Vayeishev 37:23 · EXTRA

EXTRA · Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 37:23 · not a Torah Temimah citation on this passuk

The Complete Passuk

וַיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו וַיַּפְשִׁ֤יטוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־כֻּתׇּנְתּ֔וֹ אֶת־כְּתֹ֥נֶת הַפַּסִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃

When Joseph came up to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the ornamented tunic that he was wearing,

Classical source (EXTRA side-ring): Bereshis Rabbah 84:16.

Core Text

וַיַּפְשִׁיטוּ אֶת יוֹסֵף אֶת כֻּתָּנְתּוֹ — אֶת כְּתֹנֶת הַפַּסִּים אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו — זֶה הַדָּבָר שֶׁגָּרַם לָהֶם.

English: “And they stripped Yosef of his tunic — the striped tunic that was on him” — this is the very thing that caused [the conflict] for them.

In context: The coat that expressed favoritism is removed first; the symbol of the rupture is taken away before the body is harmed.

Derash on the verse (Bereshis Rabbah) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The object of jealousy is isolated as the first target.

They begin by removing the kesones passim — the gift that ignited the jealousy — before casting him into the pit.