The Torah expanded greatly on the episode of Joseph and his brothers, which resulted in our descent to Egypt and had many other awesome consequences, so that everyone should take mussar from this on how to guard his mouth and his tongue.
In Avoth 1:13 we find that Hillel used to say: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me, etc." This apothegm is highly comprehensive. Its plain meaning relates to zeal in the service of the L-rd, saying: "If a man himself does not bestir himself while he is yet alive and while he still has strength, who can help him?" As Scripture states (Koheleth 9:10): "All that your hand finds to do, in your strength do it" — "in your strength," specifically. We have already expatiated upon this elsewhere. For a man can depend but very little upon his sons, and his principal (task) is to prepare "provender for his destined abode." And it is in this regard that Hillel says plainly: If a man himself does not benefit his soul, who can do it for him?
But he also alludes hereby to an awesome phenomenon. And that is: If a man does not do evil to himself, who can do evil to him? For the truth is that everything that happens to a man in this world, both for the good or for the bad, is brought about by the man himself. As it relates to our subject, the descent to Egypt, its first cause was Abraham's saying [to the Holy One Blessed be He] (Genesis 15:8): "How do I know that I will inherit it?" and His responding (Ibid. 13): "You will surely know, for your seed will be a stranger in the land [Egypt], etc." And Chazal have said (Shabbath 89b): "Jacob should have gone down to Egypt in iron chains, but his merit availed him to be honored by being brought honorifically to his son who reigned in Egypt.
And the reason that Joseph reigned and his other sons humbled themselves to him stemmed from Jacob our father himself. Because he became angry with Rachel upon her saying to him (Bereshith 30:1): "Give me sons," he was told by G-d (as related in the Midrash, Bereshith Rabbah 71:10): "Is this the way to answer those who are oppressed? Upon your life, your sons will stand before her son [Joseph]!"
(Ibid. 37:2): "And Joseph brought evil report of them (the sons of Leah) to their father": He told him that they called their brothers [the sons of the concubines] "servants," and that they were suspect of illicit relations, and of eiver min hachai [(eating a limb torn from a living animal)]. The verse tells us that he told no one else but their father, and this, only in order that he reprove them — in spite of which he should not have done so, for he should first have reproved them himself; for the din of reproof applies even from a disciple to his teacher, and he should not have revealed it to his father. [(And perhaps he did reprove them first and they admitted to him that they should not have called them servants. For, in truth, before Jacob had married them, he had freed them and taken them as wives, as the verse states in respect to them (Ibid.): "the wives of his father." Or perhaps they had contested the suspicion itself saying that it was not true, i.e., that they had not called them servants. As to his suspecting them of illicit relations, this was an error on Joseph's part, for by means of the Sefer Yetzirah they had created a golem in the form of a woman.)]
And Chazal say concerning this in the Midrash (Midrash Rabbah): "(Mishlei 16:11): 'A scale and just balances are the L-rd's' — for all of them he was punished measure for measure. For 'they call their brothers servants' — Jacob was sold as a servant. For 'they are suspect of illicit relations' — all of Egypt suspected him with the wife of Potiphar. For 'they are suspect of eiver min hachai' because he did not see them perform shechitah — this was a mistake, and Scripture thus apprises us (Bereshith 37:3): 'And they slaughtered a kid of goats' (after having sold him) and did not eat it live."
(Bereshith 37:3): "And Israel loved Joseph more than all of his sons, for he was the son of his old age.": Scripture hereby apprises us that Jacob did not accept the lashon hara that Joseph brought to him, and loved him only because he was the son of his old age.
(Ibid. 5): "And Joseph dreamed a dream… (8) …Will you reign over us?": Scripture expatiates upon the dreams to rationalize somewhat the extreme hatred of the brothers to Joseph to the point of wanting to remove him from the world: They assumed that he desired to reign over them, for which reason he had brought "evil report" of them to their father, so that he should remove them from his presence [as Rashi explains (Ibid.): "for his dreams and for his words" — "for the evil report that he had brought to their father." And the robe that his father made him served as "supporting evidence" that he had accepted his report], and that perhaps, G-d forbid, he would agree with Joseph, so that he [Joseph] would be a "master" over them, as in Isaac's blessing to Jacob (Ibid. 27:29): "Be a master to you brothers, and your mother's sons will bow down to you." Or, [they thought,] G-d forbid, that he [Jacob] would banish them altogether, as Noach said (Ibid. 9:25): "Cursed is Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers." Therefore, they took counsel on how to rid themselves of him.
(Ibid. 14): "And he [Jacob] sent him [Joseph] from Emek Chevron" — "from the deep [(alluded to by "Emek")] counsel of that tzaddik [Abraham] buried in Chevron, in fulfillment of what was stated (Ibid. 15:13): 'for your seed will be a stranger in a land that is not theirs.'" The meaning here (in my humble opinion) is that Egypt was the "nakedness of the land," an extremely impure place, for which reason it was ordained in the beginning that one of the sons of Jacob would come to publicize there [in Egypt] belief in the Divine providence, as it is written (Ibid. 41:25): "What G-d is to do He has shown to Pharaoh." For a similar reason Joseph commanded afterwards that they [the Egyptians] circumcise themselves — all to weaken the power of impurity, so that it would be fit afterwards for Israel to sojourn there.
(Ibid. 37:15): "And a man found him, and, behold, he was straying in the field, etc." Scripture expatiated on this so that one not ask: How could this great calamity have been brought about through "the embassy of a mitzvah," Joseph having gone there to fulfill the bidding of his father! Also, how could all of this have been initiated through our father Jacob? Therefore, Scripture tells us that the embassy was completed in Shechem, and his going farther was of his own volition.
(Ibid. 17): "For I heard them [the brothers] saying: 'Let us go to Dothan [nelchah dotainah],' which Rashi interprets: 'to seek against you nichlei datoth [legal devices (suggested by 'nelchah dothainah')] to kill you with." The explanation: It was decided by them that Joseph was a man of lashon hara, who provoked their father to hate them. And who knows how much contention he would stir up among them? They, therefore, sought some pretext to rid themselves of him in a way which would not make them "murderers" legally. As far as his being killed indirectly through them, this did not concern them. And as to their saying (Ibid. 60): "Let us go and kill him," this was meant in the same indirect sense. As stated in the well known Gemara, Makkoth 23a): "If one speaks lashon hara, he is fit to be cast to the dogs, it being written (Shemoth 23:1): 'You shall not bear a false report,' preceded by (Ibid. 22:39): 'To the dog shall you cast it.'" And we find in the Gemara (Bava Kamma 24b): "If one sicked a dog against someone, he is not guilty [of murder]." And even though by the law of Heaven, he is certainly liable for "indirection," too, they thought that in this instance they would not be liable by the law of Heaven because Joseph was a man of lashon hara and contention.
(Ibid. 22): "Throw him into this pit in the desert. …in order to rescue him from their hand, to return him to his father": His [Reuven's] counsel proved to be to Joseph's benefit (for it rescued him from their hand), but, in any event, casting him there was dangerous; for there were snakes and scorpions there. (He [Reuven] did not know about this, however, for if he did, this would be actual "murder," it being stated in Yevamoth 121b): "If one fell into a pit full of snakes and scorpions, it may be testified about him that he is dead." (Below we shall explain the "measure for measure" in this.)
