We are closing up the starring role of Yaakov Avinu (Jacob), and now shifting to his second youngest son — Yosef (Joseph, of Technicolor Dreamcoat fame of course!!!)
When Yosef is introduced, he is the youngest brother of all of Yaakov’s wives’ children. Yosef is said to have spent his time with the children of Bilhah and Zilpah (Yaakov’s 2 handmaidens, not quite at the level of full wives like Rachel and Leah). Why mention who he hangs out with? Wouldn’t a “Yosef was friends with his brothers” do the trick?
There are 3 most common explanations that greatly differ, but the one I like best is from Rashi. Rashi, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, explains that Yosef spent more time with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah because the sons of Leah (again, Yaakov’s other “main wife” besides Rachel) spurned these sons of “lesser” wives, and so Yosef went out of his way to befriend them. Ugh this interpretation warms my soul.
Have you ever watched a show or movie where a pariah-type, outcast character is introduced? Someone who is clearly being put up to provide some sort of foil for the beautiful, charming main character? Most of the time, the beautiful and charming main character doesn’t do what I want them to when they see the outcast being bullied or mistreated. I want them to stand up for the outcast!! Use their high status to raise the lower. It so rarely happens, but when the beautiful and charming main character DOES treat the outcast well at their own risk, firstly I am so happy, but secondly, their beauty and charm is multiplied by tons. At least to me!
Yosef is SUCH a beautiful and charming main character and I really love this mental image of him being friends with Bilhah and Zilpah’s sons.
Yaakov really loves Yosef, like almost too much. Yaakov likes Yosef best for a number of reasons — Yosef is a child in Yaakov’s old age, and Yosef is his only son so far from his favorite wife Rachel. So Yaakov makes Yosef a fine tunic (כתונת פסים / ketonet passim). This is of course is the Technicolor Dreamcoat from the musical retelling of Yosef’s story (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber).
Yosef’s brothers aren’t too crazy about him, though. He tells on them when they’re acting up, he gets a fancy coat, a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, and on top of all that, he also shares his prophetic dreams. These dreams, though eventually proven, aren’t very complimentary for the future of his siblings. One day, when Yosef is sent to check on his brothers, they decide to do away with him once and for all. They throw him in a pit but then change their minds when they see a caravan of Yishmaelim (Ishmaelites), tradesmen heading toward Egypt (Mitzrayim) and decide to sell him as a slave. The Torah specifically mentions that the tradesmen were carrying spices, balms, and lotus. Why? Doesn’t seem like the most relevant usage of words, and as we discuss, the Torah never uses even an extraneous letter. Rashi comments this is the reward of the righteous. Usually tradesmen in these areas would only carry tar or bad-smelling oils, but because Yosef was a tzadik, it was arranged that the caravan taking Yosef would have only beautiful smells.
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And to watch Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat :)
