Blessings for Torah Study:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יהוה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶך הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה
בְּרוּךֶ אַתֶה חֲוָיָה שְׁכִינּוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדַשְׁתַנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֶיהֶ וְצִוְתָנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה
בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהָתֵינוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קֵרְבָתְנוּ לַעֲבוֹדָתָהּ וְצִוְתָנוּ לַעֲסוֹק בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה
Berakhot 11b:
Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha’olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu la’asok b’divrei Torah
Nonbinary Hebrew Project:
B’rucheh ateh Khavayah Shekhinu ruach ha’olam asher kidash’tanu b’mitzvotei’he v’tziv’tanu la’asok b’divrei Torah
Feminine God Language:
Brukhah at Ya Elohateinu ruach ha’olam asher keir’vat’nu la’avodatah v’tziv’tavnu la’asok b’divrei Torah
(א) וְיוֹסֵ֖ף הוּרַ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יְמָה וַיִּקְנֵ֡הוּ פּוֹטִיפַר֩ סְרִ֨יס פַּרְעֹ֜ה שַׂ֤ר הַטַּבָּחִים֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִצְרִ֔י מִיַּד֙ הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹרִדֻ֖הוּ שָֽׁמָּה׃ (ב) וַיְהִ֤י יהוה אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיְהִ֖י אִ֣ישׁ מַצְלִ֑יחַ וַיְהִ֕י בְּבֵ֖ית אֲדֹנָ֥יו הַמִּצְרִֽי׃ (ג) וַיַּ֣רְא אֲדֹנָ֔יו כִּ֥י יהוה אִתּ֑וֹ וְכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא עֹשֶׂ֔ה יהוה מַצְלִ֥יחַ בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (ד) וַיִּמְצָ֨א יוֹסֵ֥ף חֵ֛ן בְּעֵינָ֖יו וַיְשָׁ֣רֶת אֹת֑וֹ וַיַּפְקִדֵ֙הוּ֙ עַל־בֵּית֔וֹ וְכׇל־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (ה) וַיְהִ֡י מֵאָז֩ הִפְקִ֨יד אֹת֜וֹ בְּבֵית֗וֹ וְעַל֙ כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־ל֔וֹ וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ יהוה אֶת־בֵּ֥ית הַמִּצְרִ֖י בִּגְלַ֣ל יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיְהִ֞י בִּרְכַּ֤ת יהוה בְּכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֶשׁ־ל֔וֹ בַּבַּ֖יִת וּבַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ (ו) וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֮ בְּיַד־יוֹסֵף֒ וְלֹא־יָדַ֤ע אִתּוֹ֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־הַלֶּ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא אוֹכֵ֑ל וַיְהִ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף יְפֵה־תֹ֖אַר וִיפֵ֥ה מַרְאֶֽה׃ (ז) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַתִּשָּׂ֧א אֵֽשֶׁת־אֲדֹנָ֛יו אֶת־עֵינֶ֖יהָ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַתֹּ֖אמֶר שִׁכְבָ֥ה עִמִּֽי׃ (ח) וַיְמָאֵ֓ן ׀ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־אֵ֣שֶׁת אֲדֹנָ֔יו הֵ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֔י לֹא־יָדַ֥ע אִתִּ֖י מַה־בַּבָּ֑יִת וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־יֶשׁ־ל֖וֹ נָתַ֥ן בְּיָדִֽי׃ (ט) אֵינֶ֨נּוּ גָד֜וֹל בַּבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּה֮ מִמֶּ֒נִּי֒ וְלֹֽא־חָשַׂ֤ךְ מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ מְא֔וּמָה כִּ֥י אִם־אוֹתָ֖ךְ בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתְּ־אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨יךְ אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֜ה הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את וְחָטָ֖אתִי לֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃ (י) וַיְהִ֕י כְּדַבְּרָ֥הּ אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף י֣וֹם ׀ י֑וֹם וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֥ע אֵלֶ֛יהָ לִשְׁכַּ֥ב אֶצְלָ֖הּ לִהְי֥וֹת עִמָּֽהּ׃ (יא) וַיְהִי֙ כְּהַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֥א הַבַּ֖יְתָה לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת מְלַאכְתּ֑וֹ וְאֵ֨ין אִ֜ישׁ מֵאַנְשֵׁ֥י הַבַּ֛יִת שָׁ֖ם בַּבָּֽיִת׃ (יב) וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּ בְּבִגְד֛וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר שִׁכְבָ֣ה עִמִּ֑י וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ וַיָּ֖נׇס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה׃ (יג) וַיְהִי֙ כִּרְאוֹתָ֔הּ כִּֽי־עָזַ֥ב בִּגְד֖וֹ בְּיָדָ֑הּ וַיָּ֖נׇס הַחֽוּצָה׃ (יד) וַתִּקְרָ֞א לְאַנְשֵׁ֣י בֵיתָ֗הּ וַתֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר רְא֗וּ הֵ֥בִיא לָ֛נוּ אִ֥ישׁ עִבְרִ֖י לְצַ֣חֶק בָּ֑נוּ בָּ֤א אֵלַי֙ לִשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמִּ֔י וָאֶקְרָ֖א בְּק֥וֹל גָּדֽוֹל׃ (טו) וַיְהִ֣י כְשׇׁמְע֔וֹ כִּֽי־הֲרִימֹ֥תִי קוֹלִ֖י וָאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ אֶצְלִ֔י