(Ibid. 25): "And they sat down to eat bread": Scripture here apprises us that they wronged him in this. For even the greatest sin, which incurs the death penalty, requires abeyance of judgment, it being incumbent upon them that night to deliberate upon the judgment itself and not to preoccupy themselves with eating. We shall explain below the suffering they experienced because of this, "measure for measure."
(Ibid.): "…and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites …going down to take it to Egypt": Scripture hereby apprises us that by the same means with which one wishes to harm his neighbor the blessed L-rd contrives to benefit him. And here, when he was sold to the Ishmaelites, he was brought to Egypt to the house of Potiphar, where he underwent and withstood the trial [with the wife of Potiphar], in the merit of which he ascended to greatness.
(Ibid. 26): "And Judah said to his brothers: 'What profit if we kill our brother? (27): Let us go and sell him to the Ishmaelites.'": On the one hand this resulted in great benefit to Joseph, his being saved from death; and, on the other, in great harm, their agreeing to sell him as a slave. (Ibid. 28): "And they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver… (34): And Jacob rent his garments … and he mourned his son many days."
From here on, Scripture begins to relate the punishments and the mortifications that they suffered for this, all "measure for measure." First of all, Judah was punished, who was the immediate cause of the sale. He became a mourner over his sons, and certainly also rent his garments over them, according to the din. And his brothers, too, were not exempt from the punishment of "rending" [k'riyah], for they, too, rent their garments on their day of woe [viz. Ibid. 44:13]. And because he [Jacob] mourned his son "many days," therefore, (Ibid. 38:12): "And after 'many days,' the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died." And because he deceived his father with a kid of goats, dipping Joseph's robe in its blood, they deceived him, too, with a kid of goats, as we find in the Midrash. And because they said (Ibid. 37:32): "Recognize, now," he, too, was punished through Tamar with (Ibid. 38:25): "Recognize, now, whose are this signet and cloak and staff? Who can imagine the greatness of the shame and the mortification that he suffered then!
In any event, we can see [from here] the greatness of the lovingkindness of the Blessed L-rd. for as soon as he said (Ibid. 38:26): "She is right [Tzadkah], [She is with child] by me," and he accepted the din upon himself, a Heavenly voice came forth and said: "Tzadkah, from Me came forth secret things!" The essential idea is that the entire episode is Divine Providence (see Rashi there). As we find in the Midrash, the angel appointed over lust invested him at that time — whence it is seen that from this very shame decreed upon him, much good shone upon him, Tamar conceiving two righteous sons, from which the kingdom of the house of David emerged.
We find the same with respect to Na'ami. 'It is written (Ruth 1:19): "And the entire city was astir over her. And they said: 'Is this Na'ami?'" Rashi comments that all had gone out to bury the wife of Boaz, and all of them said: "See what happened to her because she left Eretz Yisrael!" Indeed, why did it happen? The truth is that it is "measure for measure." For certainly when she and her husband left Beth Lechem at the time of the famine because of [all] of the paupers who had converged [upon them for food], undoubtedly all cried out, saying: "Who will support us now in the time of the famine?" And because of this it was decreed upon her that when she returned to Beth Lechem all the city would be astir and would say: "See what happened to her!" — until she herself accepted the din upon her by saying (Ibid. 20): "Do not call me Na'ami ("sweet"), call me Mara ("bitter") for the Almighty has sorely embittered me."
But if we reflect further, we see the greatness of the goodness of the Holy One Blessed be He, that the punishment itself results in great good. For a place was prepared for her to restore her tranquility and to sustain her old age. For in the death of the wife of Boaz, it was ordained by Heaven that he marry Ruth, as it is written (Mishlei 19:14): "And from the L-rd, an understanding wife." And through this Oved was born to her, who, as it is known, was Machlon, as the Kabbalists wrote, wherefore it is written (Ruth 4:17): "A son was born to Na'ami" [(and not "to Ruth," Machlon having been the son of Na'ami [viz. Ibid. 1:2])]. In sum, a man must believe that "from the mouth of the Almighty evil does not emerge, and if suffering does result we must know that good lies in it.
And now we shall speak about what transpired with Joseph. First of all, the Torah apprises us that even though it was decreed upon him that he be a slave for having said about his brothers that they called their brothers servants, still, the mercies of Heaven were upon him, that his success grew there, his being appointed the overseer of Potiphar's house.
(Bereshith 39:6): "And Joseph was beautiful in from and in appearance": As Rashi explains it, once he saw himself elevated, he began preening his hair, at which the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: "Your father is in mourning and you preen your hair! I will incite the 'bear' against you," whereupon (Ibid. 7): "And it was, after these things, that the wife of his master, etc." and Heaven contrived to have him placed in the prison house.
It is known, according to our sages of blessed memory that he worked in the house of Potiphar only one year, and that he sat in the prison house for twelve years, [for he was driven out of his father's house when he was seventeen years old and he stood before Pharaoh when he was thirty], and we find in Shemoth Rabbah 3 that he had to sit in the prison house for ten years for having spoken lashon hara about his ten brothers, and because he said to the chief butler (Bereshith 40:13): "For if you remember me … and you remember me," it was decreed upon him [that he sit there] another two years — but when the time was completed, he did not remain there an extra moment, as it is written (Ibid. 41:14): "And they 'hastened' him out of the pit," and not "And they took him out of the pit," for then he would have remained there a few superfluous moments.
From all this, we see the gravity of the issur of lashon hara, twelve months for each man having been decreed upon him, corresponding to the [time of] the judgment in Gehinnom. And while he sat there all of Egypt spoke about his being suspect [with Potiphar's wife], as Rashi explains on the verse (Ibid. 40:1): "And it was after these things that there sinned, etc.", and this [(his being suspected)] was because he had suspected his brothers. But after his punishment was completed, the Holy One Blessed be He remembered his righteousness and raised him higher and higher until he was publicized throughout the land of Egypt in glory and renown as a holy man of G-d, as it is written (Ibid. 41:38): "Can there be found such a one! a man invested with the spirit of G-d?"
פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּשֶׁב
Vayeshev
הִנֵּה עִנְיַן יוֹסֵף עִם אֶחָיו. הֶאֱרִיכָה הַתּוֹרָה מְאֹד בְּסִפּוּר הָעִנְיָן אוֹדוֹתָיו וְאוֹדוֹת אֶחָיו, וְנִתְגַּלְגֵּל הַדָּבָר מִזֶּה סִבַּת יְרִידָתוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם, וְעוֹד כַּמָּה עִנְיָנִים נוֹרָאִים, שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּ עַל יְדֵי זֶה, כְּדֵי שֶׁמִּזֶּה יִקַּח כָּל אָדָם מוּסָר אֵיךְ שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִשְׁמֹר פִּיו וּלְשׁוֹנוֹ.
The Torah expanded greatly on the episode of Joseph and his brothers, which resulted in our descent to Egypt and had many other awesome consequences, so that everyone should take mussar from this on how to guard his mouth and his tongue.
