Vayeishev 40:20 · unit 1

Parashas Vayeishev · Passuk 40:20

The Complete Passuk

וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֗י י֚וֹם הֻלֶּ֣דֶת אֶת־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה לְכׇל־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּשָּׂ֞א אֶת־רֹ֣אשׁ ׀ שַׂ֣ר הַמַּשְׁקִ֗ים וְאֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ שַׂ֥ר הָאֹפִ֖ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲבָדָֽיו׃

On the third day—his birthday—Pharaoh made a banquet for all his officials, and he singled outdsingled out Lit. “lifted the head of.” Cf. at vv. 13, 19. his chief cupbearer and his chief baker from among his officials.

Chabad / Judaica Press

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to Avodah Zarah 8a.

Sefaria — Avodah Zarah 8a

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
יוֹם הֻלֶּדֶת — מִכָּאן דְּיוֹם הַלֵּידָה הוּא יוֹם גְּנוּסְיָא שֶׁל מְלָכִים.

English: “The day of birth” — from here [we learn] that a birthday is the genusia-day of kings.

On the daf / in context: The verse supplies the scriptural peg for the mishnah’s list of idolatrous festival days of gentile kings.

Type of Learning

Derash on the verse (Bavli sugya) — not a formal named middah of the 13. Narrative royal birthday becomes the model for genusia.

What Is Learned

A king’s birthday is his genusia; commerce with idolaters on that day is restricted because of the festive rites.