וַיְמָאֵן וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּה' (ירמיה יז, ז). אַתְּ מוֹצֵא כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה בְבֵית רַבּוֹ, וַיְהִי ה' אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיְהִי אִישׁ מַצְלִיחַ וְגוֹ'. וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו כִּי ה' אִתּוֹ וְגוֹ'. וְכִי פּוֹטִיפַר רָשָׁע הָיָה רוֹאֶה שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִמּוֹ, וּמַה הוּא כִּי ה' אִתּוֹ. אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא זָז מִפִּיו. הָיָה נִכְנָס לְשַׁמְּשׁוֹ, וְהוּא הָיָה מְלַחֵשׁ וְאוֹמֵר: רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם, אַתָּה הוּא בִּטְחוֹנִי, אַתָּה הוּא פַּטְרוֹנִי, תְּנֵנִי לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאַי וּבְעֵינֵי פוֹטִיפַר אֲדוֹנִי. וּפוֹטִיפַר אוֹמֵר לוֹ: מָה אַתָּה מְלַחֵשׁ, שֶׁמָּא כְּשָׁפִים אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה לִי. וְהוּא מְשִׁיבוֹ, לֹא, אֶלָּא אֲנִי מִתְפַּלֵּל שֶׁאֶמְצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֶיךָ. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife (Gen. 39:8). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord (Jer. 17:7). You find that while Joseph dwelt in his master’s home, the Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered, and his master saw that the Lord was with him (Gen. 39:2–3). How did the wicked Potiphar recognize, then, that the Holy One, blessed be He, was with him? In what way was the Lord with him? The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, never left Joseph’s lips. When Joseph entered to serve him, he would whisper to himself: “Master of the Universe, you are the One in whom I trust; you are the One who is my protector, may I find grace, kindness, and mercy in your sight, and in the sight of all who see me, and in the eyes of my master, Potiphar.” Thereupon Potiphar asked him: “What are you whispering about? Perhaps you are trying to weave a spell over me?” “No,” he replied, “I am praying that I may find favor in your sight.” Hence it is written: And his master saw that the Lord was with him.
לְפִיכָךְ כְּתִיב: וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו כִּי ה' אִתּוֹ. וּמַהוּ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר הוּא עֹשֶׂה ה' מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ, הָיָה מוֹזֵג לְרַבּוֹ קוֹנְדִּיטוֹן, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לוֹ: מַה מָּזַגְתָּ לִי. הוּא אוֹמֵר, קוֹנְדִּיטוֹן. אוֹמֵר לוֹ: פְּסִינְתָּטוֹן אֲנִי רוֹצֶה, וְהָיָה פְּסִינְתָּטוֹן. הוּא אוֹמֵר, יַיִן אֲנִי רוֹצֶה, וְהָיָה יַיִן. הוּא אוֹמֵר, יַיִן מְבֻשָּׁל אֲנִי רוֹצֶה, וְהָיָה מְבֻשָּׁל. וְכֵן עַל הַמָּיִם. וְכֵן עַל כָּל דָּבָר וְדָבָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר הוּא עֹשֶׂה ה' מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ. What is indicated by the words And the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hands (Gen. 39:3)? While he was pouring spiced wine for his master, his master would ask: “What kind of wine are you giving me?” If he replied: “Spiced wine,” his master would say: “I prefer absinthe wine,” and it would change into absinthe wine. If his master demanded an ordinary wine, it would immediately become plain wine, and if he asked for boiled wine, it would turn into boiled wine. The same thing happened with water and with everything else that he did, as it is said: And the Lord made all that he did to prosper.
כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה רַבּוֹ כֵּן, מָסַר לוֹ אֶת כָּל הַמַּפְתֵּחוֹת וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ אַחֲרָיו כְּלוּם, שֶׁכֵּן אוֹמֵר, הֵן אֲדֹנִי לֹא יָדַע אִתִּי מַה בַּבָּיִת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה יוֹסֵף אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּכָךְ, הִתְחִיל אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה, מְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׁעְרוֹ, וְאוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִשְׁכִּיחַנִי בֵּית אָבִי. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָבִיךָ מִתְאַבֵּל עָלֶיךָ בְּשַׂק וָאֵפֶר, וְאַתָּה אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה וּמְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעְרֶךָ, הֲרֵי אֲדוֹנָתְךָ מִזְדַּוֶּגֶת לְךָ וּמְצֵרָה לָךְ. לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: וַתִּשָּׂא אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו. וַיְמָאֵן, When his master became aware of this, he entrusted him with the keys of the household, and concerned himself no longer with any household matters, as is said: Behold, my master, having me, knoweth not what is in the house (ibid., v. 8). As soon as he realized his own importance, he began to eat, drink, and curl his hair, and say: “Blessed be the Omnipotent One who has caused me to forget my father’s house.” Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: Your father mourns for you in sackcloth and ashes, but you eat and drink and curl your hair; therefore, your mistress will impose herself on you and will torment you. Hence it is written: His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph (ibid., v. 7).But he refused (ibid., v. 8).
