I was just telling my mother on the phone last night, after Shabbos ended, that I realized, that day, the first night of Chanukah is…. tonight. And even though it’s written on all three of my calendars, Chanukah always has a way of sneaking up on me. Every year. We’ve had the Chanukah PJ’s in rotation since Rosh Hashana, so at least there’s that. And so today, in addition to packing school lunches, baking sandwich bread for the week, and Sunday Stuff, I’m going to add homemade latkes to the list. We got our menorahs out, the dreidels, and magically found three unopened boxes of candles (another Chanukah miracle!), and threw last minute invites out to our two local cousins to join in tonight. Latkes + Chicken Taco Bowls. Cheers, Happy Chanukah, everyone!
Chapter 37 | This is the line of Joseph
At the opening of this chapter, we meet a seventeen year old Joseph. The Torah explicitly states that Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons (37.3), and was not subtle over showing his favoritism, especially since he was gifted the special finely worked tunic.
Joseph’s brothers hated him, interestingly, the Torah mentions that his brothers hate him three times in five verses. They hated Joseph because he reported their bad behavior to their father, they hated Joseph because the was the clear favorite son, and they hated Joseph because he received special treatment because of the favoritism.
Joseph also has vivid dreams, which he shares with his brothers, and it throws gasoline on an already burning fire. As Josephs dreams can clearly be interpreted as the rest of the family bowing down to him. It enrages everyone, even his father.
It’s hard to read about such blatant parental favoritism. We all know stories like this, and the resentment they can harbor. In a strange way, it’s almost comforting to see that this struggle is ancient, woven into our earliest family stories. But that doesn’t soften the pain it creates in real life. As mothers, this chapter forces us to look honestly at our own homes – how attention and praise are felt, not just intended.
One day, Joseph goes to meet up with his brothers in the field, and when they see Joseph approaching, they concoct a plan 37.20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we can say, ‘A savage beast devoured him.’ We shall see what comes of his dreams!” They strip him of his beloved finely worked tunic, throw him in a pit, and (most shockingly) sit down to a meal. Reuben and Judah earn a sliver of credit, as to not let the plan go too far. Reuben and Judah each try to save Josephs life, though hardly, by convincing the rest that they shouldn’t kill Joseph, but to simply sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites.
They slaughter a kid, dip Josephs tunic in the blood, and bring it to their father. It is Israel who comes to the conclusion that a wild beast devoured him. Nahum Sarna makes a fascinating point; that being, it was a kid that Rebecca asked Jacob to bring her so that she could prepare Isaac’s favorite dish, and the kids skin she covered Jacob’s arms with to deceive Isaac. Just as Jacob deceived his father with a kid, he is now deceived by his sons using a kid. How ironic. Jacob heavily mourns his son. Meanwhile, Joseph is sold in Egypt to Potiphar, the highest official in the court of Egypt.
Chapter 38 | Tamar the Widow x2
Tamar’s story interrupts Joseph’s drama almost abruptly, but it’s not completely random. It reveals a parallel theme of vulnerability, injustice, and unexpected righteousness. Tamar is a woman with almost no power in her society. She is widowed twice, promised a husband who never comes, and then quietly sent back to her father’s home — effectively erased. And yet she does not remain passive. She takes a profound risk to secure her rightful place in the family, but also something deeper: justice.
After the Joseph incident from the last chapter, Judah leaves his brothers, perhaps out of guilt. He marries a Canaanite woman, which was forbidden by Abraham (24:3), and has three sons: Er, Onan, and Shelah. For his son Er, Judah provides a wife named Tamar. The Lord was displeased with Er, Judah’s first-born, so He took his life. It is now Onan’s duty to provide his wife’s widow with offspring. However, Onan decides not to honor this duty, let’s his seed go to waste when he’s with Tamar, as to not provide her with offspring for his brother (an ancient practice). The Lord does not like this either, He takes his life too. Judah tells Tamar to stay at her father’s house until Shelah, his third son, grows up.
