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Why does the Torah (תורה) describe Yosef's sale with confusing repetitions and contradictions about who sold him and for what purpose? The shiur proposes that Yosef was sold twice—once as a professional administrator to the Egyptian government and once personally to Potiphar—explaining the dual language and revealing a hidden alternative path to greatness that was derailed by the incident with Potiphar's wife.
Rabbi Zweig addresses the multiple textual difficulties in Parshas Vayeishev surrounding the sale of Yosef. The Torah (תורה) states that the Ishmaelim brought Yosef down to Egypt, yet earlier the Midyanim are mentioned as selling him. Additionally, the passage calls Potiphar an "Ish Mitzri" and provides seemingly redundant details about the purchase and Yosef's success in Potiphar's house. Rashi (רש"י) explains that the Ishmaelim sold Yosef to the Midyanim, who then sold him to Egypt, but this raises questions about why the Torah emphasizes the Ishmaelim bringing him down when they no longer possessed him. The shiur develops an innovative approach comparing the sale to commodity futures trading. The Midyanim and other merchants speculated on Yosef's future value without taking physical possession—they bought ownership rights that would be delivered in Egypt. The Ishmaelim retained physical custody throughout the journey, which explains why they are credited with bringing him down and why Yosef enjoyed pleasant conditions during the trip (the fragrant spices Rashi mentions). This also explains why the brothers could assume Yosef would end up in Egypt despite multiple intermediate sales.
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Bereishis 39:1-6
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