וַיָּ֖נׇס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה׃ (טז) וַתַּנַּ֥ח בִּגְד֖וֹ אֶצְלָ֑הּ עַד־בּ֥וֹא אֲדֹנָ֖יו אֶל־בֵּיתֽוֹ׃ (יז) וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו כַּדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לֵאמֹ֑ר בָּֽא־אֵלַ֞י הָעֶ֧בֶד הָֽעִבְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־הֵבֵ֥אתָ לָּ֖נוּ לְצַ֥חֶק בִּֽי׃ (יח) וַיְהִ֕י כַּהֲרִימִ֥י קוֹלִ֖י וָאֶקְרָ֑א וַיַּעֲזֹ֥ב בִּגְד֛וֹ אֶצְלִ֖י וַיָּ֥נׇס הַחֽוּצָה׃ (יט) וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲדֹנָ֜יו אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֣י אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבְּרָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וַיִּ֖חַר אַפּֽוֹ׃ (כ) וַיִּקַּח֩ אדני יוֹסֵ֜ף אֹת֗וֹ וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית הַסֹּ֔הַר מְק֕וֹם אֲשֶׁר־[אֲסִירֵ֥י] (אסורי) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲסוּרִ֑ים וַֽיְהִי־שָׁ֖ם בְּבֵ֥ית הַסֹּֽהַר׃ (כא) וַיְהִ֤י יהוה אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיֵּ֥ט אֵלָ֖יו חָ֑סֶד וַיִּתֵּ֣ן חִנּ֔וֹ בְּעֵינֵ֖י שַׂ֥ר בֵּית־הַסֹּֽהַר׃ (כב) וַיִּתֵּ֞ן שַׂ֤ר בֵּית־הַסֹּ֙הַר֙ בְּיַד־יוֹסֵ֔ף אֵ֚ת כׇּל־הָ֣אֲסִירִ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית הַסֹּ֑הַר וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֹשִׂים֙ שָׁ֔ם ה֖וּא הָיָ֥ה עֹשֶֽׂה׃ (כג) אֵ֣ין ׀ שַׂ֣ר בֵּית־הַסֹּ֗הַר רֹאֶ֤ה אֶֽת־כׇּל־מְא֙וּמָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יהוה אִתּ֑וֹ וַֽאֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֖ה יהוה מַצְלִֽיחַ׃ {פ}
(1) When Joseph was taken down to Egypt, Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh and his prefect —a [type of] Egyptian official —bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. (2) יהוה was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he stayed in the house of his Egyptian master. (3) And when his master saw that יהוה was with him and that יהוה lent success to everything he undertook, (4) he took a liking to Joseph. He made him his personal attendant and put him in charge of his household, placing in his hands all that he owned. (5) And from the time that the Egyptian put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, יהוה blessed his house for Joseph’s sake, so that the blessing of יהוה was upon everything that he owned, in the house and outside. (6) He left all that he had in Joseph’s hands and, with him there, he paid attention to nothing save the food that he ate. Now Joseph was well built and handsome. (7) After a time, his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” (8) But he refused. He said to his master’s wife, “Look, with me here, my master gives no thought to anything in this house, and all that he owns he has placed in my hands. (9) He wields no more authority in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except yourself, since you are his wife. How then could I do this most wicked thing, and sin before God?” (10) And much as she coaxed Joseph day after day, he did not yield to her request to lie beside her, to be with her. (11) One such day, he came into the house to do his work. None of the household being there inside, (12) she caught hold of him by his garment and said, “Lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand and got away and fled outside. (13) When she saw that he had left it in her hand and had fled outside, (14) she called out to her servants and said to them, “Look, he had to bring us a Hebrew to dally with us! This one came to lie with me; but I screamed loud. (15) And when he heard me screaming at the top of my voice, he left his garment with me and got away and fled outside.” (16) She kept his garment beside her, until his master came home. (17) Then she told him the same story, saying, “The Hebrew slave whom you brought into our house came to me to dally with me; (18) but when I screamed at the top of my voice, he left his garment with me and fled outside.” (19) When his master heard the story that his wife told him, namely, “Thus and so your slave did to me,” he was furious. (20) So Joseph’s master had him put in prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. But even while he was there in prison, (21) יהוה was with Joseph—extending kindness to him and disposing the chief jailer favorably toward him. (22) The chief jailer put in Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in that prison, and he was the one to carry out everything that was done there. (23) The chief jailer did not supervise anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because יהוה was with him, and whatever he did יהוה made successful.
