But his bow abode firm, and the arms of his hands were made supple by the hands of the Mighty One of Yaakov — from thence, from the Shepherd, the Stone of Yisrael.
English: R’ Yochanan said in the name of R’ Meir: At the moment that Potiphar’s wife solicited Yosef and seized him by his garment, the image of his father appeared to him in the window. He said to him: Yosef, your brothers are destined to be inscribed on the stones of the ephod and you among them; do you wish that your name be erased from among them? Immediately — “But his bow abode firm,” for his bow returned to its firmness; “and the arms of his hands were made supple” — he stuck his hands into the ground and the seed issued from between his fingernails.
On the daf / in context: The verse is the scriptural source for the tradition that Yosef’s strength returned when he saw the likeness of Yaakov and thereby withstood the test.
Type of Learning
Narrative derash that fills in the moment of Yosef’s resistance.
What Is Learned
Yosef’s resolve was restored by the vision of his father’s image; the verse describes both the return of his strength and the physical release that accompanied it.