Vayeshev
Genesis 37:1 – 40:23
Jacob settles in Canaan, but his favoritism toward Joseph — symbolized by the coat of many colors — ignites his brothers' jealousy. Joseph's dreams of dominion over his family deepen their hatred, and the brothers sell him to a caravan heading to Egypt. They deceive Jacob with Joseph's bloodied garment, and he mourns inconsolably. The narrative briefly turns to Judah and Tamar before returning to Joseph in Egypt, where he rises in Potiphar's house, is falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, and is imprisoned, where he interprets the dreams of the butler and the baker.
Key figures
- Joseph (Yosef) — Jacob's favored son, dreamer, sold into slavery, imprisoned in Egypt
- Jacob — Father who favors Joseph, deceived by his sons, mourns Joseph
- Judah (Yehudah) — Suggests selling Joseph, later involved in the Tamar episode
- Tamar — Judah's daughter-in-law who secures her rights through a bold act
- Potiphar — Egyptian official who purchases Joseph, later imprisons him
- Reuben — Firstborn who tries to save Joseph from the pit
Famous verses
- 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a fine tunic.
- 37:20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say: An evil beast has devoured him; and we shall see what will become of his dreams."
- 39:2 And Hashem was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Haftarah: {'ref': 'Amos 2:6-3:8', 'connection': "Amos condemns those who 'sold the righteous for silver,' echoing the brothers' sale of the righteous Joseph for twenty pieces of silver."}
Total gematria: 381,824.