Vayeishev 39:14 · EXTRA

EXTRA · Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 39:14 · not a Torah Temimah citation on this passuk

The Complete Passuk

וַתִּקְרָ֞א לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵיתָ֗הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר רְא֗וּ הֵ֥בִיא לָ֛נוּ אִ֥ישׁ עִבְרִ֖י לְצַ֣חֶק בָּ֑נוּ בָּ֤א אֵלַי֙ לִשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמִּ֔י וָאֶקְרָ֖א בְּק֥וֹל גָּדֽוֹל׃

she called out to her servants and said to them, “Look, he had to bring us a Hebrew to dally with us! This one came to lie with me; but I screamed loud.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Classical source (EXTRA side-ring): Tanna DeBei Eliyahu Rabbah 13.

Sefaria — Tanna DeBei Eliyahu Rabbah 13

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
רְאוּ הֵבִיא לָנוּ אִישׁ עִבְרִי לְצַחֶק בָּנוּ — אֵין שְׂחוֹק אֶלָּא גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת.

English: “See, he brought us a Hebrew man to sport with us” — “sport” means nothing other than illicit relations.

In context: The wife’s public accusation uses the language of mockery; the midrash equates that language with arayos.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Tanna DeBei Eliyahu) — not a formal named middah of the 13. A verb of laughter is fixed as a term for arayos.

What Is Learned

“To sport” in this accusation is read as a euphemism for the very sin she attempted.