Why Yaakov Loved Yosef Most

וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃ וַיִּרְא֣וּ אֶחָ֗יו כִּֽי־אֹת֞וֹ אָהַ֤ב אֲבִיהֶם֙ מִכׇּל־אֶחָ֔יו וַֽיִּשְׂנְא֖וּ אֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יָכְל֖וּ דַּבְּר֥וֹ לְשָׁלֹֽם׃

Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons—he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an ornamented tunic. And when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of his brothers, they hated him so that they could not speak a friendly word to him.

(בראשית לז, ג): וְעָשָׂה לוֹ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים, רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן עֲזַרְיָה אָמַר, צָרִיךְ אָדָם שֶׁלֹא לְשַׁנּוֹת בֵּן מִבָּנָיו, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה אָבִינוּ יַעֲקֹב לְיוֹסֵף, (בראשית לז, ד): וַיִּשְׂנְאוּ אֹתוֹ וגו'.

and could not speak peaceably to him” (Genesis 37:4). “Israel loved Joseph” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya: Rabbi Yehuda says: Because the contours of [Joseph’s] face resembled his. Rabbi Neḥemya said: All the halakhot that Shem and Ever had transmitted to Jacob, he transmitted to him. “He crafted him a fine tunic” – Reish Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: A person must refrain from treating one of his children differently, as due to the fine tunic that Jacob crafted for Joseph

איזהו סייג שעשה איוב לדבריו הרי הוא אומר איש תם וישר וירא אלהים וסר מרע מלמד שהרחיק איוב את עצמו מדבר המביא לעבירה ומן הכיעור ומן הדומה לכיעור א״כ מה ת"ל איש תם וישר אלא מלמד שיצא איוב מהול. אף אדם הראשון יצא מהול שנאמר (בראשית א׳:כ״ז) ויברא אלהים את האדם בצלמו. אף שת יצא מהול שנאמר (שם ה) ויולד בדמותו כצלמו. אף נח יצא מהול שנאמר איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו. אף שם יצא מהול שנאמר (שם יד) ומלכי צדק מלך שלם. אף יעקב יצא מהול שנאמר (שם כה) ויעקב איש תם יושב אהלים. אף יוסף יצא מהול שנאמר (שם לז) אלה תולדות יעקב יוסף והלא אין ראוי לומר [אלא] אלה תולדות יעקב ראובן ומה ת״ל יוסף אלא כשם שיצא יעקב מהול (אף) כך יצא יוסף מהול. אף משה יצא מהול שנא׳ (שמות ב׳:ב׳) ותרא אותו כי טוב הוא וכי מה ראתה אמו בו שנאה ומשובח מכל אדם אלא שיצא מהול. אף בלעם הרשע יצא מהול שנאמר (במדבר כ״ד:ד׳) נאום שומע אמרי אל. [אף שמואל יצא מהול שנאמר (שמואל א ב׳:כ״ו) והנער שמואל הולך וגדול וטוב]. אף דוד יצא מהול שנא׳ (תהילים ט״ז:א׳) מכתם לדוד (שמרני אל כי חסיתי בך). אף ירמיה יצא מהול שנא׳ (ירמיהו א׳:ה׳) בטרם אצרך בבטן ידעתיך ובטרם תצא מרחם הקדשתיך. אף זרובבל יצא מהול שנא׳ (חגי ב׳:כ״ג) ביום ההוא (אקח את) [נאום ה' צבאות אקחך] זרובבל בן שאלתיאל עבדי נאום ה׳ הרי הוא אומר (איוב ל״א:א׳) ברית כרתי לעיני ומה אתבונן על בתולה מלמד שהחמיר איוב על עצמו ולא נסתכל אפילו בבתולה והלא דברים ק״ו ומה אם בתולה זו שאם ירצה ישאנה לעצמו (לבנו לאחיו ולקרובו) החמיר איוב על עצמו ולא נסתכל בה אשת איש על אחת כמה וכמה. ומפני מה החמיר איוב על עצמו ולא נסתכל אפילו בבתולה מפני שאמר איוב שמא אסתכל אני היום ולמחר יבא איש אחר וישאנה ונמצא שאני מסתכל באשת איש:

What fence did Job make to his words? It states, A whole-hearted and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil. This teaches that Job held aloof from anything that could lead to sin, from anything improper or having the semblance of impropriety. And what is the significance of the words a whole-hearted and an upright man? They teach that Job was born circumcised. Adam, the first man, also came into the world circumcised, for it is stated, And God created man in His own image. Seth also was born circumcised, for it is stated, And begot a son in his own likeness, after his image. Noah also was born circumcised, for it is stated, In his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted. Shem also was born circumcised, for it is stated, And Melchizedek king of Salem. Jacob also was born circumcised, for it is stated, And Jacob was a whole-hearted man, dwelling in tents. Joseph also was born circumcised, for it is stated, These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph. Surely Scripture should have said here, ‘These are the generations of Jacob: Reuben!’ Why does it say Joseph? [To teach] that as Jacob was born circumcised so Joseph was born circumcised. Moses also was born circumcised, for it is stated, She saw him that he was a goodly child. Now what did his mother see in him finer and better than in all children? [She saw] that he was born circumcised. Even the wicked Balaam was born circumcised, for it is stated, The saying of him who heareth the words of God. Samuel also was born circumcised, for it is stated, And the child Samuel grew up, increased and was good. David also was born circumcised, for it is stated, Michtam of David. Keep me, O God; for I have taken refuge in Thee. Jeremiah also was born circumcised, for it is stated, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee. Zerubbabel also was born circumcised, for it is stated, In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Ẓerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and I will make of thee as a signet. Scripture states, I made a covenant with mine eyes; how then should I look upon a maid? This teaches that Job was most strict with himself and would not even glance at a maiden. Is there not here an argument from the less to the greater? If in the case of an unmarried girl whom, if he so wish, he may marry or may give as a wife either to his son or his brother or some other relative of his, Job was most strict with himself and would not glance at her, how much more strict was he in the case of a married woman! Why was Job so strict with himself and would not even glance at a maid? Because he reasoned, ‘Perhaps I look at her to-day, and to-morrow a man comes and takes her to wife; the consequence might be that I should be thinking of a married woman’.

כי בן זקנים הוא לו וא״‎ת הרי בנימין בן זקונים אלא אין אהבת בנימין קשורה בלבו של יעקב כאהבתו של יוסף לפי שכשילדתו אמו מתה. פסים על שם מכירתו, למפרע. ד״‎א לשון פיוס כמו שטר פיוסים כתונת נאה כדי לפייסו.

כי בן זקונים הוא לו, “for he had been born to him in his old age. If you were to argue that Binyamin had been born when he was still older, Binyamin caused his father to be reminded of the fact that his very existence brought about his beloved wife Rachel’s death, something which prevented him from loving him as much. פסים, a name that was to be given to this garment retroactively after Joseph had been sold. [Each letter of the word refers to a different master to whom Joseph had been sold, commencing with מ for the Midianites and ending with פ for Potiphar.] A different explanation sees in the word פסים as a “compensation,” for being a half orphan, not having a mother anymore. Yaakov tried to compensate him by having a costly garment made for him.