וְהִנֵּה בְּאָבוֹת (א' י"ג) אִיתָא, שֶׁהִלֵּל הָיָה אוֹמֵר: אִם אֵין אֲנִי לִי, מִי לִי וְכוּ'. זֶה הַמַּאֲמָר כּוֹלֵל הַרְבֵּה מְאֹד מְאֹד. לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ הוּא מְרַמֵּז עַל עִנְיַן זְרִיזוּת לַעֲבוֹדַת ה', וְאוֹמֵר: אִם אֵין הָאָדָם בְּעַצְמוֹ מִזְדָּרֵז בְּעוֹדוֹ בְּחַיָּיו וּבְעוֹדוֹ בְּכֹחוֹ, מִי יָכוֹל לְהוֹעִיל לוֹ? וּכְמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת ט' י'): "כָּל אֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָא יָדְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּכֹחֲךָ עֲשֵׂה", בְּכֹחֲךָ דַּיְקָא. וּכְבָר הֶאֱרַכְנוּ בָּזֶה בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, שֶׁהָאָדָם לֹא יָכוֹל לִסְמֹךְ עַל בָּנָיו כִּי אִם מְעַט מִן הַמְּעַט, וְהָעִקָּר לְהָכִין לְעַצְמוֹ צֵידָה לְבֵית מוֹעֲדוֹ. וּלְפִי זֶה יֹאמַר הִלֵּל מַאֲמָר פָּשׁוּט: אִם הָאָדָם בְּעַצְמוֹ לֹא יֵיטִיב לְנַפְשׁוֹ, מִי יָכוֹל לְהֵיטִיב לוֹ?
In Avoth 1:13 we find that Hillel used to say: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me, etc." This apothegm is highly comprehensive. Its plain meaning relates to zeal in the service of the L-rd, saying: "If a man himself does not bestir himself while he is yet alive and while he still has strength, who can help him?" As Scripture states (Koheleth 9:10): "All that your hand finds to do, in your strength do it" — "in your strength," specifically. We have already expatiated upon this elsewhere. For a man can depend but very little upon his sons, and his principal (task) is to prepare "provender for his destined abode." And it is in this regard that Hillel says plainly: If a man himself does not benefit his soul, who can do it for him?
וְעוֹד רָמַז בָּזֶה עִנְיָן נוֹרָא, וְהוּא: אִם הָאָדָם בְּעַצְמוֹ לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ רָעָה, מִי יוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ רָעָה? כִּי הָאֱמֶת כָּל הָעִנְיָנִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּסְבָּבִים לָאָדָם, הֵן לְטוֹב וְהֵן לְרַע, הַכֹּל הָאָדָם מְסַבֵּב לְעַצְמוֹ. וְהָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה שֶׁאָנוּ מְדַבְּרִים בּוֹ, עִנְיַן הַיְרִידָה לְמִצְרַיִם, סִבָּה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַר אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עָלָיו הַשָּׁלוֹם (בראשית ט"ו ח'): "בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה"? הֵשִׁיב לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הִוּא (שם י"ג): "יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵּר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בָּאָרֶץ". וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל (שבת פ"ט:): רָאוּי הָיָה יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ לֵירֵד בְּשַׁלְשְׁלָאוֹת שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל לְמִצְרַיִם, אֶלָּא שֶׁזְּכוּתוֹ גָּרְמָה לוֹ שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ עִמּוֹ דֶּרֶךְ כָּבוֹד לָבוֹא לִבְנוֹ הַמּוֹלֵךְ בְּמִצְרַיִם.
But he also alludes hereby to an awesome phenomenon. And that is: If a man does not do evil to himself, who can do evil to him? For the truth is that everything that happens to a man in this world, both for the good or for the bad, is brought about by the man himself. As it relates to our subject, the descent to Egypt, its first cause was Abraham's saying [to the Holy One Blessed be He] (Genesis 15:8): "How do I know that I will inherit it?" and His responding (Ibid. 13): "You will surely know, for your seed will be a stranger in the land [Egypt], etc." And Chazal have said (Shabbath 89b): "Jacob should have gone down to Egypt in iron chains, but his merit availed him to be honored by being brought honorifically to his son who reigned in Egypt.
וְסִבַּת הַדָּבָר שֶׁיּוֹסֵף יִהְיֶה הַמּוֹלֵךְ, וּשְׁאָר בָּנָיו יִהְיוּ נִכְנָעִים לוֹ, גַּם כֵּן גָּרַם יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ בְּעַצְמוֹ לָזֶה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁחָרָה אַפּוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב עַל רָחֵל שֶׁאָמְרָה (בראשית ל' א'): "הָבָה לִי בָּנִים, וְאִם אַיִן מֵתָה אָנֹכִי". וְעָנָה לָהּ (שם ב'): "הֲתַחַת אֱלֹקִים אָנֹכִי, אֲשֶׁר מָנַע מִמֵּךְ פְּרִי בָטֶן"? אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁאָמַר הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: וְכִי כָּךְ עוֹנִין אֶת הַמְעוּקוֹת? חַיֶּיךָ, שֶׁבָּנֶיךָ עוֹמְדִים לִפְנֵי בְּנָהּ.
And the reason that Joseph reigned and his other sons humbled themselves to him stemmed from Jacob our father himself. Because he became angry with Rachel upon her saying to him (Bereshith 30:1): "Give me sons," he was told by G-d (as related in the Midrash, Bereshith Rabbah 71:10): "Is this the way to answer those who are oppressed? Upon your life, your sons will stand before her son [Joseph]!"
כְּלַל הַדָּבָר הָאָדָם צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת מְאֹד זָהִיר בְּדִבּוּרָיו, שֶׁהוּא בְּדִבּוּרוֹ מְסַדֵּר בָּזֶה אֶת הַהַנְהָגָה לְעַצְמוֹ, אִם יִתְנַהֲגוּ עִמּוֹ בְּמִדַּת הַחֶסֶד אוֹ לְהֶפֶךְ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם.
In sum, one must be extremely careful in his words, for he thereby affects his fate, whether for the good or for the bad, G-d forbid.
וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל אֲבִיהֶם (בראשית ל"ז ב'). שֶׁאָמַר, שֶׁהָיוּ קּוֹרִין לַאֲחֵיהֶם עֲבָדִים וְשֶׁחֲשׁוּדִים עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת וְשֶׁחֲשׁוּדִים עַל אֵיבָר מִן הַחַי. וְהִנֵּה הַכָּתוּב סִפֵּר לָנוּ, שֶׁלֹּא דִּבֵּר זֶה לְשׁוּם אָדָם, רַקּ לַאֲבִיהֶם, וְכַוָּנָתוֹ הָיְתָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיּוֹכִיחֵם אָבִיו, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן עָשָׂה שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לְהוֹכִיחָם בְּעַצְמוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה עַל זֶה, שֶׁדִּין הוֹכָחָה הוּא אֲפִלּוּ תַּלְמִיד לְרַב, וְלֹא לְגַלּוֹת לְאָבִיו. וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁהָיוּ מוֹדִין לוֹ בְּמַה שֶׁקּוֹרִין לָהֶם עֲבָדִים, שֶׁלֹּא כַּדִּין הוּא, כִּי בֶּאֱמֶת יַעֲקֹב קֹדֶם שֶׁנְּשָׂאָן שִׁחְרְרָן וּלְקָחָן לְנָשִׁים, כְּמַאֲמַר הַכָּתוּב (בראשית ל"ז ב'): "נְשֵׁי אָבִיו", אוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ מַרְאִין לוֹ עַל עֶצֶם הַחֲשָׁד, שֶׁטָּעוּת הוּא. וּמַה שֶּׁאָמַר שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִים עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת, טָעוּת הָיְתָה, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי סֵפֶר הַיְצִירָה בָּרְאוּ גֹּלֶם כִּתְמוּנַת אִשָּׁה.
