Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

"And Yisrael loved Yosef more than all his children…. and he made him an embroidered cloak - ".כתנת פסים (37, 3)

Pasim

On the words "and he made him a כתנת פסים  our Rabbis ob'm say – named for the troubles of Yosef who was sold to Potifar, merchants, Ishmaelites, Midianites - פוטיפר, סוחרים, ישמעאלים, מדינים  - initials for פסים.

We must understand this matter, for why would Yakov Avinu have made a Ketonet Pasim for Yosef to allude to the troubles he would have? Is there any benefit in this?

First as an introduction we will bring that which is said in the Midrash (Breishit Rabba) "And Yisrael loved Yosef" – Rabbi Shimon son of Lakish said in the name of Rabbi Elazar son of Azarya: It says "Go and see the works of G-d, He is awesome… toward mankind" and thereafter it says "He changed the sea into dry land. "Why is it that "they hated him"(Yosef). It was so that the sea would part before them פסים = פס ים-.

This is to be understood according to the Midrash Tanchuma (Vayeshev) "and he fled and went outside" – וינס ויצא החוצה  - G-d says – You fled and went outside. I promise you that the sea will flee from your coffin, as it says. "The sea saw and fled". Likewise, it says in the Midrash Sochar Tov (Tehilim): "The sea saw and fled" – What did it see? It saw the coffin of Yosef being brought down into the sea. G-d say. It (the sea) shall flee from the one who fled (=Yosef who fled and ran away from his master's wife) as it says "And she caught him by his garment…. and he fled and went outside" – so too the sea will flee before him.

This is therefore the explanation of Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya: "Why did they hate him?" In other words, why did G-d make the Tribes (who were righteous) hate Yosef? "So that the sea would part before them" – so that the brothers would sell Yosef and there in Egypt Yosef would have the difficult trial with his master's wife and would remain holy "and he fled and went outside" and in this merit the sea would part before Israel as it says "The sea saw and fled" – as G-d had said, "It shall flee from the one who fled."

Therefore Yakov made the Kutonet Pasim with the letters פסים   to allude to the fact that this garment that aroused the brothers' hatred was that which caused the sea to part for Israel when they left Egypt.

We can add what the Chatam Sofer said that Yakov Avinu made the Kutonet Pasim for his son Yosef with the word פסים  because this is a Name that protects, so that no one could harm him. The Maor Vashemesh wrote that "It is known that Yakov imparted Yosef with the Holy Name of 22 Letters that comes out of the Priestly Blessing, especially the name PASIM which helps for charm and protection. He therefore made the Kutonet Pasim with this intention by joining together the letters of the 22 Letters.

The source of this idea is from Rabeinu Bechaya who writes in the name of the Midrash, "And he made him a כתנת פסים – he taught him the secret of the 22 letters…. and this means he enveloped him with the wisdom of the 22 letters as he had learned from Shem and Ever."

Concerning this the holy Kabalist the Rama'k wrote in his book Pardes Rimonim: The Name of 22 Letters is called thus because it has 22 letters…. and that is the name אנקת''ם פספסי''ם דיונסי''ם פסת''ם  and that emerges from the Priestly Blessing according to the words therein.

The Tzror Hamor also wrote that "the Name that comes out of these three verses (of Birkat Kohanim) is the Name of the 22 Letters alluded to in בך יברך ישראל  - to teach us that this blessing contains the entire Torah that is written with the 22 letters of the Aleph Beit… and it is good for protection and for everything. And for those who say it as part of the prayers it will be very helpful especially when it is said in the Priestly Blessings whose words form the initials of those Letters.

Our Rabbis ob'm tell us (Maor Vashemesh) that the reason the Tribes took off the Kutonet Pasim from Yosef before selling him is because they would not have been able to sell him asl long as he was wearing the Kutonet Pasim that Yakov Avinu had made him with the Holy Names to protect him from any evil.

According to the Vayishma Reuven: It is difficult to understand, why did they take the Kutonet Pasim off him? According to the simple meaning it seems to be that Yakov gave Yosef the Name of the 22 Letters of the Birkat Kohahim, especially the name PASIM that helps for charm and protection, and he therefore made him the Kutonet Pasim with this intention, by joining together the 22 Letters.

We can therefore understand why Yakov made the Kutonet Pasim for Yosef and he alluded therein to the troubles Yosef would have being sold to .פוטיפר סוחרים ישמעאלים מדיינים  Because Yakov, in his Divine inspiration felt that Yosef would have troubles from all of these and therefore in his holy wisdom made the Kutonet Pasim for Yosef with the Holy Names that would be a great protection for the one wearing it, so that Yosef would not be harmed physically or spiritually. This, as we have said, is because the Name of 22 Letters was within it. However, the Tribes took the Kutonet Pasim off Yosef because thereby they were able to sell him to the merchants who brought him down to Egypt.

SHABBAT SHALOM!!!