By Rabbi Jonah Zinn

Finding meaning in the experiences of our biblical ancestors is an age-old struggle. With each weekly Torah reading, we seek to discern how these stories are relevant to our lives. These tales help us learn about ourselves. They provide us with a lens to better understand the world around us. They assist us as we strive to grow as individuals and as a community. 

It is with this same approach that we look at our Torah reading this week, Vayeshev. While it offers us much to consider, as I read the Parashah, I was struck by an incident involving Joseph, who has been sold into slavery in Egypt, and the wife of his master.

In this story, Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Joseph, but he resists her repeated advances. The 12^th century biblical commentator Rashbam says Joseph was careful not to be alone with her in the house as he was wary of her predatory tendencies. The Torah recalls, however, that one day he had no other choice but to be alone with her. He rebuffed her again that day, prompting her to falsely accuse him of rape and have him thrown in prison.

In our current cultural environment, some will point to this story as a call to reserve judgement on individuals accused of sexual assault. Proponents of this thinking suggest that if a woman in the Torah lied about sexual assault, we, too, should be circumspect regarding such claims unless the woman can somehow definitively prove her claim. This thinking, however, serves to discredit and demean victims, deterring them from coming forward and speaking up. 

I do not believe this is the lesson we should take away from this portion. This is not a story that should be seen as encouraging us to doubt survivors. Rather, our parashah pushes us to reflect on how power is too often abused by people in positions of authority.

Potiphar’s wife is not identified by her name but rather by her relationship to power. The Torah describes Potiphar as a courtier of Pharaoh and his chief steward. He was clearly a person of importance and influence. Potiphar’s wife is therefore understood as a wealthy, well-connected woman with power and pedigree. This enables her to manipulate the system in her favor to harass Joseph. Joseph’s lack of power makes him a natural target for her. The Torah’s failure to name her directly can be seen as a way of focusing the reader on her role in society instead of on her individuality.

In this sense, Vayeshev serves as a warning about the potential for people in power to take advantage of their subordinates, a behavior that remains all too common. Even more prevalent is the range of ways that power can lead individuals to act with disregard for the humanity of others, particularly those under their charge. Preventing such harassment, of women and men, requires a societal change, beginning with a commitment to end the culture of silence around sexual harassment. There are many reasons why people, particularly men, remain silent, which consequently provides tacit approval for such behavior. Such reasons may include a lack of awareness about the experiences of women, concern over the potential for false accusations, apathy or concern over the potential for backlash. 

Publicly supporting victims in this situation can seem risky to some, but our parashah reminds us of the moral imperative to stand up for what is right, particularly in the face of those who abuse their power.

Rabbi Jonah Zinn serves Congregation Shaare Emeth and is a member of the St. Louis Rabbinical Association, which coordinates the weekly d’var Torah for the Jewish Light.