(Ibid. 37:2): "And Joseph brought evil report of them (the sons of Leah) to their father": He told him that they called their brothers [the sons of the concubines] "servants," and that they were suspect of illicit relations, and of eiver min hachai [(eating a limb torn from a living animal)]. The verse tells us that he told no one else but their father, and this, only in order that he reprove them — in spite of which he should not have done so, for he should first have reproved them himself; for the din of reproof applies even from a disciple to his teacher, and he should not have revealed it to his father. [(And perhaps he did reprove them first and they admitted to him that they should not have called them servants. For, in truth, before Jacob had married them, he had freed them and taken them as wives, as the verse states in respect to them (Ibid.): "the wives of his father." Or perhaps they had contested the suspicion itself saying that it was not true, i.e., that they had not called them servants. As to his suspecting them of illicit relations, this was an error on Joseph's part, for by means of the Sefer Yetzirah they had created a golem in the form of a woman.)]
וְאָמְרוּ חֲזַ"ל עַל זֶה בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה מ"ד) (משלי ט"ז י"א): "פֶּלֶס וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַה"', שֶׁעַל כֻּלּוֹ נֶעֱנַשׁ מִדָּה בְּמִדָּה: עַל שֶׁאָמַר: קוֹרִין לַאֲחֵיהֶם עֲבָדִים, [וְהַיְנוּ שֶׁאִם כֵּן רְאוּיִים לְהִמָּכֵר לַעֲבָדִים מִדָּה בְּמִדָּה, עַיֵּן בְּקדּוּשִׁין (דף ע:)] "לְעֶבֶד נִמְכַּר יוֹסֵף". וְעַל שֶׁאָמַר, שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִים עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת חֲשָׁדוּהוּ כָּל מִצְרַיִם בְּאֵשֶׁת פּוֹטִיפַר. וְשֶׁאָמַר שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל אֵיבָר מִן הַחַי, מִשּׁוּם שֶׁלֹּא רָאָה אוֹתָם שׁוֹחֲטִים טָעוּת הָיְתָה, וְהוֹדִיעַ לָנוּ הַכָּתוּב (בראשית ל"ז ל"א): "וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שְׂעִיר עִזִּים" בִּמְכִירָתוֹ, וְלֹא אֲכָלוּהוּ חַי.
And Chazal say concerning this in the Midrash (Midrash Rabbah): "(Mishlei 16:11): 'A scale and just balances are the L-rd's' — for all of them he was punished measure for measure. For 'they call their brothers servants' — Jacob was sold as a servant. For 'they are suspect of illicit relations' — all of Egypt suspected him with the wife of Potiphar. For 'they are suspect of eiver min hachai' because he did not see them perform shechitah — this was a mistake, and Scripture thus apprises us (Bereshith 37:3): 'And they slaughtered a kid of goats' (after having sold him) and did not eat it live."
וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָהַב אֶת יוֹסֵף מִכָּל בָּנָיו, כִּי בֶּן זְקוּנִים הוּא לוֹ (בראשית ל"ז ג'). הוֹדִיעָנוּ הַכָּתוּב בָּזֶה, שֶׁלֹּא קַבֵּל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ הַלָּשׁוֹן הָרָע, שֶׁהֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם, וְאָהֲבוֹ רַק מִטַּעַם שֶׁבֶּן זְקוּנִים הוּא לוֹ.
(Bereshith 37:3): "And Israel loved Joseph more than all of his sons, for he was the son of his old age.": Scripture hereby apprises us that Jacob did not accept the lashon hara that Joseph brought to him, and loved him only because he was the son of his old age.
וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם וְגוֹ', הַמָּלֹךְ תִּמְלֹךְ עָלֵינוּ וְגוֹ' (שם ח'). הֶאֱרִיךְ הַכָּתוּב בְּעִנְיַן הַחֲלוֹמוֹת, לְהַצְדִּיק קְצָת אֶת הַשְּׁבָטִים מֵאַיִן בָּאוּ לְשִׂנְאָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּזֹאת, שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה בְּלִבָּם לְסַלְּקוֹ מִן הָעוֹלָם, וְהוּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחָשְׁבוּ שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִמְלֹךְ עֲלֵיהֶם, וּלְכָךְ הוּא מְסַפֵּר דִּבָּה רָעָה לַאֲבִיהֶם, כְּדֵי שֶׁאֲבִיהֶם יְסַלְּקָם מֵעַל פָּנָיו, [וּכְמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י (בראשית ל"ז ח'): "עַל חֲלֹמֹתָיו וְעַל דְּבָרָיו" עַל הַדִּבָּה הָרָעָה שֶׁהֵבִיא, וְהָיוּ לָהֶם דְּבָרִים הַנִּכָּרִים מִכְּתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה לוֹ, מִסְּתָמָא קִבֵּל דְּבָרָיו]. וְאֶפְשָׁר, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, יַסְכִּים לָזֶה שֶׁהוּא יִהְיֶה הַגְּבִיר עֲלֵיהֶם, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר יִצְחָק לְיַעֲקֹּב (בראשית כ"ז כ"ט): "הֱוֵה גְּבִיר לְאַחֶיךָ, וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְךָ בְּנֵי אִמֶּךָ". אוֹ, חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, יְסַלְּקָם לְגַמְרֵי, וּכְעִנְיָן שֶׁאָמַר נֹחַ (בראשית ט' כ"ה): "אָרוּר כְּנָעַן, עֶבֶד עֲבָדִים יִהְיֶה לְאֶחָיו", וּלְכָךְ חָשְׁבוּ עֵצָה אֵיךְ לְהִפָּטֵר מִמֶּנּוּ.
(Ibid. 5): "And Joseph dreamed a dream… (8) …Will you reign over us?": Scripture expatiates upon the dreams to rationalize somewhat the extreme hatred of the brothers to Joseph to the point of wanting to remove him from the world: They assumed that he desired to reign over them, for which reason he had brought "evil report" of them to their father, so that he should remove them from his presence [as Rashi explains (Ibid.): "for his dreams and for his words" — "for the evil report that he had brought to their father." And the robe that his father made him served as "supporting evidence" that he had accepted his report], and that perhaps, G-d forbid, he would agree with Joseph, so that he [Joseph] would be a "master" over them, as in Isaac's blessing to Jacob (Ibid. 27:29): "Be a master to you brothers, and your mother's sons will bow down to you." Or, [they thought,] G-d forbid, that he [Jacob] would banish them altogether, as Noach said (Ibid. 9:25): "Cursed is Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers." Therefore, they took counsel on how to rid themselves of him.
