Vayeishev 37:31 · EXTRA

EXTRA · Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 37:31 · not a Torah Temimah citation on this passuk

The Complete Passuk

וַיִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־כְּתֹ֣נֶת יוֹסֵ֑ף וַֽיִּשְׁחֲטוּ֙ שְׂעִ֣יר עִזִּ֔ים וַיִּטְבְּל֥וּ אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּ֖נֶת בַּדָּֽם׃

Then they took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a kid, and dipped the tunic in the blood.

Classical source (EXTRA side-ring): Bereshis Rabbah 84:19.

Core Text

וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ שְׂעִיר עִזִּים — לָמָּה שְׂעִיר עִזִּים? לְפִי שֶׁדָּמוֹ דּוֹמֶה לְדַם אָדָם.

English: “And they slaughtered a goat” — why a goat? Because its blood resembles human blood.

In context: The deception of Yaakov is crafted with blood that can pass for Yosef’s.

Derash on the verse (Bereshis Rabbah) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Species choice is explained by visual likeness of the blood.

They chose a goat so the blood on the coat would look like human blood and complete the lie.