וְהַנִּרְאֶה בְּעֵינַי כִּי מִנְהַג הַזְּקֵנִים שֶׁיִּקְחוּ אֶחָד מִבְּנֵיהֶם הַקְּטַנִּים לִהְיוֹת עִמּוֹ לְשָׁרְתוֹ, וְהוּא נִשְׁעָן עַל יָדוֹ תָּמִיד לֹא יִפָּרֵד מִמֶּנּוּ, וְהוּא נִקְרָא לוֹ בֶּן זְקוּנָיו בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיְּשָׁרְתוֹ לִזְקוּנָיו. וְהִנֵּה לָקַח יַעֲקֹב אֶת יוֹסֵף לַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וְהָיָה עִמּוֹ תָּמִיד, וְעַל כֵּן לֹא יֵלֵךְ עִם הַצֹּאן בִּרְעוֹתָם בְּמָקוֹם רָחוֹק. וְאוּנְקְלוֹס שֶׁאָמַר "בַּר חַכִּים" יִרְצֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁהָיָה בֶּן דַּעַת וְחָכָם בְּעֵינֵי אָבִיו, וְטַעְמוֹ כְּטַעַם זְקֵנִים, וְתִרְגֵּם בְּיֶלֶד זְקוּנִים "בַּר סֵבְתִין" כִּי לֹא אָמַר הַכָּתוּב בְּכָאן "כִּי בֶן זְקוּנִים הָיָה" אֲבָל אָמַר "הוּא לוֹ", שֶׁהָיָה כֵּן בְּעֵינָיו, וְזֹאת כַּוָּנָתָם בְּאָמְרָם (ב"ר פד ח), כָּל מָה שֶׁלָּמַד מִשֵּׁם וָעֵבֶר מָסַר לוֹ לוֹמַר שֶׁמָּסַר לוֹ חָכְמוֹת וְסִתְרֵי תּוֹרָה וּמְצָאוֹ מַשְׂכִּיל וּבַעַל סוֹד בָּהֶם כְּאִלּוּ הָיָה זָקֵן וְרַב יָמִים:

Now Jacob took Joseph for this purpose, and he was with him constantly. He therefore did not accompany the flock when they went to pasture in distant places. And Onkelos who translated, “he was a wise son,” intended to say that in his father’s eyes, Joseph was a knowledgeable and wise son, and his understanding was as that of elders. However in the case of Benjamin, who is called yeled z’kunim (a little child of his old age), Onkelos translated: bar savtin (a son of old age). [The explanation of Onkelos in the case of Joseph becomes clear] because the verse here does not state, “Joseph hayah (was) a son of old age;” instead, it says, hu lo (he was unto him), meaning that in his eyes he appeared to be [a ben z’kunim and consequently it must mean bar chakim, a wise son]. This is the intent of the Sages when they said: “Whatever Jacob had learned from Shem and Eber he transmitted to him,” meaning that he passed on to him wisdoms and the secrets of the Torah, and that the father found the son to be intelligent and profound in these areas as if he were an elder and a man of many years.

וְעָשָׂה לוֹ כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים. לְאוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הוּא הַמַּנְהִיג בַּבַּיִת וּבַשָּׂדֶה, כְּעִנְיַן "וְהִלְבַּשְׁתִּיו כֻּתָּנְתֶּךָ" (ישעיהו כב:כא), וְכְאָמְרָם זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (בבא קמא יא.) בִּגְדוֹל אָחִי כִּי הֵיכִי דְּלִשְׁתַּמְעָן מִילֵיהּ.

The use of such distinctive clothing to symbolise someone’s elevated stature is found also in Isaiah 22,21 והלבשתיו כתנתך, “I will dress him (Chilkiyah) in your tunic,” where it signals that authority is transferred to the one wearing the appropriate garments. (uniform). The Talmud Baba Kama 11 also confirms that authority is signalled by the attire worn by people possessing it. [there the brothers who had paid extra for their leader to represent them and to appear well dressed are quite content seeing that their representative while attired in costly garments will indirectly confer benefits upon them through their brother being listened to in the councils of the city.

ובזה יובן, וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו כי בן זקונים הוא לו, ר"ל בר חכים (ת"א), בסוד לו ח"כמו ישכילו ז"את (דברים לב, כט), שהיא לשם שמים. ותואר ישראל הוא על כללות אומה ישראל, שהם אוהבים סוג יוסף מכל בניו, מן שאר תלמידי חכמים הנקראי' בנים, שעושין להתפאר או לשאר הנאה, וזה יוסף אינו עושה רק לשם שמים, מ"מ אהוב הוא יותר מהם.