Parsha:

Vayeishev 

Description

The sale of Yosef into slavery is an event with powerful ripple effects throughout both immediate and long-term Jewish history; however, a close read of the text demonstrates that it isn't at all clear that the brothers were the ones who sold him at all. An inquiry into the Midrashic tradition of the brothers selling Yosef and the 12-13th century "peshat" exegesis of Rashbam and Hizkuni demonstrates that there are often subtler issues at play when we address narrative texts - especially in Beresheet.