AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS THAT HIS MASTER’S WIFE, ETC. R. Hiya discussed the text: Bless the Lord, ye angels of his, ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word (lbid. 103, 20). ‘How greatly’, he said, ‘it behoves a man to guard against sin and to pursue the straight path, so that the evil prompter, his daily assailant, should not lead him astray.’
And since he assails man perpetually, it behoves man to muster all his force against him and to entrench himself in the place of strength; for as the evil prompter is mighty, it behoves man to be mightier still;
and those sons of men who do excel him in might are called “mighty in strength”, dealing with him in his own coin, and they are “the angels of the Lord” who come from the side of Geburah (Might) to deal mightily with him. Such a one was Joseph, who was called “righteous” and guarded in purity the sign of the holy covenant which was imprinted upon him.’
R. Eleazar said: ‘The word “after” here alludes to the evil prompter, being the name of a grade, as we have laid down. Joseph exposed himself to his accusations because he used to pay great attention to his personal appearance. That gave the evil prompter an opening to say: “Behold, his father observes mourning for him, and he decks himself out and curls his hair!” Thus the bear was let loose, as it were, and set upon him.’
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS. When God surveys the world with intent to judge it, and finds there wicked people, then, in the words of the Scripture, “He shuts up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain, and the ground shall not yield her fruit” (Deut. 11, 17); through the sins of the sons of men heaven and earth are shut up and do not perform their functions.
Now those who do not guard in purity the holy covenant cause a division between Israel and their Father in heaven. So Scripture says: “and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and worship them…. He shut up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain” (Ibid. 11, 16-17); for to be false to the holy covenant is equivalent to bowing to another god.
But when the holy covenant is properly guarded by mankind, God showers blessings from above on to this world, as we read: “A bounteous rain didst thou pour down, O God; thine inheritance and the weary one, thou confirmest it” (Ps. 68, 10). “A bounteous (n’daboth, lit. favour) rain” is a rain of favour, at a time when the Community of Israel find favour in the eyes of the Almighty and He desires to shower upon them blessings; then “Thine inheritance”, namely Israel, who are the inheritance of the Holy One,
as it says: “Jacob the lot of his inheritance” (Deut. 32, 9), and “the weary one”, to wit, the Community of Israel, which is weary in a strange land, which is parched, panting for drink, “with that rain of favour thou confirmest it”.
Hence heaven and earth with all their hosts are upheld by that covenant, as Scripture says: “If not for my covenant, day and night, the ordinances of heaven and earth were as though I had not made them” (Jer. 33, 25). Hence it is first written: “And Joseph was of beautiful form, and fair to look upon”, and immediately afterwards, “that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph”.
וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וַתִּשָּׂא אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו אֶת עֵינֶיהָ אֶל יוֹסֵף. רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח וְאֲמַר, (תהילים ק״ג:כ׳) בָּרְכוּ יְיָ מַלְאָכָיו גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ עוֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ לִשְׁמוֹעַ בְּקוֹל דְּבָרוֹ. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּמָּה אִצְטְרִיךְ לֵיהּ לְבַר נָשׁ לְאִסְתַּמְּרָא מֵחוֹבוֹי, וּלְמֵיהַךְ בְּאֹרַח מִתְתַּקְּנָא. בְּגִין דְּלָא יִסְטֵי לֵיהּ הַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, דְּאִיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא, כְּמָה דְאִתְּמָר.
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS THAT HIS MASTER’S WIFE, ETC. R. Hiya discussed the text: Bless the Lord, ye angels of his, ye mighty in strength, that fulfil his word, hearkening unto the voice of his word (lbid. 103, 20). ‘How greatly’, he said, ‘it behoves a man to guard against sin and to pursue the straight path, so that the evil prompter, his daily assailant, should not lead him astray.’