ויהי יוסף יפה תואר. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה עַצְמוֹ מוֹשֵׁל, הִתְחִיל אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה וּמְסַלְסֵל בְּשַׂעֲרוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּבָּ"ה אָבִיךָ מִתְאַבֵּל וְאַתָּה מְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרְךָ, אֲנִי מְגָרֶה בְךָ אֶת הַדֹּב, מִיָּד:
ויהי יוסף יפה תאר AND JOSEPH WAS OF BEAUTIFUL FORM — As soon as he saw that he was ruler (in the house) he began to eat and drink and curl his hair. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Your father is mourning and you curl your hair! I will let a bear loose against you” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 8). Immediately.
עברי. מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר, מִבְּנֵי עֵבֶר (בראשית רבה):
עברי A HEBREW — is one who came from the other side (עבר) of the river Euphrates, being at the same time of the sons of Eber (אדניו).
ולא ידע אתו מאומה כי אם הלחם. י"א שהוא כנוי לשכיבת אשתו וזה רחוק, ועוד כי אדוני יוסף סריס היה, והנכון בעיני שכל אשר לו היה בידו חוץ מן הלחם שלא היה אפילו נוגע בו בעבור היותו עברי, כי הנה מפורש "כי לא יוכלו המצרים לאכול את העברים לחם" (בראשית מג לב) כי פוטיפר ידע שיוסף עברי הוא וכן אשתו אומרת ראו הביא לנו איש עברי (בראשית לט יד):
HE KNEW NOT AUGHT SAVE THE BREAD WHICH HE DID EAT. Some say that the bread which he did eat is a euphemism for a conjugal relationship. However, this interpretation is far-fetched. Furthermore, Potiphar was a eunuch. I believe that what this verse says is that Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything that he had except for his bread, which Joseph was not permitted even to touch because he was a Hebrew, as we see from the verse because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians (Gen. 43:32). Potiphar knew that Joseph was a Hebrew. Potiphar’s wife similarly said, See, he hath brought in a Hebrew unto us to mock us (v. 14).
ויחר אפו. ואעפ"י כן לא הרגו כי בספק היה הדבר אצלו:
THAT HIS WRATH WAS KINDLED. Potiphar nevertheless did not kill Joseph because he wasn’t certain as to the truth of his wife’s accusation.