Meanwhile, Judah’s wife dies. He and Shelah venture to the city where Tamar is dwelling, she sees that Shelah has grown up, and yet was not given to him as a wife. She hides her face, and presents as a prostitute, who Judah decides to hire. Tamar requests Judah leaves her with his seal and cord, which is the ancient equivalent of asking for his driver’s license and social security number, a clever request, that eventually saves her life. Once Judah gets word that his daughter-in-law is pregnant by harlotry, he demands she is burned. Tamar brings out the seal and the cord, and Judah learns a lesson on quickly judging others. She gives birth to twins: Perez (who later becomes the ancestor of David) and Zerah.
Chapter 39 | The Lord was with Joseph
39.2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man. He was purchased by Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh, and once he sees that the Lord is with Joseph, he puts Joseph in charge of his entire household as his personal attendant. Things go well, the Lord blessed his house for Joseph’s sake. Joseph was also well built and handsome, and Potiphar’s wife begs Joseph to lie with her. He rightfully refuses, how could he sin against God, and betray his master? (39.9) Potiphar’s wife doesn’t give up, she tries again and again to lie with Joseph and he refuses, eventually she tells Potiphar that Joseph tried to seduce her! This enrages Potiphar, so he throws Joseph in prison, where once again the Lord is with Joseph, and eventually Joseph is put in charge of the prisoners.
Even in the deepest descent—betrayed by family, stripped of power, and now falsely accused—the refrain returns: “God was with Joseph.” His story is one of constant falling and constant rising, each descent preparing the ground for an ascent he cannot yet see. I think about this a lot when things go wrong, how each descent is preparing the ground for an ascent we cannot see yet. I bet if we all take an accounting of our own lives, that statement rings true for all of us.
Chapter 40 | Three Cups, Three Branches
This is such a compelling chapter – this is where Joseph’s gift of dream interpretation becomes fun and serious. I’ve always loved having vivid and intense dreams, and I often wish there was someone wise who could interpret them for me, what do they mean? So I fully understand why the Pharaohs baker and cup bearer, who are both currently imprisoned alongside Joseph, feel distressed. They each dream a similar dream on the same night – similar in structure, very different in outcome – and they need someone to interpret for them. Enter Joseph.
What stands out immediately is Joseph’s sensitivity, he notices their sadness. Even after constant betrayal and disappointment, Joseph is attuned to others. And he reminds them that interpretations belong to God. Joseph understands that he is simply a vessel for his gift.
The dreams themselves are deceptively simple. The cupbearer sees a vine with three branches that bud, blossom, and produce grapes, which he presses into Pharaoh’s cup and places in his hand. Joseph interprets this as good news: in three days, the cupbearer will be restored to his position. Life, growth, and return to purpose. The baker, encouraged by the positive interpretation, shares his own dream—three baskets of bread on his head, with birds eating from the top basket. But this dream carries a much darker meaning. In three days, Joseph explains, the baker will be executed.
And yet—despite accurately interpreting both dreams—Joseph remains forgotten. He asks the cupbearer to remember him when he is restored, to mention him to Pharaoh, but the chapter closes with a quiet, heartbreaking line: the cupbearer forgets Joseph.
This chapter reminds us that gifts don’t always bring immediate rescue. Sometimes they deepen our waiting. Joseph does exactly what he is meant to do, speaks truth, serves others, and still remains in prison. And yet, something is clearly being built. Timing is not in Joseph’s hands—it never was. But God’s hand is still moving, even in the silence.
Takeaways for the Week
- Favoritism fractures families—fairness and care are spiritual work, not just good parenting.
- Motherhood often asks us to wait in unseen places, trusting that faithfulness still counts when no one remembers.
- Like Tamar, there are moments when protecting life, dignity, and justice requires courage—not passivity.
- Even in the mess of lunches, latkes, and long days, God is with us—quietly shaping something we cannot yet see.