וּבְגִין דְּאִיהוּ מְקַטְרְגָא לֵיהּ תָּדִיר, בָּעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא עֲלֵיהּ, וּלְאִסְתַּלְּקָא עֲלֵיהּ בְּאֲתַר תָּקִּיפוּ. דְּבָעֵי לְמֶהֱוֵי גָּבַר עֲלֵיהּ, וּלְאִשְׁתַּתְּפָא בְּאֲתַר דִּגְבוּרָה. בְּגִין דְּכַד בַר נָשׁ אִתְקַף עֲלֵיהּ, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ בִּסְטַר גְּבוּרָה, וְאִתְדָּבַּק בֵּיהּ לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא. וּבְגִין דְּהַהוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע תַּקִּיף, בָּעֵי בַר נָשׁ דִּיהֵא תַּקִּיף מִינֵיהּ.
And since he assails man perpetually, it behoves man to muster all his force against him and to entrench himself in the place of strength; for as the evil prompter is mighty, it behoves man to be mightier still;
וְאִלֵּין בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּאִתְתַּקְּפוּ עֲלֵיהּ, אִקְרוּן גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹחַ, לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא זִינָא עִם זִינֵיהּ. וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן מַלְאָכָיו דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִגְבוּרָה קַשְׁיָא, לְאִתְתַּקְּפָא עֲלֵיהּ, גִּבּוֹרֵי כֹּחַ עוֹשֵׂי דְבָרוֹ. בָּרְכוּ יְיָ מַלְאָכָיו, כְּיוֹסֵף, דְּאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק וְגִבּוֹר וְנָטַר בְּרִית קַדִּישָׁא דְּאִתְרְשִׁים בְּגַוֵּיהּ.
and those sons of men who do excel him in might are called “mighty in strength”, dealing with him in his own coin, and they are “the angels of the Lord” who come from the side of Geburah (Might) to deal mightily with him. Such a one was Joseph, who was called “righteous” and guarded in purity the sign of the holy covenant which was imprinted upon him.’
רִבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, מַאי הִיא, הָא אוּקְמוּהָ אֲתַר דָּא דְּיֵצֶר הָרָע מְקַטְרֵג, דְּאִיהוּ דַרְגָּא אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים. בְּגִין דְּיוֹסֵף יָהַב לֵיהּ דּוּכְתָּא לְקַטְרָגָא, דְּהֲוָה יוֹסֵף מְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעֲרֵיהּ וְאַתְקִין גַּרְמֵיהּ וְקַשִּׁיט לֵיהּ, כְּדֵין אִתְיְהִיב דּוּכְתָּא לַיֵצֶר הָרָע לְקַטְרְגָא. דְּאָמַר, וּמַה אֲבוֹי דְּאִיהוּ מִתְאַבֵּל עֲלֵיהּ, וְיוֹסֵף מְקַשִּׁיט גַּרְמֵיהּ, וּמְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעֲרֵיהּ, כְּדֵין אִתְגָּרֵי בֵּיהּ דּוּבָּא וְקַטְרִיג לֵיהּ:
R. Eleazar said: ‘The word “after” here alludes to the evil prompter, being the name of a grade, as we have laid down. Joseph exposed himself to his accusations because he used to pay great attention to his personal appearance. That gave the evil prompter an opening to say: “Behold, his father observes mourning for him, and he decks himself out and curls his hair!” Thus the bear was let loose, as it were, and set upon him.’
וַיְהִי אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּזִמְנָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ בְּעַלְמָא, לְמֵידַן יָתֵיהּ, וְאַשְׁכַּח חַיָּיבִין בְּעַלְמָא, מַה כְּתִיב, (דברים י״א:י״ז) וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָטָר וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת יְבוּלָהּ, וּכְדֵין וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה. דְּהָא בְּגִין חוֹבִין דִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא אִתְעֲצָרוּ, וְלָא נָהֲגֵי נִמּוּסֵיהוֹן כְּדְקָא יְאוּת.
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS. When God surveys the world with intent to judge it, and finds there wicked people, then, in the words of the Scripture, “He shuts up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain, and the ground shall not yield her fruit” (Deut. 11, 17); through the sins of the sons of men heaven and earth are shut up and do not perform their functions.
