Vayeshev — He Settled
Hebrew: וַיֵּשֶׁב | Book: Bereishit (Genesis)
Summary
Joseph’s coat; the jealousy of his brothers and his sale into slavery; Joseph in Potiphar’s house; the story of Judah and Tamar.
Chabad Chassidic Teachings
Joseph: The Tzaddik Who Descends
Joseph (Yosef) represents the archetype of the tzaddik who descends into the deepest darkness to elevate the sparks of holiness trapped there:
- Sold into Egypt (the spiritual mitzrayim, constriction)
- Imprisoned in the deepest dungeon
- Yet at each stage, “God was with Joseph” — the Divine light accompanied him even into the depths
This is the model of yerida l’tzorech aliyah — descent for the sake of ascent. The tzaddik goes down not as a failure but as part of a larger mission of elevation.
The Coat of Many Colors: Ohr Makif
Joseph’s special coat (ketonet passim) represents the ohr makif — the encompassing light that distinguishes one who carries a unique spiritual mission. The brothers’ jealousy of the coat reflects the natural human resistance to one who embodies a level of Divine connection that transcends the ordinary.
Judah and Tamar: Hidden Sparks
The seemingly discordant story of Judah and Tamar is placed here by the Torah for a reason: from this union comes Peretz, ancestor of King David and Moshiach. The Chassidic reading: the highest sparks are often concealed in the most unexpected, even seemingly inappropriate places. Redemption emerges from the places of greatest concealment.
Key Concepts
Sources Cited
Bereishit 37:3; Zohar I:185a