וַיַּעֲזֹב בִּגְדוֹ בְּיָדָהּ לִכְבוֹד גְּבִרְתּוֹ לֹא רָצָה לְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִיָּדָהּ בְּכֹחוֹ הַגָּדוֹל מִמֶּנָּה, וְהֵסִיר אוֹתוֹ מֵעָלָיו כִּי הָיָה בֶּגֶד שֶׁיִּתְעַטֵּף בּוֹ כִּמְעִיל וְצָנִיף, וְהִיא בִּרְאוֹתָהּ כִּי הִנִּיחַ בִּגְדּוֹ בְּיָדָהּ פָּחֲדָה פֶּן יְגַלֶּה עָלֶיהָ לִבְנֵי הַבַּיִת אוֹ לַאֲדֹנָיו, וְהִקְדִּימַתּוּ אֲלֵיהֶם לֵאמֹר כִּי הִפְשִׁיט בִּגְדוֹ לִשְׁכַּב עִמָּהּ, וּבִרְאוֹתוֹ כִּי הֲרִימוֹתִי קוֹלִי נִבְהַל לִבְרֹחַ. וְזֶה טַעַם "וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹתָהּ כִּי עָזַב בִּגְדוֹ", וְלָכֵן לֹא הִגִּידָה הִיא וַיַּעֲזֹב בִּגְדוֹ בְּיָדִי, רַק אָמְרָה לְאַנְשֵׁי בֵּיתָהּ וּלְבַעְלָהּ "וַיַּעֲזֹב בִּגְדוֹ אֶצְלִי":
AND HE LEFT HIS GARMENT IN HER HAND. Out of respect for his mistress he did not wish to take the garment from her hand with his superior strength, and he removed it from upon himself, as it was a garment which one wears as a robe and headdress. But when she saw that he left his garment in her hands she feared lest he expose her to the people of the household or his master, and so she preceded him to them, saying that he had removed his garment to lie with her, but “when he saw that I screamed he fled in confusion.” This is the meaning of the verse, And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand. This is also why she did not say, “And he left his garment in my hand,” but she instead told the men of her house and her husband, And he left his garment ‘etzli’ (with me).
וְטַעַם רְאוּ הֵבִיא לָנוּ אִישׁ עִבְרִי כִּי הָעִבְרִים שְׂנוּאֵי הַמִּצְרִים הֵמָּה, וְלֹא יוּכְלוּ לֶאֱכֹל אִתָּם לֶחֶם כִּי תוֹעֵבָה הִיא לָהֶם (בראשית מ"ג:ל"ב), וְלֹא יִקְנוּ מֵהֶם רַק לְכוֹרְמִים וּלְיוֹגְבִים, וְלֹא יָבֹאוּ בְּבֵיתָם. וְלָכֵן אָמְרָה הִנֵּה עָשָׂה עִמָּנוּ רָעָה לְהָבִיא בְּבֵיתֵנוּ עִבְרִי וַעֲשָׂאוֹ פָּקִיד וְנָגִיד, וְרָאוּי לוֹ שֶׁיְּצַחֵק בָּנוּ, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי כט כא) "מְפַנֵּק מִנֹּעַר עַבְדּוֹ" וְגוֹ', וְזֶה טַעַם "אֲשֶׁר הֵבֵאתָ לָּנוּ", כִּי הֲבָאָתוֹ בְּבֵיתָם הָיְתָה קָשָׁה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם. וְאָמְרָה "הֵבִיא לָנוּ" עַל בַּעְלָהּ, לֹא הִזְכִּירַתּוּ לִכְבוֹדוֹ, אוֹ בְּדֶרֶךְ מוּסָר לַנָּשִׁים, אוֹ בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהַמֵּבִיא יָדוּעַ. וְכֵן בְּסֵפֶר אִיּוֹב בִּמְקוֹמוֹת רַבִּים יְדַבֵּר עַל הַשֵּׁם הַנִּכְבָּד בִּסְתָם, בַּעֲבוּר דַּעְתָּם שֶׁעָלָיו יְדַבְּרוּ. וְכֵן "וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל אַבְנֵר מַדּוּעַ בָּאתָ אֶל פִּילֶגֶשׁ אָבִי" (שמואל ב ג ז), לֹא יַזְכִּיר הָאוֹמֵר וְלֹא דִּבֵּר בּוֹ כְּלָל בַּעֲבוּר הֱיוֹתוֹ יָדוּעַ שֶׁהוּא אִישׁ בֹּשֶׁת:
SEE, HE HATH BROUGHT IN A HEBREW UNTO US. The meaning thereof is that the Hebrews were hated by the Egyptians. They did not eat with them, this being a matter of abhorrence to them. They did not purchase them as servants except as vinedressers and plowmen, but they would not permit them to come into their homes. This is why she said: “Behold, the master has done us evil by bringing a Hebrew into our home, and he has further appointed him as overseer and ruler, and now he has fittingly seen to mock us.” [The point of her statement] is similar to that which is said in the verse, He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become a master at the last. This is the meaning of her saying, Whom thou hast brought unto us, as his being brought into their house was in itself embarassing to them.In the verse before us, the expression, He has brought us, refers to her husband. She does not mention him by name out of respect, or perhaps because such is the ethical way for women to speak, or perhaps because it is known who brought Joseph into the house. Similarly, in many places in the book of Job it speaks of Almighty G-d anonymously because the conversants know that they are speaking of Him. Similarly, in the verse, And he said to Abner, Why hast thou gone in unto my father’s concubine? the name of the speaker is not mentioned, and no reference is made to him at all in the above verse because it is known that he was Ish-bosheth.
