Yosef • Joseph • Zaphenath-paneah
Yosef HaTzadik (Joseph the Righteous)
Biblical EraYosef HaTzadik — the son of Jacob our forefather and Rachel our matriarch — is one of the earliest of the forefathers and one of the greats of Israel of the Biblical era. He was born in Haran after many years of his mother's barrenness, and was named 'Yosef' after Rachel's prayer…
Biography
Yosef HaTzadik — the son of Jacob our forefather and Rachel our matriarch — is one of the earliest of the forefathers and one of the greats of Israel of the Biblical era. He was born in Haran after many years of his mother's barrenness, and was named 'Yosef' after Rachel's prayer, 'May the Lord add to me another son.' He was the beloved son of Jacob, and for this his brothers envied him and sold him to Egypt. There he endured many trials — he was sold to Potiphar, imprisoned following the false accusation of Potiphar's wife, and rose to greatness through his interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams. He became the viceroy of Egypt and the savior of the world from famine. He reconciled with his brothers, brought the entire house of Jacob down to Egypt, and thus paved the way for the Egyptian exile and the Exodus. He died in Egypt at the age of 110 and commanded that his bones be brought up to the Land of Israel. He was buried in Shechem. The tradition of Israel remembers him as 'Yosef HaTzadik' — a symbol of integrity, purity, patience, and forgiveness.
Life Story
Childhood
He was born in Haran, in Aram Naharayim, to Jacob and Rachel, after many years of barrenness. He was Rachel's firstborn and Jacob's beloved son, who gave him a striped coat. He grew up in his father's house, tending sheep, and brought reports of his brothers to his father. Jacob's special love for Yosef aroused fierce jealousy in his brothers, who hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Already in his youth, rare qualities of soul were revealed in him — his dreams hinted at a great future, and he saw in them prophecy.
Teachers
His main teacher and master was his father, Jacob our forefather, who transmitted to him the tradition of the forefathers and the ways of faith and divine service. Yosef received the inheritance of his father's house — the Torah of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — and carried it with him to every place of his dwelling. Even in the house of Potiphar and in the prison, he kept the ways of his father, and in all his deeds he saw the hand of God. A tradition of Chazal relates that all that he learned from his father he transmitted to his brothers and his sons.
Students
He was not a teacher in the usual sense, but he led the house of Jacob and his family in Egypt. His sons, Ephraim and Menashe, received his ways and became two of the tribes of Israel. His leadership and his traits influenced all the house of Jacob in Egypt, and preserved their identity as a separate people within the Egyptian culture. His figure became a model of leadership, integrity, and faith for the generations.
Family
He was the son of Jacob our forefather and Rachel our matriarch, the younger brother of most of Jacob's sons and the firstborn brother of Binyamin. His wife was Osnat the daughter of Poti Phera, and his sons were Ephraim and Menashe — two of the tribes of Israel. His father Jacob gave him a striped coat and loved him with special love. His family — the house of Jacob — came down to Egypt because of him and settled in the land of Goshen. In his will, he asked that his bones be brought up to the Land of Israel, thus preserving the bond of his family to the promised land.
Key Events
The life of Yosef was a chain of trials and redemptions. His brothers sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites, and he was brought down to Egypt. He was sold to Potiphar, the captain of the guard, and became the head of his house. The false accusation of Potiphar's wife threw him into prison, and there he interpreted the dreams of the chief butler and the chief baker. His interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams — seven fat cows and seven lean cows — raised him to greatness, and he became the viceroy of Egypt. He managed the food supply of Egypt during the seven years of plenty and famine, and saved the world from famine. At the height of the famine, his brothers came down to Egypt, and after many trials he revealed himself to them and reconciled with them. He brought the entire house of Jacob down to Egypt, thus paving the way for the exile and the redemption.
Miracles
A tradition of Chazal tells of the miracles and the merit of Yosef HaTzadik. The interpretation of his dreams — of Pharaoh's ministers and of Pharaoh himself — was an act of the holy spirit. His preservation of his purity in the house of Potiphar, despite the temptation, is considered a model of holiness and heroism. The salvation of Egypt and the entire world from famine was an act of divine providence. His rise from the pit and from the prison to greatness elevates the hand of God in his life. His bones were brought up from Egypt by Moses our teacher, and were buried in Shechem — a thing considered to his merit.
Influence
The influence of Yosef HaTzadik is felt in all the history of Israel. The bringing down of the house of Jacob to Egypt was the first stage of the Egyptian exile, from which the people of Israel emerged as a nation. His leadership preserved the identity of the sons of Jacob in Egypt and their unity. His figure as the suffering righteous one, who preserves his purity and forgives his brothers, became a model for the generations. His two sons, Ephraim and Menashe, became two of the tribes of Israel, and Jacob blessed them as his firstborn. His tomb in Shechem became a site of prayer and pilgrimage.
Death
He died in Egypt at the age of 110, after seeing his sons and grandsons. Before his death, he commanded his brothers and the house of Israel to bring up his bones from Egypt to the Land of Israel, after the Lord would visit them. This will teaches of his complete faith in redemption and in divine providence. His bones were brought up from Egypt by Moses our teacher, and were buried in Shechem — in the parcel of field that Jacob our forefather had bought. His death seals the period of the forefathers and opens the way to the Egyptian exile and the Exodus.
His Way and Views
Torah Study
Yosef HaTzadik received the Torah of his father Jacob and the tradition of the forefathers, and preserved it in every place of his dwelling. A tradition of Chazal relates that all that he learned from his father he transmitted to his brothers and his sons. He saw in the Torah and in the tradition of the forefathers the foundation of his identity, and in the fulfillment of its commandments the purpose of his life. Even in Egypt, within a foreign culture, he kept the ways of his father and did not forget the covenant of the forefathers. His figure teaches that the Torah and the tradition accompany a person in every place and in every situation.