וְתָּא חֲזֵי, אִינוּן דְּלָא נָטְרוּ לְהַאי קְיָימָא דְקוּדְשָׁא, גָּרְמֵי פְּרִישׁוּ בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲבוּהוֹן דְּבִשְׁמַיָא, בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם לָהֶם, וּכְתִיב וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָטָר. דְּהַאי אִיהוּ כְּמַאן דְּסָגִיד לֵאלָהָא אָחֳרָא, דִּמְשַׁקֵּר בְּהַאי אָת קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא.
Now those who do not guard in purity the holy covenant cause a division between Israel and their Father in heaven. So Scripture says: “and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and worship them…. He shut up the heaven, so that there shall be no rain” (Ibid. 11, 16-17); for to be false to the holy covenant is equivalent to bowing to another god.
וְכַד קְיָימָא קַדִּישָׁא אִתְנְטִיר בְּעַלְמָא כְּדְקָא יָאוֹת, כְּדֵין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָהִיב בִּרְכָאן לְעֵילָא לְאַתְרָקָא בְּעַלְמָא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (תהילים ס״ח:י׳) גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת תָּנִיף אֱלהִים נַחֲלָתְךָ וְנִלְאָה אַתָּה כוֹנַנְתָּה. גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת, דָּא גֶּשֶׁם דִּרְעוּתָא. כַּד אִתְרָעֵי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בִּכְנְסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבָעֵי לַאֲרָקָא לָהּ בִּרְכָאן, כְּדֵין נַחֲלָתְךָ וְנִלְאָה אַתָּה כוֹנַנְתָּה.
But when the holy covenant is properly guarded by mankind, God showers blessings from above on to this world, as we read: “A bounteous rain didst thou pour down, O God; thine inheritance and the weary one, thou confirmest it” (Ps. 68, 10). “A bounteous (n’daboth, lit. favour) rain” is a rain of favour, at a time when the Community of Israel find favour in the eyes of the Almighty and He desires to shower upon them blessings; then “Thine inheritance”, namely Israel, who are the inheritance of the Holy One,
נַחֲלָתְךָ, אִינוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִינוּן אַחְסַנְתֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דברים ל״ב:ט׳) יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ. וְנִלְאָה, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאִיהִי נִלְאָה בְּאַרְעָא אָחֳרָא, דְּאִיהִי צַחְיָא לְמִשְׁתֵּי, וּכְדֵין אִיהִי נִלְאָה. וְכַד הַהוּא גֶשֶׁם דִּרְעוּתָא אִתְיְהִיב, כְּדֵין אַתָּה כּוֹנַנְתָּה.
as it says: “Jacob the lot of his inheritance” (Deut. 32, 9), and “the weary one”, to wit, the Community of Israel, which is weary in a strange land, which is parched, panting for drink, “with that rain of favour thou confirmest it”.
וְעַל דָּא, שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְעָא, וְכָל חֵילֵיהוֹן, כֻּלְּהוּ קָיְימָא עַל קִיּוּמָא דָא. דִּכְתִיב (ירמיהו ל״ג:כ״ה) אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי. וּבְּגִין כָּךְ בָּעֵי לְאִזְדַּהֲרָא בְּדָא, וְהָא אוּקְמוּהָ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ כְּתִיב, וַיְהִי יוֹסֵף יְפֵה תֹאַר וִיפֵה מַרְאֶה, וּבַתְרֵיהּ כְּתִיב וַתִּשָּׂא אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו אֶת עֵינֶיהָ אֶל יוֹסֵף.
Hence heaven and earth with all their hosts are upheld by that covenant, as Scripture says: “If not for my covenant, day and night, the ordinances of heaven and earth were as though I had not made them” (Jer. 33, 25). Hence it is first written: “And Joseph was of beautiful form, and fair to look upon”, and immediately afterwards, “that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph”.