Daily Aliya for Vayeshev, Shvii (7th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Two of Pharaoh's officers, his butler and baker, aroused the royal ire and were cast into prison— the same one that Joseph was now administering. One night, they both had odd dreams, and Joseph interpreted them. Joseph told the butler that he'd soon be released and restored to Pharaoh's service. The baker was told by Joseph that he would soon be hung. Joseph pleaded with the butler to mention his plight to Pharaoh, and ask for his release. Three days later, both of Joseph's interpretations came true; but the butler forgot all about Joseph.

Commentaries explain that Yosef shouldn't have asked the butler for help, because that would give the butler too much credit if he actually did help Yosef, which would then minimize G-d's help. But what's the balance? Should he not have tried, and relied totally on G-d? Or should he/we make an effort when presented with the possibility? It's a question that requires further study, and probably applied to each situation individually.

Daily Aliya for Vayeshev, Shishi (6th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Joseph was exceedingly handsome, and Potifar's wife was attracted to him. She made many advances on him, but he steadfastly rebuffed her. Eventually she libelously told her husband that Joseph was making advances on her, and Potifar had Joseph thrown into prison. G‑d was still with Joseph, and he found favor in the eyes of the prison warden, who put him in charge of all the prisoners.

The Sfat Emet calls our attention to to sequence of verbs - "And he refused", "and he said"... First and foremost, when a person is being led into temptation they must stand firm and refuse to give in. Then, if warranted, they can explain their reasons.

Daily Aliya for Vayeshev, Chamishi (5th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: We return to the story of Joseph, who was serving in the home of Potifar. G‑d was with Joseph, and he succeeded in all his endeavors. When Potifar took note of this fact, he put Joseph in charge of his entire household and estate.

The portion of Yosef in Potifar's house is juxtaposed to the episode of Yehuda and Tamar. The standard explanation is that the sale of Yosef caused Yehuda to lose the respect of his brothers. Rashi gives another, intriguing, explanation. He says that it is to equate Tamar and Potifar's wife - both of whom acted "for the sake of Heaven". Potifar's wife, says Rashi, saw via astrology that she was destined to have descendants that came from Yosef. She thought that she was the one and so she attempted to seduce him. She was just a bit off, as in fact it was her daughter Osnat that would bear Yosef's children.

Daily Aliya for Vayeshev, Revii (4th Aliya)

Aliya Summary: The story of Joseph is interrupted by the episode of Judah and Tamar. Judah married the daughter of a local businessman and had three sons. His first son, Er, married a woman named Tamar, but died soon thereafter. Judah had his second son, Onan, marry Tamar and thus fulfill the mitzvah of Yibbum, but he too died childless. Judah hesitated to give his third son to Tamar, so she returned to her father's home. Judah's wife then died, and he embarked on a business trip. Tamar dressed herself like a prostitute and sat by the side of the road. Judah didn't recognize her, was intimate with her and she becomes pregnant. A few months later, when her pregnancy became evident, Judah ordered her executed for harlotry. As she was being taken out to die, she produced some of Judah's personal effects that he had left behind when he visited her. Judah admitted that he was the father, and Tamar was spared. Tamar then gave birth to twin sons, Zerach and Peretz.

The Gemara teaches that one must avoid embarrassing another at all costs - it is better to be thrown into a fiery furnace than to embarrass someone. We learn this from Tamar, who did not denounce Yehuda, even though she would have been considered guilty of immorality had Yehuda not owned up to his actions.

Daily Aliya for Vayeshev, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Joseph arrived and his brothers immediately stripped him of his fancy robe and cast him into a pit. Upon Judah's advice, they subsequently sold him to an Ishmaelite caravan traveling to Egypt, who in turn sold him as a slave to Potiphar, Pharaoh's chief butcher. Meanwhile, the brothers dipped Joseph's robe into blood, and showed it to Jacob, who assumed that Joseph was devoured by a wild beast. Jacob then commenced 22 years of mourning for his beloved son.

Rashi gives us another aspect of the "Measure for Measure" punishment of Yakov. The passuk says that he "mourned for his son MANY DAYS." Rashi says that it was 22 years, the exact length of time that Yakov was away from Yitzchak. It includes the 20 years with Lavan, a year and a half in Sukkot, and six months in Bet El before Yakov returned to his father's house. Why was Yakov punished for being away from his father if he was sent away by his mother to find a wife and hide from Esav? Rabbi Teichman explains that it's because when he was done with all of that, he spent the last 18 months in Sukkot and Bet El instead of rushing home. Once he didn't rush, he was punished for the entire length of time. If ever we needed motivation to grab opportunities (Mitzvot) as they present themselves, this is it!

Daily Aliya for Vayeshev, Sheni (2nd Aliya)

Aliya Summary: Joseph's brothers were away tending their father's sheep, when Jacob sent Joseph to see how his brothers and the flocks were faring. When Joseph's brothers saw him approaching they plotted to kill him. Reuven, however, implored them not to shed blood, advising them instead to cast him into one of the nearby pits. Reuven's plan was to later return and rescue Joseph from the pit.

Rashi says that Reuven truly intended to come back and save Yosef, but his reason was that he, as the oldest, would take all the blame if something were to indeed happen to Yosef (pretty selfish reason). Nonetheless, he gets the credit for the good deed he planned on doing, despite the facts that 1) it wasn't accomplished and that 2) his motives were not pure. How much more credit is there for those of us with proper motives that DO accomplish our objectives and do good things!

Daily Aliya for Vayeshev, Rishon (1st Aliya)

General Overview: In this week's reading, Vayeishev, Joseph relates to his brothers his grandiose dreams of greatness, arousing their jealousy. He is consequently sold into slavery to an Egyptian master. After defying his Egyptian master's wife, Joseph is thrown into jail, where he interprets the dreams of Pharaoh's cup-bearer and baker. The story of Judah and Tamaris also related at length.

Aliya Summary: Jacob and his family settled in Canaan. Of all his sons, Jacob favored Joseph, the firstborn of his deceased beloved wife Rachel, and he made for him a special robe of fine wool. Joseph's brothers were jealous of the favoritism, and avoided talking to Joseph. Joseph related to his brothers two dreams he had, both implying that he would eventually rule over his brothers—and thus increased his brothers' envy and hatred.