וַיִּשְׁלָחֵהוּ מֵעֵמֶק חֶבְרוֹן (שם י"ד) מֵעֵצָה עֲמֻקָּה שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיקּ, הַקָּבוּר בְּחֶבְרוֹן, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט"ו י"ג): "כִּי גֵּר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָהֶם". הַנִּרְאֶה לַעֲנִיּוּת דַּעְתִּי שֶׁמִּצְרַיִם הָיְתָה עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ, מְקוֹם טֻמְאָה מְאֹד, וּלְכָךְ הֻסְכַּם שֶׁמִּתְּחִלָּה יָבוֹא אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי יַעֲקֹּב לְפַרְסֵם שָׁם אֱמוּנַת הַהַשְׁגָּחָה, וּכְדִכְתִיב (בראשית מ"א כ"ח): "אֲשֶׁר הָאֱלֹקִים עוֹשֶׂה הֶרְאָה אֶת פַּרְעֹה". וְכֵן בְּמַה שֶּׁצִּוָּה אַחַר כָּךְ אוֹתָם שֶׁיִּמּוֹלוּ, וְהַכֹּל כְּדֵי לְהַחֲלִישׁ אֶת כֹּחַ הַטֻּמְאָה, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה רָאוּי אַחַר כָּךְ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָגוּר שָׁם;
(Ibid. 14): "And he [Jacob] sent him [Joseph] from Emek Chevron" — "from the deep [(alluded to by "Emek")] counsel of that tzaddik [Abraham] buried in Chevron, in fulfillment of what was stated (Ibid. 15:13): 'for your seed will be a stranger in a land that is not theirs.'" The meaning here (in my humble opinion) is that Egypt was the "nakedness of the land," an extremely impure place, for which reason it was ordained in the beginning that one of the sons of Jacob would come to publicize there [in Egypt] belief in the Divine providence, as it is written (Ibid. 41:25): "What G-d is to do He has shown to Pharaoh." For a similar reason Joseph commanded afterwards that they [the Egyptians] circumcise themselves — all to weaken the power of impurity, so that it would be fit afterwards for Israel to sojourn there.
וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ אִישׁ, וְהִנֵּה תֹּעֶה בַּשָּׂדֶה וְגוֹ' (שם ט"ו). הֶאֱרִיךְ הַכָּתוּב, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יִפָּלֵא, אֵיךְ נִסְבְּבָה צָרָה גְּדוֹלָה כָּזוֹ עַל יְדֵי שְׁלִיחוּת מִצְוָה, שֶׁהָלַךְ לְקַיֵּם רְצוֹן אָבִיו, וְגַם אֵיךְ נִסְבַּב עַל יְדֵי יַעֲקֹּב עִנְיָן כָּזֶה, וְסִפֵּר לָנוּ הַכָּתוּב, כִּי הַשְּׁלִיחוּת נִשְׁלְמָה בִּשְׁכֶם, וּמַה שֶּׁהָלַךְ אַחַר כָּךְ הָיָה מֵעַצְמוֹ.
(Ibid. 37:15): "And a man found him, and, behold, he was straying in the field, etc." Scripture expatiated on this so that one not ask: How could this great calamity have been brought about through "the embassy of a mitzvah," Joseph having gone there to fulfill the bidding of his father! Also, how could all of this have been initiated through our father Jacob? Therefore, Scripture tells us that the embassy was completed in Shechem, and his going farther was of his own volition.
כִּי שָׁמַעֶתִּי אֹמְרִים: נֵלְכָה דֹּתָיְנָה (שם י"ז). וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י: לְבַקֵּשׁ לְךָ נִכְלֵי דָּתוֹת, שֶׁיְּמִיתוּךָ בָּהֶם. הָעִנְיָן הוּא, שֶׁהֻחְלַט אֶצְלָם, שֶׁהוּא בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּמַטִּיל שִׂנְאָה עֲלֵיהֶם אֵצֶל אֲבִיהֶם, וּמִי יוֹדֵעַ כַּמָּה מַחֲלֹקֶת יְסֻבַּב עַל יָדוֹ בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְחִפְּשׂוּ עֵצָה לְהִפָּטֵר מִמֶּנּוּ בְּאֵיִזֶה אֹפֶן שֶׁהוּא, שֶׁעַל פִּי הַדִּין לֹא יִהְיוּ בִּכְלַל רוֹצְחִים, וּמַה שֶּׁיּוּמַת עַל יְדֵי גְּרָמָא דִּידְהוּ, לֹא חָשְׁשׁוּ לָזֶה. וְעַל כֵּן אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁשִׁסּוּ עָלָיו אֶת הַכְּלָבִים (וּמַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ (בראשית ל"ז כ'): "לְכוּ וְנַהַרְגֵהוּ", לֹא הֲרִיגָה מַמָּשׁ אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי גְּרָמָא דִּידְהוּ). וְיָדוּעַ מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (מכות כ"ג.): כָּל הַמְסַפֵּר לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, רָאוּי לְהַשְׁלִיכוֹ לַכְּלָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ"ג א'): "לֹא תִשָׂא שֵׁמַע שָׁוְא", וְסָמִיךְ לֵהּ (שמות כ"ב ל'): "לַכֶּלֶב תַּשְׁלִיכוּן אוֹתוֹ". וְהִנֵּה אִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (בבא קמא כ"ד:): שִׁסָּה בּוֹ אֶת הַכֶּלֶב פָּטוּר, וְאַף בְּוַדַּאי שֶׁבְּדִינֵי שָׁמַיִם חַיָּב עַל גְּרָמָא גַּם כֵּן, חָשְׁבוּ בְּנַפְשָׁם שֶׁבְּדִינֵי שָׁמַיִם לֹא יִתְחַיְּבוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע וּמַחֲלֹקֶת.
(Ibid. 17): "For I heard them [the brothers] saying: 'Let us go to Dothan [nelchah dotainah],' which Rashi interprets: 'to seek against you nichlei datoth [legal devices (suggested by 'nelchah dothainah')] to kill you with." The explanation: It was decided by them that Joseph was a man of lashon hara, who provoked their father to hate them. And who knows how much contention he would stir up among them? They, therefore, sought some pretext to rid themselves of him in a way which would not make them "murderers" legally. As far as his being killed indirectly through them, this did not concern them. And as to their saying (Ibid. 60): "Let us go and kill him," this was meant in the same indirect sense. As stated in the well known Gemara, Makkoth 23a): "If one speaks lashon hara, he is fit to be cast to the dogs, it being written (Shemoth 23:1): 'You shall not bear a false report,' preceded by (Ibid. 22:39): 'To the dog shall you cast it.'" And we find in the Gemara (Bava Kamma 24b): "If one sicked a dog against someone, he is not guilty [of murder]." And even though by the law of Heaven, he is certainly liable for "indirection," too, they thought that in this instance they would not be liable by the law of Heaven because Joseph was a man of lashon hara and contention.
הַשְׁלִיכוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל הַבּוֹר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר בַּמִּדְבָּר וְגוֹ', לְמַעַן הַצִּיל אֹתוֹ מִיָּדָם לַהֲשִׁיבוֹ אֶל אָבִיו. נִמְצָא דְּבַעֲצָתוֹ הָיְתָה טוֹבָה לְיוֹסֵף, שֶׁנִּצַּל מִיָּדָם, וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם עֶצֶם הַהַשְׁלָכָה הָיְתָה סַכָּנָה, שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים, (אַךְ הוּא לֹא יָדַע מִזֶּה, דְּאִי לָאו הָכִי (דאם לא כן) הוּא בִּכְלַל רְצִיחָה מַמָּשׁ, שֶׁהֲרֵי אָמְרוּ בְּסוֹף יְבָמוֹת (קכ"א:): נָפַל לְבוֹר מָלֵא נְחָשִׁים וְעַקְרַבִּים מְעִידִין עָלָיו שֶׁמֵּת), וּלְקַמָּן נְבָאֵר מִדָּה בְּמִדָּה שֶׁהָיְתָה בָּזֶה;
(Ibid. 22): "Throw him into this pit in the desert. …in order to rescue him from their hand, to return him to his father": His [Reuven's] counsel proved to be to Joseph's benefit (for it rescued him from their hand), but, in any event, casting him there was dangerous; for there were snakes and scorpions there. (He [Reuven] did not know about this, however, for if he did, this would be actual "murder," it being stated in Yevamoth 121b): "If one fell into a pit full of snakes and scorpions, it may be testified about him that he is dead." (Below we shall explain the "measure for measure" in this.)
וַיֵּשְׁבוּ לֶאֱכָל לָחֶם וְגוֹ'. סִפֵּר לָנוּ הַכָּתוּב, שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַוְלָה בָּזֶה, כִּי אֲפִלּוּ לֶעָוֹן הַיּוֹתֵר גָּדוֹל, שֶׁחַיָּבִין מִיתָה עָלָיו, מִכָּל מָקוֹם צָרִיךְ הֲלָנַת הַדִּין, שֶׁאוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה הָיוּ מְחֻיָּבִים לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן בְּעֶצֶם הַדִּין, וְלֹא לְהִתְעַסֵּק בְּעִנְיְנֵי אֲכִילָה, וּלְקַמָּן נְבָאֵר הַצַּעַר מִדָּה בְּמִדָּה, שֶׁהָיָה לָהֶם עַל זֶה.
(Ibid. 25): "And they sat down to eat bread": Scripture here apprises us that they wronged him in this. For even the greatest sin, which incurs the death penalty, requires abeyance of judgment, it being incumbent upon them that night to deliberate upon the judgment itself and not to preoccupy themselves with eating. We shall explain below the suffering they experienced because of this, "measure for measure."
וְהִנֵּה אֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים וְגוֹ' לְהוֹרִיד מִצְרָיְמָה. סִפֵּר לָנוּ הַכָּתוּב, כִּי מַה שֶּׁהָאָדָם רוֹצֶה לְהָרַע לַחֲבֵרוֹ, בְּזוֹ הַסִּבָּה גּוּפָא, דֶּרֶךְ ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ לְהֵיטִיב לוֹ. וְכָאן, שֶׁמְּכָרוּהוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים, הֱבִיאוּהוּ לְמִצְרַיִם לְבֵית פּוֹטִיפַר, וְשָׁם הָיָה נִסָּיוֹן וְעָמַד בּוֹ, וּבִזְכוּתוֹ עָלָה לִגְדֻלָּה;
(Ibid.): "…and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites …going down to take it to Egypt": Scripture hereby apprises us that by the same means with which one wishes to harm his neighbor the blessed L-rd contrives to benefit him. And here, when he was sold to the Ishmaelites, he was brought to Egypt to the house of Potiphar, where he underwent and withstood the trial [with the wife of Potiphar], in the merit of which he ascended to greatness.
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוּדָה אֶל אֶחָיו: מַה בֶּצַע כִּי נַהֲרֹג וְגוֹ', לְכוּ וְנִמְכְּרֶנּוּ לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים וְגוֹ'. וּבַעֲצָתוֹ זוֹ מִצַּד אֶחָד נִסְבְּבָה לְיוֹסֵף טוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁנִּצַּל מִמָּוֶת, וּמִצַּד שֵׁנִי רָעָה גְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁהִסְכִּימוּ לְמָכְרוֹ לְעֶבֶד, וַיִּמְכְּרוּ אֶת יוֹסֵף לַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִים בְּעֶשְׂרִים כָּסֶף וְגוֹ'. וַיִּקְרַע יַעֲקֹב שִׂמְלוֹתָיו וְגוֹ', וַיִּתְאַבֵּל עַל בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים".
(Ibid. 26): "And Judah said to his brothers: 'What profit if we kill our brother? (27): Let us go and sell him to the Ishmaelites.'": On the one hand this resulted in great benefit to Joseph, his being saved from death; and, on the other, in great harm, their agreeing to sell him as a slave. (Ibid. 28): "And they sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver… (34): And Jacob rent his garments … and he mourned his son many days."
וּמִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הִתְחִיל הַכָּתוּב לְסַפֵּר הָענָשִׁים וְהַבִּזְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁסָּבְלוּ עֲבוּר זֶה, וְהַכֹּל מִדָּה בְּמִדָּה. רִאשׁוֹן לַכֹּל נֶעֱנַשׁ יְהוּדָה, שֶׁהוּא הָיָה הַסִּבָּה לַמְּכִירָה, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה אָבֵל עַל בָּנָיו, וּבְוַדַּאי קָרַע עֲלֵיהֶם גַּם כֵּן כַּדִּין, וְגַם אֶחָיו לֹא נִפְטְרוּ מֵעֹנֶשׁ הַקְּרִיעָה, שֶׁגַּם הֵם קָרְעוּ בְּרֹב צַעֲרָם אֶת בִּגְדֵיהֶם, כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתוּב בְּסוֹף מִקֵּץ. וְעַל שֶׁכָּתוּב, שֶׁהִתְאַבֵּל עַל בְּנוֹ יָמִים רַבִּים, לָכֵן כָּתוּב גַּם כֵּן (בראשית ל"ח י"ב): "וַיִּרְבּוּ הַיָּמִים, וַתָּמָת בַּת שׁוּעַ אֵשֶׁת יְהוּדָה". וְעַל שֶׁרִמָּה אֶת אָבִיו בִּגְדִי עִזִּים, שֶׁהִטְבִּיל כְּתֹנֶת יוֹסֵף בְּדָמוֹ, רִמּוּהוּ גַּם כֵּן בִּגְדִי עִזִּים, כִּדְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ. וְעַל שֶׁאָמְרוּ (בראשית ל"ז ל"ב): "הַכֶּר נָא", נֶעֱנַשׁ גַּם כֵּן עַל יְדֵי תָּמָר (בראשית ל"ח כ"ה) בְּ"הַכֶּר נָא לְמִי הַחוֹתֶמֶת וְהַפְּתִילִים" וְגוֹ'. וּמִי יוּכַל לְשַׁעֵר גֹּדֶל הַבִּזָּיוֹן וְהַכְּלִמָּה שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ אָז מִזֶּה.