From Rabbi Peter J. Rubinstein, "Joseph and Potiphar's Wife: A Study in Moral Ambivalence" at https://reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/torah-commentary/joseph-and-potiphars-wife-study-moral-ambivalence
Jacob's high regard and feared tarnishing himself. He was afraid of Potiphar and wanted to stay pure before God. But the Torah gives us Joseph's own explanation in his response to his master's wife: "He [Potiphar] wields no more authority in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except yourself, since you are his wife. How then could I do this most wicked thing and sin before God?" (Genesis 39:9) Thus Joseph, with due allegiance to his boss and master, recoils from the seductive invitation.
But what, we might ask, would have been Joseph's response if Potiphar had not been so gracious to him? Would Joseph then have felt no scruples in becoming involved with Potiphar's wife and thus have sinned before God?
Joseph's motivating rationale is both resonant and troubling. He connects his moral attitude toward adultery with his feelings about Potiphar. Since Potiphar has been good to him, he will not succumb to his wife. But if Potiphar had not been kind, could we infer that Joseph would have become sexually involved with this married woman?
וימאן ויאמר הן אדוני. תחלת דבורו אמר לה הן אדני, כלומר והלא אדני מצוי לך ומה את עושה לי. והטעם שבמילת וימאן מורה על אסור הדבר ועל היותו נמנע אצלו ממאן בו בתכלית המיאון, שהרי מתוך הטעמים שבתורה אנו מבינים מה שלא נכתב בה, כענין התנועות שבאדם שמתוכם נדע כוונת לבו. ובמדרש הן אדני, ראה איקונין של יעקב אביו ואמר לו יוסף עתידים אחיך שיכתבו באבני אפוד רצונך שתהיה חסר מהם ותהיה רועה זונות.
וימאן, ויאמר אל אשת אדוניו הן אדוני, “he refused, and he said to the wife of his master: ‘here my master, etc.” At the beginning of their conversation, Joseph said to Mrs Potiphar: הן אדוני, “my master is present;” he meant: “what do you want with me, seeing you already have a husband?” The reason that Tanchuma interprets Joseph’s words in that fashion is that the tone-sign shalshelet over the word וימאן suggests that Joseph’s refusal contained an element of something forbidden. It is not unusual for the tone-signs on the words to reveal matters not spelled out but which nevertheless we are to read between the lines. This is not unlike to what is called in English “body-language.” The manner in which a person walks, for instance, indicates whether he looks forward to his destination or whether he drags his feet because he dreads what is expected of him at the end of his walk. The Midrash felt that the tone-sign revealed that Joseph’s refusal was hesitant. Midrash Tanchuma Vayeshev 8 also claims that the words הן אדוני, are a reference to his father Yaakov’s features which sudddenly appeared before Joseph’s mind’s eye, reminding him what moral obligations he owed to the wishes of G’d, his “Master.” His father phrased his admonition thus: “your brothers’ names will be engraved on the gemstones of the High Priest’s Ephod (shoulder epaulettes). Do you want to risk that your name will be omitted from that list? Do you prefer to tend to whores for the rest of your life?”
From Maharat Miriam Lorie, "Five Tales of a Disrobing" at https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/370933?lang=bi
In her rapid assessment of the crime scene, eishet Potiphar realises that there are two incriminating details - the garment is left in her hand and Yosef fled outside. Her panicked address to the servants of her house, subtly changes these details: “he left his garment with me” and he “got away and fled outside”. But more pernicious is her opener “Look, he had to bring us a Hebrew to dally with us!” “He”, we understand, is Potiphar, and his wife appeals to the special grudges that her servants may have against their master, bringing them on-side. The use of “a Hebrew” appeals to undertones of anti-Semitism that we see elsewhere in this story. And he was brought “to dally with us” creates a bloc of solidarity against the common enemy - the Hebrew - where naturally the servants may have sided with their fellow servant.
When Potiphar does get home, he is treated to a subtly different story. The words העבד העברי - the Hebrew servant - are used, creating a double distance - of class and race - between Potiphar and Yosef. There is a jarring note of accusation in the words “whom you brought into our house”. The account of Yosef fleeing is simplified to amplify his guilt. And once again she references the story of her crying out to compound the portrait of victimhood.