לָמָּה מֵאֵן. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם, שֶׁרָאָה אִיקוֹנִין שֶׁל אָבִיו, וְאָמַר לוֹ: יוֹסֵף יוֹסֵף, עֲתִידִין אַחֶיךָ לִכָּתֵב בְּאַבְנֵי אֵפוֹד, תִּרְצֶה שֶׁתְּהֵא חָסֵר מִכְּלָלָן וְתִהְיֶה רוֹעֶה זוֹנוֹת, לְכָךְ מֵאֵן. וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו הֵן אֲדֹנִי. אָמַר לָהּ: הֲרֵי בַּעְלִיךְ לְפָנַיִךְ, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל בְּנֵי אָדָם שָׁוִין הֵן, אֵינֶנּוּ גָדוֹל בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה מִמֶּנִּי וְגוֹ'. וְחָטָאתִי לֵאלֹהִים, נִשְׁבַּע אֲנִי לֵאלֹהִים שֶׁאֵינִי עוֹשֶׂה הָרָעָה הַגְּדוֹלָה הַזֹּאת. Why did he refuse her? R. Judah the son of R. Shalum declared: He beheld his father’s image, which said to him: “Joseph, the names of your brothers will be inscribed on the stones of the ephod, do you wish yours to be the only one omitted, because of your sinful conduct?” Therefore he refused. And said unto his master’s wife: “Behold my master” (ibid.); that is to say, he said to her: “Behold, you have your husband, are not all men alike? He is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife…. shall I sin against Goḍ? (ibid., v. 9). I swear before God that I shall not commit this great evil.”
וַיְהִי כְּדַבְּרָהּ אֶל יוֹסֵף יוֹם יוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר שָׁלוֹם, יוֹם יוֹם, שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ הָיְתָה מִתְגָּרָה בוֹ. וְאֵין יוֹם יוֹם אֶלָּא שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם וּמֵחֹדֶשׁ לְחֹדֶשׁ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר (אסתר ג, ז). כְּשֶׁהָיְתָה בָאָה לְהָסִיחַ עִמּוֹ, הָיָה מַרְכִּין פָּנָיו לְמַטָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְהַבִּיט בָּהּ. מֶה עָשְׂתָה. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא בַּר אִידִי, עָשְׂתָה לוֹ שַׁרְתּוּעַ שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל מִתַּחַת זְקָנוֹ, שֶׁאִם יַרְכִּין פָּנָיו, יְהֵא הַשַּׁרְתּוּעַ מַכֵּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עִנּוּ בַכֶּבֶל רַגְלוֹ וְגוֹ' (תהלים קה, יח). אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ. And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day (ibid., v. 10). R. Judah the son of R. Shalum declared: The words day by day indicate that she spoke to him throughout twelve months, as is said: From day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month (Est. 3:7). Whenever she approached to speak to him, he would bend his head in order not to look at her. What did she do then? R. Huna the son of Idi stated: She placed an (iron) spit under his beard so that whenever he bent his head the bar would strike him, as is said: His feet they hurt with fetters, his person was laid in iron (Ps. 105:18). Nevertheless, He would not listen to her.
אָמְרָה לוֹ: לָמָּה אֵין אַתָּה שׁוֹמֵעַ לִי, הֲלֹא אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ אָנִי, אֵין אָדָם יוֹדֵעַ בָּנוּ. אָמַר לָהּ: הַשְׁתָּא הַפְּנוּיוֹת שֶׁלָּכֶם אֲסוּרוֹת לָנוּ, בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁאַתְּ אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְלֹא תִתְחַתֵּן בָּם (דברים ז, ג). וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר נַחְמָן, מָשָׁל לְגוֹי שֶׁאָמַר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, יֶשׁ לִי מַאֲכָל יָפֶה לְהַאֲכִילָךְ. אָמַר לוֹ: מַהוּ. אָמַר לוֹ: בְּשַׂר חֲזִיר. אָמַר לוֹ: רֵיקָה, אֲפִלּוּ שְׁחוּטָה שֶׁלָּכֶם בִּבְהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה אֲסוּרָה לָנוּ, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן בְּשַׂר חֲזִיר. וְכָךְ אָמַר לָהּ יוֹסֵף, אֲפִלּוּ פְנוּיוֹת שֶׁלָּכֶם אֲסוּרוֹת לָנוּ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ. וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלֶיהָ לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ. לִשְׁכַּב אֶצְלָהּ, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. לִהְיוֹת עִמָּהּ, לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא בְּגֵיהִנָּם. מִמַּה שֶּׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב לִהְיוֹת עִמָּה, אַתְּ לָמֵד שֶׁהַבָּא עַל הַגּוֹיָה, קְשׁוּרָה בוֹ כַּכֶּלֶב. וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי לָהּ מֵהָכָא, יִלָּפְתוּ אָרְחוֹת דַּרְכָּם יַעֲלוּ בַתֹּהוּ וְיֹאבֵדוּ (איוב ו, יח), שֶׁמְּלַפַּפְתּוֹ וּמוֹלִיכָתוֹ לַגֵּיהִנָּם. “Why will you not listen to me?” she pleaded. “Since I am the wife of another man, no one will know that there is anything between us.” He replied: “Your virgins are forbidden to us, how much more so is the wife of a man,” as it is said: Neither shall thou make marriages with them (Deut. 7:3). That is why he would not listen to her. R. Judah the son of Nahman explained: This may be compared to an idolater who tells an Israelite: “I have some delicious food for you.” “What kind of food do you have?” he asks. “The meat of a pig,” he replies. Whereupon the Israelite retorts: “You fool! If the flesh of a pure animal that you kill is forbidden to us, how much more so is the flesh of a pig.” Similarly, Joseph told her: “If your virgins are forbidden to us, how much more so another man’s wife.” He harkened not to her, to lie by her, or to be with her (Gen. 39:10). To lie by her signifies in this world, and to be with her refers to Gehenna. From the fact that Scripture states to be with her, you learn that anyone who has relations with an idolatrous woman becomes chained to her like a dog. Others conclude from this verse” The paths of their way do wind, they go up into the waste, and are lost (Job 6:18), for she clings to him and will lead him to the netherworld.