Vayeishev 37:2 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 37:2

The Complete Passuk

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׃

These are the generations of Yaakov: Yosef, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers; and he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Yosef brought their evil report unto their father.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Sotah 36b.

Sefaria — Sotah 36b

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
תַּנְיָא: הָיָה רָאוּי יוֹסֵף לָצֵאת מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִיַּעֲקֹב אָבִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אֵלֶּה תֹּלְדוֹת יַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף״, אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּצָא שִׁכְבַת זַרְעוֹ מִבֵּין צִיפּוֹרְנֵי יָדָיו. וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן, יָצְאוּ מִבִּנְיָמִין אָחִיו, וְכוּלָּן נִקְרְאוּ עַל שְׁמוֹ.

English: It was taught: Yosef was fit to have twelve tribes issue from him just as they issued from his father Yaakov, as it is stated “These are the generations of Yaakov — Yosef.” But his seed issued from between his fingernails. Nevertheless, they issued from his brother Binyamin, and all of them were called by his name.

On the daf / in context: Sotah 36b discusses the near-sin with Potiphar’s wife and the resulting loss of potential offspring, linking the phrasing of the verse to what Yosef could have produced.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The juxtaposition “generations of Yaakov — Yosef” is read as indicating that Yosef was destined for the full complement of tribes.

What Is Learned

Yosef was worthy to father twelve tribes, as indicated by the verse’s wording. That potential was lost, yet the tribes later associated with Binyamin were named after him.