Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 39

7God articulated His intention to correct Joseph’s insensitivity. After these words, Joseph’s master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph. She approached Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”   זוַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַתִּשָּׂ֧א אֵֽשֶׁת־אֲדֹנָ֛יו אֶת־עֵינֶ֖יהָ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁכְבָ֥ה עִמִּֽי:
וַתִּשָּׂא אֵֽשֶׁת־אדוניו וגו' - His master’s wife cast [her eyes]… Wherever it says אַחַר and not אַחֲרֵי, it means soon after.   וַתִּשָּׂא אֵֽשֶׁת־אדוניו וגו'.  כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַחַר סָמוּךְ:
8He refused, and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not concern himself with what I do in the house, and all that he owns he has entrusted to my care.   חוַיְמָאֵ֓ן | וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת אֲדֹנָ֔יו הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע אִתִּ֖י מַה־בַּבָּ֑יִת וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדִֽי:
9There is no one in this house having more authority than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except yourself, since you are his wife—so how could I commit such a great wrong as betraying his trust, and at the same time also sin before God?”   טאֵינֶ֨נּוּ גָד֜וֹל בַּבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּה֘ מִמֶּ֒נִּי֒ וְלֹֽא־חָשַׂ֤ךְ מִמֶּ֨נִּי֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־אוֹתָ֖ךְ בַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתְּ־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨יךְ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֜ה הָֽרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את וְחָטָ֖אתִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים:
וְחָטָאתִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים - And sin before God. The descendants of Noah were commanded against forbidden relations.   וְחָטָאתִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים.  בְּנֵי נֹחַ נִצְטַוּוּ עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת:
10Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her, not even agreeing to lie next to her; Joseph knew that having relations with her would require that he be with her in Purgatory to be cleansed for having thus defiled himself.   יוַיְהִ֕י כְּדַבְּרָ֥הּ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף י֣וֹם | י֑וֹם וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֥ע אֵלֶ֛יהָ לִשְׁכַּ֥ב אֶצְלָ֖הּ לִֽהְי֥וֹת עִמָּֽהּ:
לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ - To lie next to her - even without having relations.   לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ.  אֲפִלּוּ בְלֹא תַשְׁמִישׁ:
לִֽהְיוֹת עִמָּֽהּ - To be with her - in the World to Come.   לִֽהְיוֹת עִמָּֽהּ.  לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא:
11On a certain day, Joseph came into the house to do his work; none of the members of the household were present in the house except for his master’s wife.   יאוַֽיְהִי֙ כְּהַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א הַבַּ֖יְתָה לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת מְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨ין אִ֜ישׁ מֵֽאַנְשֵׁ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת שָׁ֖ם בַּבָּֽיִת:
וַֽיְהִי כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה - (lit.) On this day - i.e., “It was when a special day arrived” – a day of merriment, the day of their festival, when they all went to the idolatrous temple. She said, “I have no day as auspicious as this day to be with Joseph,” so she told her attendants, “I am unwell and I cannot go to the temple.”   וַֽיְהִי כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.  כְּלוֹמַר וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר הִגִּיעַ יוֹם מְיֻחָד, יוֹם צְחוֹק, יוֹם אֵיד שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁהָלְכוּ כֻּלָּם לְבֵית עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אָמְרָה אֵין לִי יוֹם הָגוּן לְהִזָּקֵק לְיוֹסֵף כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, אָמְרָה לָהֶם חוֹלָה אֲנִי וְאֵינִי יְכוֹלָה לֵילֵךְ (תַּנְחוּמָא):
לַֽעֲשׂוֹת מְלַאכְתּוֹ - To do his work. Rav and Shemuel differed in the explanation of this phrase. One said: to do his work in the literal sense; and the other said: to have relations with her, but a vision of his father’s face appeared to him and he resisted temptation, as stated in Tractate Sotah.1   לַֽעֲשׂוֹת מְלַאכְתּוֹ.  רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חַד אָמַר מְלַאכְתּוֹ מַמָּשׁ, וְחַד אָמַר לַעֲשׂוֹת צְרָכָיו עִמָּהּ, אֶלָּא שֶׁנִּרְאֵית לוֹ דְּמוּת דְּיוּקְנוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו וכו' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּמַסֶּכֶת סוֹטָה (דף ל"ז):
12She caught hold of him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” He left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.   יבוַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּ בְּבִגְד֛וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר שִׁכְבָ֣ה עִמִּ֑י וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה:
13When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,   יגוַֽיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־עָזַ֥ב בִּגְד֖וֹ בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַיָּ֖נָס הַחֽוּצָה:
14she called the members of her household and said to them as follows, “See! My husband brought us a Hebrew man to mock us! He came to me to lie with me, but I cried out loudly!   ידוַתִּקְרָ֞א לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵיתָ֗הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר רְא֗וּ הֵ֥בִיא לָ֛נוּ אִ֥ישׁ עִבְרִ֖י לְצַ֣חֶק בָּ֑נוּ בָּ֤א אֵלַי֙ לִשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמִּ֔י וָֽאֶקְרָ֖א בְּק֥וֹל גָּדֽוֹל:
רְאוּ הֵבִיא לָנוּ - See! He brought us. This is an abbreviated statement: “he has brought us,” but it does not specify who brought him. She said this about her husband.   רְאוּ הֵבִיא לָנוּ.  הֲרֵי זֶה לָשׁוֹן קְצָרָה – הֵבִיא לָנוּ, וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי הֱבִיאוֹ, וְעַל בַּעֲלָהּ אוֹמֶרֶת כֵּן:
עִבְרִי - Hebrew. This name means from the other side (עֵבֶר) of the Euphrates River, and also from the descendants of Ever (עֵבֶר).   עִבְרִי.  מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר, מִבְּנֵי עֵבֶר (בראשית רבה):
15So when he heard how I raised my voice and screamed, he left his garment with me and fled, and went outside!”   טווַיְהִ֣י כְשָׁמְע֔וֹ כִּֽי־הֲרִימֹ֥תִי קוֹלִ֖י וָֽאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ אֶצְלִ֔י וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה:
16She kept his garment with her until Joseph’s master came home,   טזוַתַּנַּ֥ח בִּגְד֖וֹ אֶצְלָ֑הּ עַד־בּ֥וֹא אֲדֹנָ֖יו אֶל־בֵּיתֽוֹ:
אֲדֹנָיו - His master - i.e., Joseph’s.   אֲדֹנָיו.  שֶׁל יוֹסֵף:
17and spoke to him along these lines, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought us came to me to mock me by trying to seduce me!   יזוַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּ֣א אֵלַ֞י הָעֶ֧בֶד הָֽעִבְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הֵבֵ֥אתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְצַ֥חֶק בִּֽי:
בָּא אֵלַי - Came to me - i.e., “the Hebrew servant whom you brought us came to me to mock me.”   בָּא אֵלַי.  לְצַחֶק בִּי הָעֶבֶד הָעִבְרִי אֲשֶׁר הֵבֵאתָ לָּנוּ:
18Then, when I screamed at the top of my voice, he left his garment with me and fled outside!”   יחוַיְהִ֕י כַּֽהֲרִימִ֥י קוֹלִ֖י וָֽאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֥ב בִּגְד֛וֹ אֶצְלִ֖י וַיָּ֥נָס הַחֽוּצָה:
19When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did these kinds of things to me,” he was furious.   יטוַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲדֹנָ֜יו אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּרָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ:
וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ אֲדֹנָיו וגו' - When his master heard… She told this to him when they were engaging in marital relations, and this is what she meant when she said, “Your servant did these kinds of things to me,” i.e., intimate things such as these.   וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ אֲדֹנָיו וגו'.  בִּשְׁעַת תַּשְׁמִישׁ אָמְרָה לוֹ כֵן, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרָה כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה עָשָׂה לִי עַבְדֶּךָ, עִנְיְנֵי תַשְׁמִישׁ כָּאֵלֶּה:
20Joseph’s master took hold of him and placed him in the prison where the king’s prisoners were incarcerated, and he remained in that prison.   כוַיִּקַּח֩ אֲדֹנֵ֨י יוֹסֵ֜ף אֹת֗וֹ וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֔הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר־אֲסִירֵ֥י (כתיב אסורי) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲסוּרִ֑ים וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר:
21God was with Joseph and made him well-liked among the inmates. He also made the warden of the prison favor him.   כאוַיְהִ֤י יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיֵּ֥ט אֵלָ֖יו חָ֑סֶד וַיִּתֵּ֣ן חִנּ֔וֹ בְּעֵינֵ֖י שַׂ֥ר בֵּֽית־הַסֹּֽהַר:
וַיֵּט אֵלָיו חָסֶד - (lit.) And he granted him favor - that he was well-received by all who saw him. The word חֶסֶד is used in a similar sense: “a pretty and appealing (חֲסוּדָה) bride” in Mishnaic Hebrew.2   וַיֵּט אֵלָיו חָסֶד.  שֶׁהָיָה מְקֻבָּל לְכָל רוֹאָיו, לְשׁוֹן "כַּלָּה נָאָה וַחֲסוּדָה" שֶׁבַּמִּשְׁנָה:
22The warden of the prison placed all the prisoners who were in the prison in Joseph’s charge, and whatever was done there was done under Joseph’s direction.   כבוַיִּתֵּ֞ן שַׂ֤ר בֵּֽית־הַסֹּ֨הַר֙ בְּיַד־יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָ֣אֲסִירִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית הַסֹּ֑הַר וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֹשִׂים֙ שָׁ֔ם ה֖וּא הָיָ֥ה עֹשֶֽׂה:
הוּא הָיָה עושה - (lit.) He would do. Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: “it would be done at his command.”   הוּא הָיָה עושה.  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ בְּמֵימְרֵהּ הֲוָה מִתְעֲבֵיד:
23The warden of the prison could not find fault in anything that was under Joseph’s charge, for God was with him, and God granted him success in whatever he did.   כגאֵ֣ין | שַׂ֣ר בֵּֽית־הַסֹּ֗הַר רֹאֶ֤ה אֶת־כָּל־מְא֨וּמָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ בַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אִתּ֑וֹ וַֽאֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֖ה יְהֹוָ֥ה מַצְלִֽיחַ:
בַּֽאֲשֶׁר ה' אִתּוֹ - means “because God was with him.”   בַּֽאֲשֶׁר ה' אִתּוֹ.  בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁה' אִתּוֹ: