Compulsory Heterosexuality: the idea that heterosexuality (being 'straight') is assumed and enforced by society. Heterosexuality is also socially promoted as the natural state of both sexes, and deviation is seen as bad.


Gender Policing: the imposition or enforcement of normative gender expressions on an individual who is perceived as not adequately performing the sex that was assigned to them at birth. In other words, stigmatizing boys for doing 'girly stuff,' girls for doing 'guy stuff' and non-binary people for being themselves. Common performances of gender (ie. girls wearing pretty dresses) are often encouraged and rewarded, while uncommon performances (ie. guys wearing make-up and painting their nails) are discouraged through punishment or generally negative reactions. It ranges in intensity from relatively minor mean or mocking comments to social isolation to acts of violence.

Read and reread the above definitions to make sure you understand the ideas. They will be the guiding ideas for the rest of the packet. We will use them as lenses through which we can study the story of Joseph, seeking out moments where Joseph presents his gender in an uncommon way or his sexuality in a way that isn't heterosexual and how the Rabbis or the Torah react to those presentations.

Dinah and Joseph's Origin Story

(כא) וְאַחַ֖ר יָ֣לְדָה בַּ֑ת וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ דִּינָֽה׃ (כב) וַיִּזְכֹּ֥ר אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶת־רָחֵ֑ל וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ אֱלֹקִ֔ים וַיִּפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־רַחְמָֽהּ׃ (כג) וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֑ן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר אָסַ֥ף אֱלֹקִ֖ים אֶת־חֶרְפָּתִֽי׃ (כד) וַתִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ יוֹסֵ֖ף לֵאמֹ֑ר יֹסֵ֧ף ה' לִ֖י בֵּ֥ן אַחֵֽר׃

(21) And afterwards, she [Leah] bore a daughter, and named her Dinah. (22) Now God remembered Rachel; God heeded her and opened her womb. (23) She conceived and bore a son, and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” (24) So she named him Joseph, which is to say, “May the LORD add another son for me.”

This seemingly extraneous word "afterwards" had the Rabbis asking "after what?" The following is one telling of their answer:

(כא) וּמִן בָּתַר כְּדֵין יְלֵידַת בְּרַת וּקְרַת יַת שְׁמָהּ דִינָה אֲרוּם אַמְרַת דִין הוּא מִן קֳדָם ה' דִיהוֹן מִנִי פַּלְגוּת שִׁבְטַיָא בְּרַם מִן רָחֵל אַחֲתִי יִפְקוּן תְּרֵין שִׁבְטִין הֵיכְמָא דִנְפָקוּ מִן חָדָא מִן אַמְהָתָא וּשְׁמִיעַ מִן קֳדָם ה' צְלוּתָא דְלֵאָה וְאִיתְחַלְפוּ עוּבָּרַיָא בִּמְעֵיהוֹן וַהֲוָה יָהִיב יוֹסֵף בִּמְעָהָא דְרָחֵל וְדִינָא בִּמְעָהָא דְלֵאָה

(21) And afterward she bore a daughter, and called her name Dinah; for she said, Judgement [Din] is from before the Lord, that there shall be from me a half of the tribes; but from Rachel my sister shall go forth two tribes, even as they shall proceed (in like manner) from each of the handmaids [in other words, Leah has had 6 of the eventual 12 boys, the concubines have had 2 each. If Leah has one more, there will be only one left for Rachel—less than each of the concubines—which would embarrass her]. And the prayer of Leah was heard before the Lord; and the infants were changed In their wombs; and Joseph was given to the womb of Rahel, and Dinah to the womb of Leah.

  1. What happened in the story? Summarize it with your hevrutah (study partner).
  2. Why are the fetuses changed/switched?
  3. What might this story suggest about how the Rabbis viewed sex assigned at birth?
  4. What might this story do for our understanding of Dinah and Joseph after they are born?

In the next couple sections, we will look at moments in which Joseph is understood either by the Torah or by Rabbinic imagination as having a non-traditionally masculine gender presentation (in other words, doing 'girly stuff') and how they or the Torah text react to those moments.

Joseph's Styling and Good Looks

אֵ֣לֶּה ׀ תֹּלְד֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֗ב יוֹסֵ֞ף בֶּן־שְׁבַֽע־עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה שָׁנָה֙ הָיָ֨ה רֹעֶ֤ה אֶת־אֶחָיו֙ בַּצֹּ֔אן וְה֣וּא נַ֗עַר אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בִלְהָ֛ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י זִלְפָּ֖ה נְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֑יו וַיָּבֵ֥א יוֹסֵ֛ף אֶת־דִּבָּתָ֥ם רָעָ֖ה אֶל־אֲבִיהֶֽם׃

This, then, is the line of Jacob: At seventeen years of age, Joseph tended the flocks with his brothers, he was a lad with the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. And Joseph brought bad reports of them to their father.

יוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וגו' (בראשית לז, ב), וְאַתְּ אָמַר וְהוּא נַעַר, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה נערות, מְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּעֵינָיו, מְתַלֶּה בַּעֲקֵבוֹ, מְתַקֵּן בְּשַׂעֲרוֹ.

"Joseph was seventeen years of age, etc" (Genesis 37:2), and it further says "He was a lad [na'ar]" (ibid.), rather that he did the deeds of girls [na'arut] [phrase borrowed from Prof. Robert Harris]. He touched up his eyes, he picked up his heels, he fixed his hair.

  1. What do you make of Joseph's wearing makeup and styling his hair?
  2. Do you think it's fair to refer to it as 'the deeds of girls'?
    1. When it is referred to that way, do you think Genesis Rabbah means it in a kind way? How do you know?
  3. Why do you think the Rabbis would write a text like this?

After Joseph is sold into slavery, he ends up in the house of a rich man named Potiphar, who trusts Joseph immensely.

(ו) וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֮ בְּיַד־יוֹסֵף֒ וְלֹא־יָדַ֤ע אִתּוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־הַלֶּ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא אוֹכֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף יְפֵה־תֹ֖אַר וִיפֵ֥ה מַרְאֶֽה׃

(6) He [Potiphar] left all that he had in Joseph’s hands and, with him there, he paid attention to nothing save the food that he ate. Now Joseph was well built and handsome.

(יז) וְעֵינֵ֥י לֵאָ֖ה רַכּ֑וֹת וְרָחֵל֙ הָֽיְתָ֔ה יְפַת־תֹּ֖אַר וִיפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃

(17) Leah had weak eyes; Rachel was shapely and beautiful.

Joseph is the only man in the Torah to be described using this language. He and his mother Rachel as described using the exact same Hebrew words, even though JPS translates them as 'well built and handsome' and 'shapely and beautiful'.

  1. What do you make of that? What kind of good looking guy is Joseph?
  2. Using our lenses from today, why do you think the Jewish Publication Society translated the exact same words as 'well-built and handsome' and 'shapely and beautiful'?

Now that we have looked at and established the feminine nature of Joseph's good looks and his self-styling, let's see how the Torah and the Rabbis interact with those qualities.

(ו) וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֮ בְּיַד־יוֹסֵף֒ וְלֹא־יָדַ֤ע אִתּוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־הַלֶּ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא אוֹכֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף יְפֵה־תֹ֖אַר וִיפֵ֥ה מַרְאֶֽה׃ (ז) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַתִּשָּׂ֧א אֵֽשֶׁת־אֲדֹנָ֛יו אֶת־עֵינֶ֖יהָ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁכְבָ֥ה עִמִּֽי׃

(6) He left all that he had in Joseph’s hands and, with him there, he paid attention to nothing save the food that he ate. Now Joseph was well built and handsome. (7) After a time, his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”

ויהי יוסף יפה תואר. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה עַצְמוֹ מוֹשֵׁל, הִתְחִיל אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה וּמְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעֲרוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה אָבִיךָ מִתְאַבֵּל וְאַתָּה מְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרְךָ, אֲנִי מְגָרֶה בְךָ אֶת הַדֹּב, מִיָּד:

ויהי יוסף יפה תאר AND JOSEPH WAS OF BEAUTIFUL FORM — As soon as he saw that he was ruler (in the house) he began to eat and drink and curl his hair. The Holy One of Blessing, said to him, “Your father is mourning and you curl your hair! I will let a bear loose against you” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 8). Immediately. ["After a time..."]

  1. What from the text do you think inspired Rashi to write this comment?
  2. Who is the 'bear' in this comment? Is the image of a bear a traditionally masculine or feminine symbol? What do you make of who it is applied to?
    1. The Rabbis are often interested in punishments which fit the crime. Why do you think loosing a 'bear' against Joseph is seen as a punishment for his 'curling his hair'?
  3. Do you see gender policing here? Why or why not?
Joseph's Clothing

וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃

Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an ornamented tunic.

וְעָלֶ֙יהָ֙ כְּתֹ֣נֶת פַּסִּ֔ים כִּי֩ כֵ֨ן תִּלְבַּ֧שְׁןָ בְנוֹת־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ הַבְּתוּלֹ֖ת מְעִילִ֑ים ...

She was wearing an ornamented tunic, for maiden princesses were customarily dressed in such garments...

The exact same words used for Joseph's famous coat are seen only one other time, with Tamar, where the outfit she wears is explicitly described as customary dress for princesses. It would appear that Jacob bought Joseph a princess outfit, or at least an outfit that would not be out of place on a princess.

  1. What do you make of that?
  2. Why do you think Jacob would have given his son such a garment?
(ג) וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃ (ד) וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכׇּל־אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃

(3) Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an ornamented tunic. (4) And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of his brothers, they hated him so that they could not speak a friendly word to him.

(כג) וַֽיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו וַיַּפְשִׁ֤יטוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־כֻּתׇּנְתּ֔וֹ אֶת־כְּתֹ֥נֶת הַפַּסִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃ (כד) וַיִּ֨קָּחֻ֔הוּ וַיַּשְׁלִ֥כוּ אֹת֖וֹ הַבֹּ֑רָה...(לא) וַיִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־כְּתֹ֣נֶת יוֹסֵ֑ף וַֽיִּשְׁחֲטוּ֙ שְׂעִ֣יר עִזִּ֔ים וַיִּטְבְּל֥וּ אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּ֖נֶת בַּדָּֽם׃ (לב) וַֽיְשַׁלְּח֞וּ אֶת־כְּתֹ֣נֶת הַפַּסִּ֗ים וַיָּבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶל־אֲבִיהֶ֔ם וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ זֹ֣את מָצָ֑אנוּ הַכֶּר־נָ֗א הַכְּתֹ֧נֶת בִּנְךָ֛ הִ֖וא אִם־לֹֽא׃ (לג) וַיַּכִּירָ֤הּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כְּתֹ֣נֶת בְּנִ֔י חַיָּ֥ה רָעָ֖ה אֲכָלָ֑תְהוּ טָרֹ֥ף טֹרַ֖ף יוֹסֵֽף׃ (לד) וַיִּקְרַ֤ע יַעֲקֹב֙ שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו וַיָּ֥שֶׂם שַׂ֖ק בְּמׇתְנָ֑יו וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֥ל עַל־בְּנ֖וֹ יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃

(23) When Joseph came up to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the ornamented tunic that he was wearing, (24) and took him and cast him into the pit....(31) Then they took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a kid, and dipped the tunic in the blood. (32) They had the ornamented tunic taken to their father, and they said, “We found this. Please examine it; is it your son’s tunic or not?” (33) He recognized it, and said, “My son’s tunic! A savage beast devoured him! Joseph was torn by a beast!” (34) Jacob rent his clothes, put sackcloth on his loins, and observed mourning for his son many days.

  1. How do Joseph's brothers react to seeing his new garment?
  2. How is Joseph's garment used against him?
  3. What does it mean that Jacob is convinced of his Joseph's death by merely seeing a bloody coat, rather than a body? How closely are Joseph and the garment linked?
  4. Think back to how Joseph got this coat. Is there a gender policing lesson Jacob's sons might be trying to inflict on their father? On Joseph? Why or why not?
Joseph's (Dis)Interest in Women?

(ז) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַתִּשָּׂ֧א אֵֽשֶׁת־אֲדֹנָ֛יו אֶת־עֵינֶ֖יהָ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁכְבָ֥ה עִמִּֽי׃ (ח) וַיְמָאֵ֓ן ׀ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת אֲדֹנָ֔יו הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹא־יָדַ֥ע אִתִּ֖י מַה־בַּבָּ֑יִת וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדִֽי׃ (ט) אֵינֶ֨נּוּ גָד֜וֹל בַּבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּה֮ מִמֶּ֒נִּי֒ וְלֹֽא־חָשַׂ֤ךְ מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־אוֹתָ֖ךְ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתְּ־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨יךְ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֜ה הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את וְחָטָ֖אתִי לֵֽאלֹקִֽים׃ (י) וַיְהִ֕י כְּדַבְּרָ֥הּ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף י֣וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֥ע אֵלֶ֛יהָ לִשְׁכַּ֥ב אֶצְלָ֖הּ לִהְי֥וֹת עִמָּֽהּ׃ (יא) וַיְהִי֙ כְּהַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א הַבַּ֖יְתָה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת מְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨ין אִ֜ישׁ מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת שָׁ֖ם בַּבָּֽיִת׃ (יב) וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּ בְּבִגְד֛וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר שִׁכְבָ֣ה עִמִּ֑י וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ וַיָּ֖נׇס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה׃ (יג) וַיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־עָזַ֥ב בִּגְד֖וֹ בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַיָּ֖נׇס הַחֽוּצָה׃ (יד) וַתִּקְרָ֞א לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵיתָ֗הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר רְא֗וּ הֵ֥בִיא לָ֛נוּ אִ֥ישׁ עִבְרִ֖י לְצַ֣חֶק בָּ֑נוּ בָּ֤א אֵלַי֙ לִשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמִּ֔י וָאֶקְרָ֖א בְּק֥וֹל גָּדֽוֹל׃ (טו) וַיְהִ֣י כְשׇׁמְע֔וֹ כִּֽי־הֲרִימֹ֥תִי קוֹלִ֖י וָאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ אֶצְלִ֔י וַיָּ֖נׇס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה׃ (טז) וַתַּנַּ֥ח בִּגְד֖וֹ אֶצְלָ֑הּ עַד־בּ֥וֹא אֲדֹנָ֖יו אֶל־בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ (יז) וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּֽא־אֵלַ֞י הָעֶ֧בֶד הָֽעִבְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הֵבֵ֥אתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְצַ֥חֶק בִּֽי׃ (יח) וַיְהִ֕י כַּהֲרִימִ֥י קוֹלִ֖י וָאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּעֲזֹ֥ב בִּגְד֛וֹ אֶצְלִ֖י וַיָּ֥נׇס הַחֽוּצָה׃ (יט) וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲדֹנָ֜יו אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּרָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ׃ (כ) וַיִּקַּח֩ אדושם יוֹסֵ֜ף אֹת֗וֹ וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֔הַר...

(7) After a time, his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” (8) But he refused. He said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master gives no thought to anything in this house, and all that he owns he has placed in my hands. (9) He wields no more authority in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except yourself, since you are his wife. How then could I do this most wicked thing, and sin before God?” (10) And much as she coaxed Joseph day after day, he did not yield to her request to lie beside her, to be with her. (11) One such day, he came into the house to do his work. None of the household being there inside, (12) she caught hold of him by his garment and said, “Lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand and got away and fled outside. (13) When she saw that he had left it in her hand and had fled outside, (14) she called out to her servants and said to them, “Look, he had to bring us a Hebrew to dally with us! This one came to lie with me; but I screamed loud. (15) And when he heard me screaming at the top of my voice, he left his garment with me and got away and fled outside.” (16) She kept his garment beside her, until his master came home. (17) Then she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew slave whom you brought into our house came to me to dally with me; (18) but when I screamed at the top of my voice, he left his garment with me and fled outside.” (19) When his master heard the story that his wife told him, namely, “Thus and so your slave did to me,” he was furious. (20) So Joseph’s master had him put in prison,

  1. Read the text again. Is there any indication that Joseph wanted to engage in any kind of relationship with Potiphar's wife? How do you know?
    1. How does the text present Joseph's refusal to Potiphar's wife? Is he seen as righteous?
    2. How easy do you think it was for Joseph to refuse Potiphar's advances? Why? How do you know?
  2. Notice again how Joseph's clothing is used against him. Why do you think that is?
  3. Why do you think Joseph is not believed? What assumptions are made about him?

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...

The Gemara explains: What is the situation where Joseph sanctified God’s name in private? As it is written: “And it came to pass on a certain day, when he went into the house to do his work” (Genesis 39:11). Rabbi Yoḥanan says: This teaches that both Joseph and Potiphar’s wife stayed in the house, as they intended to perform a matter of sin. With regard to the phrase “when he went into the house to do his work,” Rav and Shmuel engage in a dispute with regard to its meaning. One says: It means that he went into the house to do his work, literally. And one says: He entered the house in order to fulfill his needs...

  1. In the above text, is Joseph imagined to have been tempted by Potiphar's wife? Does this feel different to you than how you imagined him from the Torah text? Why or why not?
  2. What are the Rabbis assuming here about Joseph and what Joseph wants?
    1. Are these assumptions similar to the ones which put Joseph in prison?

וַיְהִי כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וַיָּבֹא וגו' וְאֵין אִישׁ מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַבַּיִת (בראשית לט, יא), ...רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלַאכְתּוֹ וַדַּאי, אֶלָּא וְאֵין אִישׁ, בָּדַק אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְלֹא מָצָא עַצְמוֹ אִישׁ...

"One such day, he [Yosef] came into the house to do his work and none of the men of the household were there" (Genesis 39:11). ...Rabbi Shmuel son of Nachman says, "to do his work literally", except there was no man there -- he searched himself, and he did not find himself to be a man...

The above story takes things even further, imagining Joseph as being about to do the act when he discovers that he has lost his genitals.

  1. What are the Rabbis saying about Joseph's desires now? What had to happen to stop him?
    1. Does this clash or conform to your reading of the Torah text? How so?
  2. What assumptions about Joseph are being made by the Rabbis here?
  3. Why do you think the Rabbis wrote a text like this?
(ה) וְעַתָּ֡ה שְׁנֵֽי־בָנֶ֩יךָ֩ הַנּוֹלָדִ֨ים לְךָ֜ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם עַד־בֹּאִ֥י אֵלֶ֛יךָ מִצְרַ֖יְמָה לִי־הֵ֑ם אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ וּמְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּרְאוּבֵ֥ן וְשִׁמְע֖וֹן יִֽהְיוּ־לִֽי׃ (ו) וּמוֹלַדְתְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁר־הוֹלַ֥דְתָּ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֖ם לְךָ֣ יִהְי֑וּ עַ֣ל שֵׁ֧ם אֲחֵיהֶ֛ם יִקָּרְא֖וּ בְּנַחֲלָתָֽם׃

(5) [Jacob said to Joseph,] Now, your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, shall be mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine no less than Reuben and Simeon. (6) But progeny born to you after them shall be yours; they shall be recorded instead of their brothers in their inheritance.

  1. Summarize the above. What did Jacob just say to Joseph?

ועתה שני בניך הנולדים לך וגו' כראובן ושמעון יהיו לי....לא מצאנו שהוליד יוסף בנים אחרים חוץ ממנשה ואפרים. והיאך אמר לו אבינו יעקב ומולדתך אשר הולדת אחריהם!

But your progeny to whom you shall give birth after them to you shall
they be
: We have not found that Joseph gave birth to any sons after them,
only Manasseh and Ephraim. So how did our father, Jacob, state to him
your progeny to whom you shall give birth after them?! [trans. Prof. Robert Harris]

  1. What is Jacob and the Rabbis' expectation of Joseph that he does not fulfil?
  2. Why might he not have fulfilled that expectation?

(יח) בשעה שיצא יוסף למלוך על מצרים, היו בנות מלכים מציצות עליו דרך החרכין והיו משליכות עליו שיריין וקטלין ונזמים וטבעות כדי שיתלה עיניו ויביט בהן, אף כל פי כן לא היה מביט בהן.

When Joseph went forth to rule over Egypt, daughters of kings would look at him through the lattices and throw bracelets, necklets, ear-rings, and finger-rings to him, so that he might lift up his eyes and look at them; yet he did not look at them. [trans. Prof. Robert Harris]

  1. Why do you think Joseph didn't look at the women who threw things at him to get his attention?
  2. After all of these moments in our tradition where Joseph is assumed to be interested in and tempted by women, what do you make of our tradition's ability to imagine Joseph this way?