Sotah 72

לא כדרך שחלוקין בחומש הפקודים חלוקין באבני אפוד אלא כדרך שחלוקין בחומש שני

They were not apportioned upon the stones as they were apportioned in the Book of Numbers<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. I, 5ff. ');">¹</span>

כיצד בני לאה כסידרן בני רחל אחד מכאן ואחד מכאן ובני שפחות באמצע

but as they were apportioned in the second Book of the Pentateuch.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Ex. I, 2ff. ');">²</span>

ואלא מאי אני מקיים כתולדותם כשמותן שקרא להן אביהן ולא כשמות שקרא להן משה ראובן ולא ראובני שמעון ולא שמעוני דן ולא הדני גד ולא הגדי תיובתא דרב כהנא תיובתא

How then [were they arranged]? The sons of Leah in order of seniority [on one stone, and on the other] the sons of Rachel, one on top and the other at the bottom, with the sons of the hand-maids in the centre.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' On the one stone were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun; on the other Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher and Joseph. ');">³</span>

ואלא מאי והחציו תנא חציו של מול הר גריזים מרובה מחציו של הר עיבל מפני שלוי למטה

In that case, how am I to explain 'according to their birth'? [It means that the inscription was] according to the names which their father called them and not according to the names which Moses called them — Reuben and not Reubeni, Simeon and not Simeoni, Dan and not had-Dani, Gad and not hag-Gadi.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The latter are the tribal as distinct from the personal names. ');">⁴</span>

אדרבה מפני שלוי למטה בצרי להו הכי קאמר אף על פי שלוי למטה בני יוסף עמהם שנאמר (יהושע יז, יד) וידברו בני יוסף את יהושע לאמר מדוע נתתה לי נחלה גורל אחד וחבל אחד ואני עם רב ויאמר אליהם יהושע אם עם רב אתה עלה לך היערה

This is a refutation of R. Kahana!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Who said that the tribes were divided on the stones of the ephod as on the two mounts; and this has been shewn to be incorrect. ');">⁵</span>

אמר להן לכו והחבאו עצמכם ביערים שלא תשלוט בכם עין הרע אמרו ליה זרעיה דיוסף לא שלטא ביה עינא בישא דכתיב (בראשית מט, כב) בן פורת יוסף בן פורת עלי עין ואמר ר' אבהו אל תהי קורא עלי עין אלא עולי עין

The refutation [is unanswered].

רבי יוסי בר' חנינא אמר מהכא (בראשית מח, טז) וידגו לרוב בקרב הארץ מה דגים שבים מים מכסין עליהן ואין העין שולטת בהן אף זרעו של יוסף אין העין שולטת בהן

What, then, is the meaning of 'and the half of them'? — It has been taught: 'The half in front of mount Gerizim was larger than that in front of mount Ebal, because [the tribe of] Levi was below [with the ark].'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [The article 'the' denotes that those who stood on Ebal represented the full contingent of half the tribes. Whereas on Gerizim one of the tribes — Levi — was missing (Maharsha)]. ');">⁶</span>

הני חמשים אותיות חמשים נכי חדא הויין א"ר יצחק יוסף הוסיפו לו אות אחת שנאמר (תהלים פא, ו) עדות ביהוסף שמו בצאתו על ארץ מצרים

On the contrary, for the reason that Levi was below it must have been smaller!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since Levi should have been among the first six tribes. ');">⁷</span>

מתקיף לה רב נחמן בר יצחק כתולדותם בעינן אלא כל התורה כולה בנימן כתיב והכא בנימין שלם כדכתיב (בראשית לה, יח) ואביו קרא לו בנימין

— This is what he intends: Although Levi was below [the party on mount Gerizim was still larger] because the sons of Joseph were included with them [and they were very numerous]; as it is said: And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying: Why hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people?&nbsp;… And Joshua said unto them, If thou be a great people, get thee up to the forest.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Josh. XVII, 14f. ');">⁸</span>

אמר רב חנא בר ביזנא א"ר שמעון חסידא יוסף שקידש שם שמים בסתר הוסיפו עליו אות אחת משמו של הקב"ה יהודה שקידש שם שמים בפרהסיא נקרא כולו על שמו של הקב"ה

He said to them, 'Go, hide yourselves in the forests that the evil eye<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The personification of envy which causes harm to those who enjoy good fortune. Their numerical strength would excite envy. ');">⁹</span>

יוסף מאי היא דכתיב (בראשית לט, יא) ויהי כהיום הזה ויבא הביתה לעשות מלאכתו א"ר יוחנן מלמד ששניהם לדבר עבירה נתכוונו ויבא הביתה לעשות מלאכתו רב ושמואל חד אמר לעשות מלאכתו ממש וחד אמר לעשות צרכיו נכנס

may not have sway over you'. They replied to him, 'The evil eye can bear no sway over the seed of Joseph'; for it is written: Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a fountain,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLIX, 22. ');">¹⁰</span>

ואין איש מאנשי הבית וגו' אפשר בית גדול כביתו של אותו רשע לא היה בו איש תנא דבי ר' ישמעאל אותו היום יום חגם היה והלכו כולן לבית עבודת כוכבים שלהם והיא אמרה להן חולה היא אמרה אין לי יום שניזקק לי יוסף כיום הזה

and R. Abbahu said: Read not 'ale 'ayin [by a fountain] but 'ole 'ayin [overcoming the eye]. R. Jose b. Hanina said: [It is derived] from this passage, And let them grow [we-yidgu] into a multitude in the midst of the earth<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XLVIII, 16, referring to Joseph's sons. ');">¹¹</span>

(בראשית לט, יב) ותתפשהו בבגדו לאמר וגו' באותה שעה באתה דיוקנו של אביו ונראתה לו בחלון אמר לו יוסף עתידין אחיך שיכתבו על אבני אפוד ואתה ביניהם רצונך שימחה שמך מביניהם ותקרא רועה זונות דכתיב (משלי כט, ג) ורועה זונות יאבד הון

— as the water covers the fish [dagim] in the sea so that the [evil] eye bears no sway over them, so the [evil] eye bears no sway over the seed of Joseph.

מיד (בראשית מט, כד) ותשב באיתן קשתו א"ר יוחנן משום ר' מאיר ששבה קשתו לאיתנו ויפוזו זרועי ידיו נעץ ידיו בקרקע ויצאה שכבת זרעו מבין ציפורני ידיו

[It was stated above that on the stones of the ephod] were fifty letters; but there were fifty less one! — R. Isaac said: One letter was added to the name of Joseph, as it is said: He appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXXI, 6. In this verse Joseph's name is spelt with five letters instead of the usual four, v, supra p. 50, n. 2. ');">¹²</span>

מידי אביר יעקב מי גרם לו שיחקק על אבני אפוד אלא אביר יעקב משם רועה אבן ישראל משם זכה ונעשה רועה שנאמר (תהלים פ, ב) רועה ישראל האזינה נוהג כצאן יוסף

R. Nahman b. Isaac objected: We require according to their birth!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As explained above, viz., the name as given by Jacob; consequently we cannot use the exceptional form of his name as it occurs here. ');">¹³</span>

תניא היה ראוי יוסף לצאת ממנו י"ב שבטים כדרך שיצאו מיעקב אביו שנאמר (בראשית לז, ב) אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף אלא שיצא שכבת זרעו מבין ציפורני ידיו ואעפ"כ יצאו מבנימין אחיו וכולן נקראו על שמו שנאמר (בראשית מו, כא) ובני בנימין בלע ובכר ואשבל וגו'

— But [the correct explanation is] that throughout the whole Torah Benjamin's name is spelt without the letter yod [before the final letter], but here [on the ephod] it was spelt complete with yod; as it is written: But his father called him Benjamin.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXV, 28; here it is spelt with the yod. ');">¹⁴</span>

בלע שנבלע בין האומות ובכר בכור לאמו היה ואשבל ששבאו אל גרא שגר באכסניות

R. Hana<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the parallel passage, supra 10b the name is Hanin. ');">¹⁵</span>

ונעמן שנעים ביותר אחי וראש אחי הוא וראשי הוא מופים וחופים הוא לא ראה בחופתי ואני לא ראיתי בחופתו וארד שירד לבין אומות העולם א"ד וארד שפניו דומין לוורד

b. Bizna said in the name of R. Simeon the Pious: Because Joseph sanctified the heavenly Name in private one letter was added to him from the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He; but because Judah sanctified the heavenly Name in public, the whole of his name was called after the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He. How was it with Joseph [that he sanctified the Name]? — As it is written: And it came to pass about this time, that he went into the house to do his work.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XXXIX, 11. ');">¹⁶</span>

א"ר חייא בר אבא אמר רבי יוחנן בשעה שאמר לו פרעה ליוסף (בראשית מא, מד) ובלעדיך לא ירים איש את ידו וגו' אמרו איצטגניני פרעה עבד שלקחו רבו בעשרים כסף תמשילהו עלינו אמר להן גנוני מלכות אני רואה בו

R. Johanan said: This teaches that both [Joseph and Potiphar's wife] had the intention of acting immorally. 'He went into the house to do his work' — Rab and Samuel [differ in their interpretation]. One said that it really means to do his work; but the other said that he went to satisfy his desires.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., for an immoral purpose. ');">¹⁷</span>

אמרו לו א"כ יהא יודע בשבעים לשון בא גבריאל ולימדו שבעים לשון לא הוה קגמר הוסיף לו אות אחת משמו של הקב"ה ולמד שנאמר (תהלים פא, ו) עדות ביהוסף שמו בצאתו על ארץ מצרים (שפת לא ידעתי אשמע) ולמחר כל לישנא דאישתעי פרעה בהדיה אהדר ליה

'And there was none of the men of the house etc. — is it possible that there was no man in a huge house like that of this wicked [Potiphar]! — It was taught in the School of R. Ishmael: That day was their feast-day, and they had all gone to their idolatrous temple; but she had pretended to be ill because she thought, I shall not have an opportunity like to-day for Joseph to associate with me. And she caught him by his garment, saying etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 12. ');">¹⁸</span>

אישתעי איהו בלשון הקדש לא הוה קא ידע מאי הוה אמר א"ל אגמרי אגמריה ולא גמר אמר ליה אישתבע לי דלא מגלית אישתבע לו

At that moment his father's image came and appeared to him through the window and said: 'Joseph, thy brothers will have their names inscribed upon the stones of the ephod and thine amongst theirs; is it thy wish to have thy name expunged from amongst theirs and be called an associate of harlots?' (As it is written: He that keepeth company with harlots wasteth his substance.)<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Prov. XXIX. 3. ');">¹⁹</span>

כי א"ל (בראשית נ, ה) אבי השביעני לאמור א"ל זיל איתשיל אשבועתך אמר ליה ואיתשלי נמי אדידך ואע"ג דלא ניחא ליה א"ל עלה וקבור את אביך כאשר השביעך

Immediately his bow abode in strength<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLIX, 24. ');">²⁰</span>

יהודה מאי היא דתניא היה ר"מ אומר כשעמדו ישראל על הים היו שבטים מנצחים זה עם זה זה אומר אני יורד תחלה לים וזה אומר אני יורד תחלה לים קפץ

— R. Johanan said in the name of R. Meir: [This means] that his passion subsided. And the arms of his hands were made active<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLIX, 24. ');">²⁰</span> — he stuck his hands in the ground so that his lust came out from between his finger-nails. 'By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLIX, 24. ');">²⁰</span> — Who caused his name to be engraven upon the stones of the ephod but the Mighty One of Jacob? 'From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XLIX, 24. ');">²¹</span> — from there was he worthy to be made a shepherd, as it is said: Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest like the flock of Joseph.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXX, 2, E.V. 1., sic. Hence Israel is called Joseph's flock and he is the shepherd. ');">²²</span> It has been taught: Joseph was worthy that twelve tribes should issue from him as they issued from his father Jacob, as it is said: These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Gen. XXXVII, 2. ');">²³</span> but his lust came out from between his finger-nails.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As mentioned above, and so his power to beget was diminished. ');">²⁴</span> Nevertheless they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., ten sons, who, added to Joseph's two, made the total of twelve. ');">²⁵</span> issued from his brother Benjamin and were given names on his own account; as it is said: And the sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel etc.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XLVI, 21. ');">²⁶</span> [He was called] Bela, because [Joseph] was swallowed up [nibla'] among the peoples. [He was called] Becher, because [Joseph] was the firstborn [bekor] of his mother. [He was called] Ashbel, because God sent [Joseph] into captivity [sheba'o el]. [He was called] Gera, because [Joseph] dwelt [gar] in lodgings [in a strange land]. [He was called] Naaman, because he was especially beloved [na'im]. [They were called] Ehi and Rosh, because [Joseph] is my brother [ahi] and chief [rosh]. [They were called] Muppim and Huppim, because [Benjamin said: Joseph] did not see my marriage-canopy [huppah] and I did not see his.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The derivation of Muppim has fallen out of the text, but is found in Tanhuma to Genesis (ed. Buber, p. 206), viz., his mouth (pi) was like that of our father, i.e., he learnt Torah from Joseph as from Jacob. ');">²⁷</span> [He was called] Ard, because [Joseph] descended [yarad] among the peoples. Others explain [that he was called] Ard, because [Joseph's] face was like a rose [wered]. R. Hiyya b. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan: At the moment when Pharaoh said to Joseph, And without thee shall no man lift up his hand etc.,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. XLI, 44 ');">²⁸</span> Pharaoh's astrologers exclaimed: 'Wilt thou set in power over us a slave whom his master bought for twenty pieces of silver!' He replied to them, 'I discern in him royal characteristics.' They said to him, 'In that case he must be acquainted with the seventy languages'. Gabriel came and taught [Joseph] the seventy languages, but he could not learn them. Thereupon [Gabriel] added to his name a letter from the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and he learnt [the languages] as it is said: He appointed it in Joseph<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 179, n. 7. ');">²⁹</span> for a testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, where I [Joseph] heard a language that I knew not.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ps. LXXXI, 6. ');">³⁰</span> On the morrow, in whatever language Pharaoh conversed with him he replied to him; but when [Joseph] spoke to him in the holy tongue he did not understand what he said. So he asked him to teach it to him; he taught it to him but he could not learn it. [Pharaoh] said to him, 'Swear to me that thou wilt not reveal this';<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he was ignorant of Hebrew, and a king was expected to know every language. ');">³¹</span> and he swore to him. When [Joseph] later said to him, My father made me swear, saying,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. L, 5, viz., that he should inter his body in Canaan. ');">³²</span> he remarked to him, 'Go, ask [to be released from] thine oath.'<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In Jewish Law only proper authorities could release a man from his oath. Pharaoh did not wish Joseph to leave Egypt to bury his father. ');">³³</span> He replied to him, 'I will also ask [to be released from my oath] concerning thee'.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., if Pharaoh refused him permission, he would take steps to enable him to disclose the king's ignorance of Hebrew. ');">³⁴</span> Therefore, although it was displeasing to him, [Pharaoh] said to him, Go up and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ibid. 6. ');">³⁵</span> What was it that Judah did?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' That he sanctified God's Name publicly. ');">³⁶</span> — As it has been taught: R. Meir said: When the Israelites stood by the Red Sea, the tribes strove with one another, each wishing to descend into the sea first. Then sprang forward