Vayeishev 38:1 · unit 2
Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 38:1
The Complete Passuk
וַיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֵּ֥רֶד יְהוּדָ֖ה מֵאֵ֣ת אֶחָ֑יו וַיֵּ֛ט עַד־אִ֥ישׁ עֲדֻלָּמִ֖י וּשְׁמ֥וֹ חִירָֽה׃
And it came to pass at that time, that Yehudah went down from his brothers, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Chirah.
Chabad / Judaica Press
Source Citation
Torah Temimah points to Sotah 13b.
Sefaria — Sotah 13b
Core Text of Chazal
Core Text
וַיֵּרֶד יְהוּדָה מֵאֵת אֶחָיו — שֶׁיָּרַד מִגְּדֻלָּתוֹ.
English: “And Yehudah went down from his brothers” — that he descended from his greatness.
On the daf / in context: Sotah 13b reads the verb “went down” as indicating a loss of status among the brothers after the sale of Yosef.
Type of Learning
Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. The physical descent is interpreted as a diminution of Yehudah’s standing.
What Is Learned
Yehudah’s departure from his brothers is understood as a descent from the position of leadership and honor he had previously held among them.