Joseph
Personal Growth Scrapbook
Joseph was favored by his father. I consider this a challenge because his father’s favoritism made him self centered. The favoritism took a toll on him and made his relationship with his brothers bad.
וַיִּרְאוּ אֶחָיו, כִּי-אֹתוֹ אָהַב אֲבִיהֶם מִכָּל-אֶחָיו--וַיִּשְׂנְאוּ, אֹתוֹ; וְלֹא יָכְלוּ, דַּבְּרוֹ לְשָׁלֹם.
וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אָהַב אֶת-יוֹסֵף מִכָּל-בָּנָיו--
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children
And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
And Joseph was of beautiful form, and fair to look upon.
יְפֵה-תֹאַר וִיפֵה מַרְאֶה.
Quotes
Joseph was forced by his own brothers into slavery. He grew in stature as a person because he was able to understand what it was like be lower. He was forced to undergo change. He coped with the change and learned to help others.
וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו, כִּי יְהוָה אִתּוֹ;
And the LORD was with Joseph
וַיַּעֲזֹב כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-לוֹ, בְּיַד-יוֹסֵף
And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand
Quotes
Joseph resists his master’s wife. This shows that he has remembered who he is and how to act and thinks of himself and his master. He shows more respect for authority and compassion for others.
וַיְמָאֵן--וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל-אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו, הֵן אֲדֹנִי לֹא-יָדַע אִתִּי מַה-בַּבָּיִת; וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-יֶשׁ-לוֹ, נָתַן בְּיָדִי.
But he refused, and said unto his master's wife: 'Behold, my master, having me, know not what is in the house, and he hath put all that he hath into my hand
אֵינֶנּוּ גָדוֹל בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה, מִמֶּנִּי, וְלֹא-חָשַׂךְ מִמֶּנִּי מְאוּמָה, כִּי אִם-אוֹתָךְ בַּאֲשֶׁר אַתְּ-אִשְׁתּוֹ; וְאֵיךְ אֶעֱשֶׂה הָרָעָה הַגְּדֹלָה, הַזֹּאת, וְחָטָאתִי, לֵאלֹהִים.
he is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?'
Quotes
Joseph faces yet another challenge when having to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. He shows growth because he is thinking of others and how to improve society. He also shows that he has understands how to use the gift of interpretation when he quickly comes up with a plan to solve the Pharaoh’s problem.
וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה אֶל-יוֹסֵף, אַחֲרֵי הוֹדִיעַ אֱלֹהִים אוֹתְךָ אֶת-כָּל-זֹאת, אֵין-נָבוֹן וְחָכָם, כָּמוֹךָ.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou.
וַיֹּאמֶר פַּרְעֹה, אֶל-יוֹסֵף, חֲלוֹם חָלַמְתִּי, וּפֹתֵר אֵין אֹתוֹ; וַאֲנִי, שָׁמַעְתִּי עָלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר, תִּשְׁמַע חֲלוֹם, לִפְתֹּר אֹתוֹ.
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: 'I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it; and I have heard say of thee, that when thou hearest a dream thou canst interpret it.'
Challenge
Joseph’s Growth
Joseph experienced a negative change when he tricks his brothers. He is rude to them and tortures both his brothers and his father.
Quotes
וַיַּרְא יוֹסֵף אֶת-אֶחָיו, וַיַּכִּרֵם; וַיִּתְנַכֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם וַיְדַבֵּר אִתָּם קָשׁוֹת, וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם מֵאַיִן בָּאתֶם, וַיֹּאמְרוּ, מֵאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לִשְׁבָּר-אֹכֶל.
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spoke roughly with them; and he said unto them: 'Whence come ye?' And they said: 'From the land of Canaan to buy food.
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם, יוֹסֵף: הוּא, אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵכֶם לֵאמֹר--מְרַגְּלִים אַתֶּם.
And Joseph said unto them: 'That is it that I spoke unto you, saying: Ye are spies.
וַיֹּאמֶר, לֹא-יֵרֵד בְּנִי עִמָּכֶם: כִּי-אָחִיו מֵת וְהוּא לְבַדּוֹ נִשְׁאָר, וּקְרָאָהוּ אָסוֹן בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר תֵּלְכוּ-בָהּ, וְהוֹרַדְתֶּם אֶת-שֵׂיבָתִי בְּיָגוֹן, שְׁאוֹלָה.
And he said: 'My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left; if harm befall him by the way in which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
וְאֶת-גְּבִיעִי גְּבִיעַ הַכֶּסֶף, תָּשִׂים בְּפִי אַמְתַּחַת הַקָּטֹן, וְאֵת, כֶּסֶף שִׁבְרוֹ; וַיַּעַשׂ, כִּדְבַר יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר.
And put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.' And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
Joseph forgives his brothers. He shows his true growth when he is able to not only forgive them but also invite them into his life with open arms.
THE
END
וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל-אֶחָיו גְּשׁוּ-נָא אֵלַי, וַיִּגָּשׁוּ; וַיֹּאמֶר, אֲנִי יוֹסֵף אֲחִיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר-מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי, מִצְרָיְמָה.
And Joseph said unto his brethren: 'Come near to me, I pray you.' And they came near. And he said: 'I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
וְעַתָּה אַל-תֵּעָצְבוּ, וְאַל-יִחַר בְּעֵינֵיכֶם, כִּי-מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי, הֵנָּה: כִּי לְמִחְיָה, שְׁלָחַנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם.
And now be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life.
And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast; and there will I sustain thee; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou come to poverty, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast.
וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בְאֶרֶץ-גֹּשֶׁן, וְהָיִיתָ קָרוֹב אֵלַי--אַתָּה, וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנֵי בָנֶיךָ; וְצֹאנְךָ וּבְקָרְךָ, וְכָל-אֲשֶׁר-לָךְ.
וְכִלְכַּלְתִּי אֹתְךָ שָׁם, כִּי-עוֹד חָמֵשׁ שָׁנִים רָעָב: פֶּן-תִּוָּרֵשׁ אַתָּה וּבֵיתְךָ, וְכָל-אֲשֶׁר-לָךְ.
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