S: The story of Joseph is not of the Torah . It is said that he had many brothers by different mothers. But only one brother by the same, who was younger than him. Maybe he was the youngest, I do not remember. It has been a long time since I read this. It is said that he was sold into slavery by his brothers, because his brothers were jealous of the attention his father gave him. Because he was… let me think here. Yes, I remember, he was the youngest child of his mother and his mother died giving birth to him . And she was a much loved wife. And therefore this one was, how do you say… probably spoiled. He received many things that the brothers did not think quite fair. And therefore, his father presented him with a coat with sleeves and he was….
Wait a minute! In our Bible story, his father gave him a coat of many colors. I interrupted, “A coat with what?”
S: A coat with sleeves. A robe that has sleeves. Usually the robe does not have sleeves, it is just an open robe. Anyway, it was nice and new and so they were jealous and they decided they wanted to take this from him and he said, ” No! You know father gave this to me.” And they had an argument about it and so they threw him in a well, I believe it was, or lowered him down into it, I do not remember. And they said that, “Well, we cannot let him come back to father. He will tell what we have done.” So they decided they were going to kill him. His brother of the same mother said, “No, no, we cannot do this. He is our brother. You know, we cannot do this.” And so, therefore, he decides that they would sell him to slavers that would go into Egypt and they would never see him again. So they sold him.
D : What did the brothers tell the father?
S: They brought the coat back and they had smeared lamb’s blood, I believe, on the coat and said that he had been attacked by a lion and that he was no more. That this was all that they had found.
D: Then what happened after the slavers sold him?
S: His master finding out what an intelligent man he is put him to work for… let’s see, bookkeeper, I believe, (I am assuming this is the word . It was pronounced strangely) and in charge of his estates. And his wife decides she wants Joseph and he says, “No, no, no.” So she gets him in trouble with that master, and that master throws him into prison. And, let me think now … There was an adviser to Pharaoh who had fallen out of favor who was also there, who had dreams. And Joseph being able to understand dreams, told him what they meant. And so when that the adviser to Pharaoh was released from prison, he told him to remember him . And in due time he did. And when Pharaoh had a dream , Joseph was remembered and brought to interpret and which he did. And in doing so he saved Egypt, because Egypt had seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. And Egypt was the only one that was prepared, and all the lands around were starving. So, it is said that when there were no more foods for his family to eat, he (Joseph’s father) sent them (the brothers) to Egypt. And Joseph is said to have found out that they were there and accused them of stealing. And saying that they must leave the youngest son with him, who was the brother of the same mother. And they could not recognize Joseph because he had changed so much.
D : It had been many years?
S: Yes, and… let me think. So they went home and they told their father and he was supposed to come back with them or something. I cannot remember. Anyway, they eventually met and everybody had to admit what had happened. But Joseph, being the great man that he was, forgave them and so did their father. And so they were great in Egypt. This is how that the family got to Egypt for they moved them there. It is a very long story and part of our history.
