No community start suggestion yet.
How can Eishes Potiphar be called a 'chayah ra' yet also act leshem shamayim according to Rashi (רש"י)? The key distinction is between rationalization and genuine spiritual motivation. Eishes Potiphar found religious justification for her desires, making her the worst kind of predator, while the brothers who sold Yosef acted from authentic leshem shamayim despite personal difficulty.
This shiur addresses a complex question that troubled the speaker for many years: How can Eishes Potiphar be called a 'chayah ra' (wild animal) through Yaakov's ruach hakodesh, yet Rashi (רש"י) also says she acted leshem shamayim? The resolution reveals a profound insight about the nature of rationalization versus genuine spiritual motivation. The speaker begins by examining Rashi's commentary on Yaakov's prophetic statement 'chayah ra achalathu' (a wild animal devoured him), which referred not only to Yosef's apparent death but prophetically to Eishes Potiphar's future attempt to seduce him. Rashi explains that both Tamar and Eishes Potiphar acted leshem shamayim - Eishes Potiphar saw through astrology that she would have children connected to Yosef, though she didn't know if through him directly or through his daughter.
Looking for the full summary?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Dedicate a Shiur in Parsha
L'ilui nishmas a loved one. In honor of a simcha or yahrzeit. As a zechus for a refuah sheleimah. Your dedication helps carry Rabbi Zweig's Torah to learners around the world.
Up Next in this Series
Why does Rashi praise Yosef's brothers for refusing to speak peacefully to him? The shiur develops that the deeper mistake was allowing Yosef's psychological problems to become their emotional burden. Maintaining shalom - rather than internalizing others' issues - protects your well-being and gives you the only position from which to actually help them change.
Why does the Midrash connect Pharaoh's expulsion of the Jews to the mitzvah of shiluach hakan? The shiur develops a chiddush that Pharaoh's sin wasn't only drowning the children, but the insensitivity of expelling the parents afterward. The deeper analysis reveals that Pharaoh may have valued the Jews greatly and wanted to control them—making his expulsion an act of tremendous cruelty, not liberation.
Why does Moshe respond to the splitting of the sea with shirah rather than praise or thanksgiving? Rashi's use of "al libo" reveals that shirah is an emotional expression—a response of love to love. When Hashem shows personal care, the only adequate response is "I love You too," not mere gratitude or praise, and this principle applies to all relationships.
Parshas Vayeishev - Yaakov's response to Yosef's coat, Rashi's commentary
Looking for the full transcript?
Full access is available to members of the TUF Alumni Association or the Yam Hagadol Foundation.
Already a member? Let the admin know!
Why does the Torah describe Yosef's rational refusal while the Gemara says he was saved by seeing his father's image? The shiur distinguishes two separate tests: first, the yetzer hara of pleasure (overcome through reason), then the yetzer hara of self-destruction from months of psychological pressure. Against self-destructive escape, only rebuilding genuine self-worth—not rational arguments—can provide salvation.