Halacha
He was not a legislator in the usual sense, but his life and his deeds were a model of the fulfillment of the will of God. His preservation of his purity in the house of Potiphar, his integrity in the management of the economy of Egypt, and his will to bring up his bones to the Land of Israel — all these teach of the fulfillment of the will of God in all areas of life. His figure teaches that halacha is not only in the study hall, but in every deed and in every situation.
Faith
The faith of Yosef HaTzadik was whole and deep. In all his deeds he saw the hand of God — in his descent to Egypt, in the prison, in his redemption and in his greatness. He said to his brothers: 'For God has sent me before you to preserve life,' thus acknowledging the divine providence. His will to bring up his bones to the Land of Israel teaches of his faith in redemption and in the promise of God. His figure teaches that faith accompanies a person in every situation — in descent and ascent, in suffering and in redemption.
Ethics
Yosef HaTzadik was a model of integrity, purity, and good traits. His preservation of his purity in the house of Potiphar, despite the temptation, is considered a model of heroism and holiness. He managed the economy of Egypt with integrity and responsibility, and did not exploit his power for harm. His forgiveness of his brothers — though they sold him and cast him into a pit — is a model of forgiveness and brotherly love. His figure teaches that the righteous person preserves his integrity and his traits in every situation, even in the most difficult trials.
Customs
He preserved the customs of his father's house and his identity as a son of the forefathers, even within the Egyptian culture. He was careful about circumcision and the customs of the forefathers, and did not assimilate into the Egyptian culture. His leadership preserved the identity of the sons of Jacob in Egypt and their unity. His figure teaches that the customs and the tradition are the foundation of the identity of a person and of the people of Israel, and in their preservation the identity is preserved even in exile.
Character
He was righteous, upright, pure, and of good traits. He was humble despite his greatness, and careful in his deeds. He forgave his brothers for all they did to him, and saw in all his suffering the hand of God. He had practical wisdom — the wisdom of management, economy, and leadership — and yet he preserved humility and the fear of Heaven. His figure became a model of a suffering righteous one, who fulfills the will of God in every situation and forgives those who harm him.
Public Role
He led Egypt and the entire world in the time of famine, and saved many lives. He managed the food supply of Egypt with wisdom and responsibility, and provided for the sustenance of the people. His leadership was a model of responsible and moral leadership. He influenced Pharaoh and the court of Egypt, thus preparing the ground for the descent of the house of Jacob. His figure teaches that the public leader must be a person of integrity, wisdom, and responsibility, and act for the good of the whole.
Famous Quotes
"For God has sent me before you to preserve life"
"Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life"
"Do not interpretations belong to God?"
"You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good"
Famous Stories
It is told of the selling of Yosef by his brothers. His brothers, in their jealousy of him, plotted to kill him, but in the end sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites going down to Egypt. Yosef, who was a young lad, went down to Egypt alone, bereft of family and homeland. Despite all the trials — the sale, the house of Potiphar, the prison — he did not lose his faith or his integrity. In every situation he saw the hand of God, and in all his deeds he preserved his purity. The figure of Yosef HaTzadik the sufferer became a model for the generations — a symbol of faith, heroism, and hope in the hardest of days.
It is told of the trial of Potiphar's wife. Yosef, who was handsome in form and appearance, found favor in the eyes of Potiphar's wife, who sought to seduce him. Yosef refused, despite the pressure and the temptation, and preserved his purity and his loyalty to his master and to his God. Following his refusal, she falsely accused him and he was thrown into prison. There too, in the prison, he preserved his faith and his integrity, and the Lord was with him. The figure of Yosef, who preserved his purity, became a model of holiness and heroism — a symbol of the ability of a person to stand in trial and to preserve the image of God within him.
It is told of the reconciliation of Yosef and his brothers. After Yosef revealed himself to his brothers, they feared him, lest he take vengeance on them for selling him. But Yosef forgave them with a whole heart, and said: 'Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, that you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.' He saw in all his suffering the hand of God, intended to save the house of Jacob from famine. The forgiveness of Yosef became a model of forgiveness, brotherly love, and the seeing of divine providence in all the events of life. His figure teaches that the righteous person forgives and loves, and sees in all his suffering a divine mission.
Students
Teachers
Grave Site
Grave Details
- Grave Name
- Tomb of Yosef HaTzadik
- City
- Shechem (Nablus)
- Country
- Israel
Timeline
Birth in Haran, Aram Naharayim
Sale to the Ishmaelites and descent to Egypt
Sold to Potiphar; the false accusation of Potiphar's wife and imprisonment
Interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams; rise to viceroy of Egypt
Marriage to Osnat; birth of Ephraim and Menashe
Seven years of plenty and the beginning of seven years of famine
Meeting with the brothers and reconciliation; descent of the house of Jacob to Egypt
Death in Egypt at the age of 110
Bringing up of his bones from Egypt by Moses our teacher; burial in Shechem
Legacy
The legacy of Yosef HaTzadik is felt in all the history of Israel. The bringing down of the house of Jacob to Egypt because of him was the first stage of the Egyptian exile, from which the people of Israel emerged as a nation. His leadership preserved the identity of the sons of Jacob in Egypt and their unity. His figure as the suffering righteous one, who preserves his purity and forgives his brothers, became a model for the generations. His two sons, Ephraim and Menashe, became two of the tribes of Israel, and Jacob blessed them as his firstborn. His will to bring up his bones to the Land of Israel teaches of his complete faith in redemption. His tomb in Shechem became a site of prayer and pilgrimage. The figure of Yosef — the righteous one, the leader, and the forgiving one — became a model for the generations, and his memory is preserved in Israel as a symbol of integrity, purity, patience, and forgiveness.