֶת יוֹסֵף וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שְׂעִיר עִזִּים וַיִּטְבְּלוּ אֶת-הַכֻּתֹּנֶת בַּדָּם

. .

And they took Joseph's tunic, and slaughtered a he-goat of the goats, and dipped it in its blood.

Bereshit 37:32

וַיְשַׁלְּחוּ אֶת-כְּתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶל-אֲבִיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ זֹאת מָצָאנוּ הַכֶּר-נָא הַכְּתֹנֶת בִּנְךָ הִוא--אִם-לֹא

. . .

And they sent it with him who would bring it to their father; and they said to him: 'We have found this — identify it: is it your son's tunic, or not?'

Bereshit 37:33

וַיַּכִּירָהּ וַיֹּאמֶר כְּתֹנֶת בְּנִי חַיָּה רָעָה אֲכָלָתְהוּ טָרֹף טֹרַף יוֹסֵף

. . .

And he identified it, and said: 'It is my son's tunic; an evil beast has devoured him; Joseph is surely torn to pieces.'

Bereshit 37:34

וַיִּקְרַע יַעֲקֹב שִׂמְלֹתָיו וַיָּשֶׂם שַׂק בְּמָתְנָיו וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל-בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים

. .

And Jacob tore his garments, and bound sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

Bereshit 37:35

וַיָּקֻמוּ כָל-בָּנָיו וְכָל-בְּנֹתָיו לְנַחֲמוֹ וַיְמָאֵן לְהִתְנַחֵם וַיֹּאמֶר כִּי-אֵרֵד אֶל-בְּנִי אָבֵל שְׁאֹלָה וַיֵּבְךְּ אֹתוֹ אָבִיו

. . . .

And all his sons and his daughters arose to console him; but he refused to be consoled, and said: 'No — I shall go down to the dust, and I am mourning for my son.' And he wept for him.

Bereshit 37:36

וְהַמְּדָנִים--מָכְרוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל-מִצְרָיִם לְפוֹטִיפַר סְרִיס פַּרְעֹה שַׂר הַטַּבָּחִים

. .

And the Midianites sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the chief of the executioners.