From here on, Scripture begins to relate the punishments and the mortifications that they suffered for this, all "measure for measure." First of all, Judah was punished, who was the immediate cause of the sale. He became a mourner over his sons, and certainly also rent his garments over them, according to the din. And his brothers, too, were not exempt from the punishment of "rending" [k'riyah], for they, too, rent their garments on their day of woe [viz. Ibid. 44:13]. And because he [Jacob] mourned his son "many days," therefore, (Ibid. 38:12): "And after 'many days,' the daughter of Shua, Judah's wife, died." And because he deceived his father with a kid of goats, dipping Joseph's robe in its blood, they deceived him, too, with a kid of goats, as we find in the Midrash. And because they said (Ibid. 37:32): "Recognize, now," he, too, was punished through Tamar with (Ibid. 38:25): "Recognize, now, whose are this signet and cloak and staff? Who can imagine the greatness of the shame and the mortification that he suffered then!
וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם נוּכַל לִרְאוֹת גֹּדֶל חַסְדֵּי ה' יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי הִנֵּה תֵּכֶף שֶׁאָמַר "צָדְקָּה", וְקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ אֶת הַדִּין, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה: צָדְקָה, מִמֶּנִּי יָצְאוּ כְּבוּשִׁים. וְהָעִקָּר שֶׁהָעִנְיָן כֻּלּוֹ הוּא סִבָּה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם (עַיֵּן פֵּרוּשׁ רַשִּׁ"י), וּכְמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ, שֶׁמַּלְאָךְ הַמְּמֻנֶּה עַל הַתַּאֲוָה נִזְדַּמֵּן לוֹ אָז, הֲרֵי שֶׁמִּן הַבִּזָּיוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלָיו, מִזֶּה גּוּפָא נָצְצָה עָלָיו טוֹבָה רַבָּה, שֶׁנִּתְעַבְּרָה בִּשְׁנֵי בָּנִים צַדִּיקַים, וּמִזֶּה יָצְאָה מַלְכוּת בֵּית דָּוִד.
In any event, we can see [from here] the greatness of the lovingkindness of the Blessed L-rd. for as soon as he said (Ibid. 38:26): "She is right [Tzadkah], [She is with child] by me," and he accepted the din upon himself, a Heavenly voice came forth and said: "Tzadkah, from Me came forth secret things!" The essential idea is that the entire episode is Divine Providence (see Rashi there). As we find in the Midrash, the angel appointed over lust invested him at that time — whence it is seen that from this very shame decreed upon him, much good shone upon him, Tamar conceiving two righteous sons, from which the kingdom of the house of David emerged.
וְכָזֶה מָצִינוּ גַּם כֵּן אֵצֶל נָעֳמִי, דִּכְתִיב (רות א' י"ט): "וַיְהִי כְּבוֹאָנָה בֵּית לֶחֶם וַתֵּהֹם כָּל הָעִיר עֲלֵיהֶן וַתֹּאמַרְנָה הֲזֹאת נָעֳמִי". וּפֵרֵשׁ רַשִׁ"י, שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַכֹּל לִקְבֹּר אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל בֹּעַז, וְאָמְרוּ הַכֹּל: רְאוּ מָה עָלְתָה לָהּ, שֶׁיָּצָאת לְחוּץ לָאָרֶץ. וְלִכְאוֹרָה מַה זֶּה שֶׁהִזְדַּמֵּן כָּכָה? וְהָאֱמֶת, שֶׁהוּא מִדָּה בְּמִדָּה, דִּבְוַדַּאי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִיא וּבַעְלָהּ נָסְעוּ מִבֵּית לֶחֶם בְּעֵת הָרָעָב מִפְּנֵי הָעֲנִיִּים הַבָּאִים, בְּוַדַּאי נִקְבְּצוּ כֻּלָּם וּבָכוּ בְּאָמְרָם: מִי יְחַיֵּינוּ עַתָּה, בְּעֵת הָרָעָב? וַעֲבוּר זֶה נִגְזַר עָלֶיהָ, שֶׁבְּבוֹאָהּ לְבֵית לֶחֶם תִּהְיֶה הוֹמָה כָּל הָעִיר וְיֹאמְרוּ: רְאוּ מָה עָלְתָה לָהּ, עַד שֶׁהִיא בְּעַצְמָהּ קִבְּלָה עָלֶיהָ אֶת הַדִּין, שֶׁאָמְרָה (שם כ'): "אַל תִּקְרֶאנָה לִּי נָעֳמִי וְגוֹ', וַה' עָנָה בִי" וְגוֹ'.
We find the same with respect to Na'ami. 'It is written (Ruth 1:19): "And the entire city was astir over her. And they said: 'Is this Na'ami?'" Rashi comments that all had gone out to bury the wife of Boaz, and all of them said: "See what happened to her because she left Eretz Yisrael!" Indeed, why did it happen? The truth is that it is "measure for measure." For certainly when she and her husband left Beth Lechem at the time of the famine because of [all] of the paupers who had converged [upon them for food], undoubtedly all cried out, saying: "Who will support us now in the time of the famine?" And because of this it was decreed upon her that when she returned to Beth Lechem all the city would be astir and would say: "See what happened to her!" — until she herself accepted the din upon her by saying (Ibid. 20): "Do not call me Na'ami ("sweet"), call me Mara ("bitter") for the Almighty has sorely embittered me."
אָכֵן נִתְבּוֹנֵן נָא עוֹד וְנִרְאֶה גֹּדֶל טוֹבוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁבָּעֹנֶשׁ גּוּפָא נִסְבְּבָה טוֹבָה גְּדוֹלָה, שֶׁהוּכַן בָּזֶה מָקּוֹם לְהָשִׁיב לָהּ שְׁבוּתָהּ וּלְכַלְכֵּל אֶת שֵׂיבָתָהּ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁמֵּתָה אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל בֹּעַז, הוּכַן לוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם שֶׁיִּשָּׂא אֶת רוּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב: וּ"מֵה' אִשָּׁה" וְגוֹ', וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה יִוָּלֵד לָהּ עוֹבֵד, שֶׁיָּדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא מַחְלוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ הַמְקֻבָּלִים, שֶׁעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (רות ד' י"ז): "יֻלַּד בֶּן לְנָעֳמִי וְגוֹ', וּלְכַלְכֵּל אֶת שֵׂיבָתֵךְ". כְּלַל הַדָּבָר, צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם לְהַאֲמִין, שֶׁמִּפִּי עֶלְיוֹן לֹא תֵּצֵא הָרָעוֹת, וְאִם נִסְבָּב אֵיזֶה דְּבַר צַעַר, צָרִיךְ לֵידַע, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּזֶה דָּבָר טוֹב.
