Vayeishev 37:2 · unit 5

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 Yerushalmi Peah 1:1.

Sefaria — Yerushalmi Peah 1:1

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
מַה הָיָה אוֹמֵר? רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אָמַר חֲשׁוּדִים הֵם עַל אֵבֶר מִן הַחַי. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אָמַר מְזַלְזְלִים הֵם בִּבְנֵי הַשְּׁפָחוֹת וְנוֹהֲגִים בָּהֶם כַּעֲבָדִים. וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: אָמַר נוֹתְנִים עֵינֵיהֶם בִּבְנוֹת הָאָרֶץ.

English: What was he saying? Rabbi Meir says: He said they are suspected of [eating] a limb from a living animal. Rabbi Yehudah says: He said they demean the sons of the maidservants and treat them as slaves. And Rabbi Shimon says: He said they cast their eyes upon the daughters of the land.

On the daf / in context: Yerushalmi Peah 1:1 records the three opinions concerning the content of the “evil report” that Yosef brought about his brothers.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Yerushalmi sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The undefined “evil report” is filled by three tannaitic explanations of the brothers’ alleged misconduct.

What Is Learned

The evil report Yosef brought consisted, according to the Tannaim, of one of three charges: eating a limb from a living animal, mistreating the sons of the maidservants, or casting eyes on the local women.