Parshat Vayeshev 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha about Yosef fighting off the advances of the wife of Potiphar. The pasuk tells us (Chapter 39, Pasuk 10), Vayehi K'Dabra el Yosef Yom Yom, she spoke to him every day. The Gemara in Yoma 35B teaches Begadim Shelavsha Lo Shacharis, Lo Lavsha Lo Arvis, etc. The Gemara teaches that she constantly changed her clothes, even over the course of the same day in order to seduce Yosef to be with her. And the Gemara emphasizes Lavsha Lo, she changed her clothes for him in order to convince Yosef to change her mind.
The Sfas Emes explains that the actions of Eishes Potiphar are typical for the way of the yetzer hara. The Gemara in Succa 52A teaches that the yetzer hara of a person increases every single day. Yitzro Shel Adam Misgaber Alav Bechol Yom. The Gemara explains there that a person can't withstand the temptation of the yetzer hara without help from Hashem. One needs to daven in order to be saved from his desires.
This is why the Gemara in Yoma tells us that she changed her clothes not only every day, but also with the change of the day from morning until evening. We daven to Hashem not only every day, but also as the day changes we add a new Tefillah. We refer to Hashem in Ma'ariv as U'Visvunah Meshaneh Itim. Hashem in his infinite wisdom is constantly changing the times every day; this change is expressed by Hashem being Mechadesh B'Tuvo B'Chol Yom Tamid Ma'aseh Bereishis. And as the acts of creation are being repeated constantly every day, and with the changes of times every day, there is a concurrent increase in the force of the yetzer hara. This is why every day as the day changes from morning to afternoon, and from afternoon until evening, we need to daven again. Each change carries with it a new challenge, and we respond to the challenge with prayer.
The Torah tells us about Yosef (Chapter 37, Pasuk 2), V'Hu Na'ar, He was a young man. Rashi teaches us that this a negative thing, She'Hayah Oseh Ma'aseh Na'arus, he acted in a childish manner. But the Sfas Emes brings in the name of the Chidushei HaRim a positive aspect to the words V'Hu Na'ar. The word Na'ar also suggests the idea of Hisorerus, of being alive with energy and change in order to meet the ongoing challenges of life. Every day brings with it new challenges and one must constantly be alert in order to make correct decisions and grow from the different situations he encounters. If Eishes Potiphar changed her clothes every day a few times a day, Yosef needed to be quick and alert every day as well in order to fight off anew each confrontation with which he was faced.
When Yosef HaTzadik is grabbed by Eishes Potiphar, the pasuk reads (Chapter 39, Pasuk 12), Vatispesaihu BeBigdo, she grabbed him by his coat. The continuation of the pasuk reads, Va'Ya'zov Bigdo B'Yadah, Yosef left his coat in her hand.
Yosef was given the Kesones Pasim by his father. This coat represented the special spiritual connection between Yaakov and Yosef. The Sfas Emes teaches that it is the unique spiritual attire that Yaakov had that is above physical clothing that represented his ability to be unaffected by the yetzer hara. But when Yosef was thrown into the pit by his brothers the pasuk tells us (Chapter 37, Pasuk 23), Vayafshitu es Yosef es Kutanto, es Kesones HaPasim Asher Alav. They removed the special coat he received from his father. In Egypt he changed to different clothes, just as Eishes Potiphar was constantly changing her clothes to attract him. Yosef escaped when he left those clothes behind with her. Yosef's alertness in battling the yetzer hara bore fruit when he left behind the changing clothes of the yetzer hara and returned back to the special gift he received from his father; the Kesones Pasim, an external cloak of holiness around the Neshamah which is impervious to the yetzer hara.
Good Shabbos
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