But if we reflect further, we see the greatness of the goodness of the Holy One Blessed be He, that the punishment itself results in great good. For a place was prepared for her to restore her tranquility and to sustain her old age. For in the death of the wife of Boaz, it was ordained by Heaven that he marry Ruth, as it is written (Mishlei 19:14): "And from the L-rd, an understanding wife." And through this Oved was born to her, who, as it is known, was Machlon, as the Kabbalists wrote, wherefore it is written (Ruth 4:17): "A son was born to Na'ami" [(and not "to Ruth," Machlon having been the son of Na'ami [viz. Ibid. 1:2])]. In sum, a man must believe that "from the mouth of the Almighty evil does not emerge, and if suffering does result we must know that good lies in it.
וְעַתָּה נְדַבֵּר אוֹדוֹת יוֹסֵף, מַה נִּסְבַּב לוֹ. רִאשׁוֹן לַכֹּל כָּתְבָה לָנוּ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁאַף שֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלָיו לִהְיוֹת עֶבֶד תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר אָמַר עַל אֶחָיו, שֶׁקּוֹרִין לַאֲחֵיהֶם עֲבָדִים, בְּכָל זֹאת הָיוּ עָלָיו רַחֲמֵי שָׁמַיִם, שֶׁגָּדְלָה הַצְלָחָתוֹ שָׁם, שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה פָּקַיד עַל בֵּית פּוֹטִיפַר;
And now we shall speak about what transpired with Joseph. First of all, the Torah apprises us that even though it was decreed upon him that he be a slave for having said about his brothers that they called their brothers servants, still, the mercies of Heaven were upon him, that his success grew there, his being appointed the overseer of Potiphar's house.
וַיְהִי יוֹסֵף יְפֵה תֹאַר וְגוֹ' (בראשית ל"ט ו'). כְּפֵרוּשׁ רַשִּׁ"י: כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה עַצְמוֹ מוֹשֵׁל, הִתְחִיל מְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרוֹ. אָמַר הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אָבִיךָ מִתְאַבֵּל, וְאַתָּה מְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרְךָ? הֲרֵינִי מְגָרֶה בְּךָ אֶת הַדֹּב. (בראשית ל"ט ז') "וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, וַתִּשָּׂא אֵשֶׁת אֲדוֹנָיו", וְנִסְבַּב מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם, שֶׁשָּׂמוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים.
(Bereshith 39:6): "And Joseph was beautiful in from and in appearance": As Rashi explains it, once he saw himself elevated, he began preening his hair, at which the Holy One Blessed be He said to him: "Your father is in mourning and you preen your hair! I will incite the 'bear' against you," whereupon (Ibid. 7): "And it was, after these things, that the wife of his master, etc." and Heaven contrived to have him placed in the prison house.
וְהִנֵּה לְפִי הַיָּדוּעַ מֵחֲכָמֵינוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה, לֹא עָבַד בְּבֵית פּוֹטִיפַר כִּי אִם שָׁנָה אַחַת, וּבְבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים יָשַׁב שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה, [שֶׁנִּגְרַשׁ מִבֵּית אָבִיו כְּשֶׁהָיָה בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה, וּבְעָמְדוֹ לִפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה הָיָה בֶּן שְׁלֹשִים], וְאִיתָא בִּשְׁמוֹת רַבָּה פָּרָשָׁה ז', שֶׁעֶשֶׂר שָׁנִים הָיָה רָאוּי לִהְיוֹת בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, עַל שֶׁהוֹצִיא דִּבָּה עַל עֲשָׂרָה אֶחָיו, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁאָמַר לְשַׂר הַמַּשְׁקִים (בראשית מ' י"ד): "כִּי אִם זְכַרְתָּנִי וְגוֹ' וְהִזְכַּרְתַּנִי" וְגוֹ', נִגְזַר עָלָיו עוֹד שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים. אָכֵן, כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁלַם הַזְּמַן, לֹא נִשְׁתַּהָה שָׁם רֶגַע יוֹתֵר, כָּאָמוּר (בראשית מ"א י"ד): "וַיְרִיצֻהוּ מִן הַבּוֹר", וְלֹא כָּתַב: וַיּוֹצִיאוּהוּ מִן הַבּוֹר, דְּהָיָה מִשְׁתַּהֶה עַל יְדֵי זֶה יוֹתֵר כַּמָּה רְגָעִים.
It is known, according to our sages of blessed memory that he worked in the house of Potiphar only one year, and that he sat in the prison house for twelve years, [for he was driven out of his father's house when he was seventeen years old and he stood before Pharaoh when he was thirty], and we find in Shemoth Rabbah 3 that he had to sit in the prison house for ten years for having spoken lashon hara about his ten brothers, and because he said to the chief butler (Bereshith 40:13): "For if you remember me … and you remember me," it was decreed upon him [that he sit there] another two years — but when the time was completed, he did not remain there an extra moment, as it is written (Ibid. 41:14): "And they 'hastened' him out of the pit," and not "And they took him out of the pit," for then he would have remained there a few superfluous moments.
וּמִכָּל זֶה אָנוּ רוֹאִין חֹמֶר הָאִסּוּר שֶׁל חֵטְא הַלָּשׁוֹן, שֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלָיו שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ עֲבוּר כָּל אִישׁ, כְּמִשְׁפַּט רְשָׁעִים בַּגֵּיהִנֹּם, וּבְעֵת שֶׁיָּשַׁב, הָיוּ כָּל מִצְרַיִם מְדַבְּרִים אוֹדוֹתָיו בְּעִנְיַן הַחֲשָׁד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ רַשִּׁ"י עַל הַפָּסוּק (בראשית מ' א'): "וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי הַדֻּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה חָטְאוּ" וְגוֹ', וְהָיָה זֶה עַל שֶׁחָשַׁד אוֹתָם, אַךְ אַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁלַם עָנְשׁוֹ, זָכַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת צִדְקּוֹתָיו, וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ לְמַעְלָה לְמַעְלָה, וְנִתְפַּרְסֵם בְּכָל אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְשֵׁם וּלְתִפְאֶרֶת וּלְאִישׁ אֱלֹקִים קָדוֹשׁ, כָּאָמוּר (בראשית מ"א ל"ח): "וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל עֲבָדָיו הֲנִמְצָא כָזֶה אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ אֱלֹקִים בּוֹ".
From all this, we see the gravity of the issur of lashon hara, twelve months for each man having been decreed upon him, corresponding to the [time of] the judgment in Gehinnom. And while he sat there all of Egypt spoke about his being suspect [with Potiphar's wife], as Rashi explains on the verse (Ibid. 40:1): "And it was after these things that there sinned, etc.", and this [(his being suspected)] was because he had suspected his brothers. But after his punishment was completed, the Holy One Blessed be He remembered his righteousness and raised him higher and higher until he was publicized throughout the land of Egypt in glory and renown as a holy man of G-d, as it is written (Ibid. 41:38): "Can there be found such a one! a man invested with the spirit of G-d?"