בראשית לז,ג: כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים וְּיִּשְּ רָאֵל אָהַּב אֶת־יוֹסֵף מִּכָל־בָנָיו כִּי־בֶן־זְּקֻנִּים הוּא לוֹ וְּעָשָה לוֹ
What does “passim” mean?
1) Soft material (Rashi)
2) Palms of the hand – The material of the tunic had a different color where it covered the palms. (Radak and Rabbi Avrohom ben haRambam)
3) Silk (Rabbi Saadiah Gaon)
4) Palms of the hand – The sleeves reached the palms of the hands. (M.R.)
5) Soles of the feet – The leg coverings reached the soles of the feet. (M.R.)
6) Palms of the hand – The material was so fine that the whole tunic could be rolled up and still fit into one’s palm. (Lekach Tov)
7) Consolation – From the word source “piyus” – The garment was made as a consolation payment to Yosef. (Meam Loez)
8) This was not a coat but a wrist band (passim – pas yado). (Baalei Tosfos and Daas Zekanim)
9) פס ים alludes to Krias Yam Suf, the ultimate result of the subsequent events (Bereshis Rabbah)
10) The word itself foretold how long Yosef would be viceroy in Egypt. “פ”= 80 years (Yosef became viceroy at the age of 30) and lived a total of 110 years סים =110 (Tosfos HaSholeim)
Why did Yaacov give Yosef this special coat?
1. Shabbos 10b says: "Rav said that one should never show favoritism toward one son over another. For the paltry sum of two "selah" coins weight of silk, Yosef's brothers became jealous of him, and this resulted in our forefathers' descending to Egypt. The Tzadik Rebbi Nochum'ke of Horodna explains this Gemara as follows: The Gemara Pesachim 113b says that Hashem hates one who sees a wrong action done by his friend and testifies as a lone witness. Yosef had done this, as stated in v. 2, "vayovei Yosef dibosom." This was viewed very negatively by Yaakov, as the verse ends, "ro'eh el avihem," it was bad in Yaakov's eyes that Yosef was a lone witness. Yosef should have been admonished in a direct manner. However, "Yaakov loved Yosef more than all his other sons," and this somewhat covered over Yosef's wrongdoing. Instead, Yaakov chose to admonish him indirectly. Chazal say (Megillah 18a) "If speech is worth one "selah," then remaining quiet is worth two." He therefore gave Yosef a garment whose weight was that of two "selah" to hint that Yosef must refrain from speaking (shtikah bitrei). However, Yosef didn't grasp the message. Because Yaakov treated Yosef differently from his brothers, and did not give direct admonition, our forefathers' descent to Egypt evolved.
2. Yaacov in the depth of his wisdom understood the nature of his son Yosef and the special challenges he would face later in life. Yaacov understood that the special nature lied inside of Yosef. But it needed protection against the jealousy and oppression from the outside forces. Thus, in order to hide and distract others, Yaacov gave Yosef a special coat to worn on the outside. This “foil” was meant to limit and distract others from his special inside nature and focus on the external. This coat of protection conveyed the concept to Yosef of the means to overcome all the forthcoming spiritual trials. (Perhaps this is the source for the red strap the many wear on their arms as a “segulah” against the Evil Eye.)
This concept is expressed in the Yehi Ratzon said by many after the end of Bircas Kohanim. (see Art Scroll siddur). This Yehi Ratzon is based on the 22-letter Divine name (expressed in the first 22-letters of Bircas Kohanim). The prayer includes the phase “just as You granted Yosef, your righteous one, at the time that his father garbed him in a fine woolen tunic (פסים) that he finds favor, kindness and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who behold us.” Thus, the tunic was not a negative item that feed the hatred of others. Rather the tunic was an item of protection and potential means of gathering favor in the eyes of others.
אנקת"ם פסת"ם פספסי"ם דיונסי"ם
Text 10-17: Mei HaShiloach
The holy names associated with the priestly blessing contains twenty-two letters, as is known. The first name (intended on the first word, יברכך) is א"נ"ק"ת"ם. This name signifies a time when a man has not yet received his portion in the words of Torah, and cries out to the blessed G-d to save him from the thoughts and desires that confuse him. Afterward, the blessed G-d has mercy upon him, and releases him from the confusion that disturbs him. This release is hinted at in the second name, פ"ס"ת"ם, (which is intended on the second word, G-d’s name), where the first two letters, פ"ס, are related to expansion as in (Psalms 72:16), בר-פסת —“the abundance [or borders, as R. Hirsch translates] of a grain-field.” This signifies how the blessed G-d grants him the expansion necessary to relieve him of his confusion. The next holy name (intended on וישמרך—and keep you) is פ"ס"פ"ס"ם, which means that the blessed G-d gives him an elevated status over all. (Two times פ"ס, more than expansion— elevation.) The subject of spiritual elevation has in it a dilemma, which teaches of a great depth. How can blessed G-d give the state of spiritual elevation to two Tzaddikim in one generation, where each one is elevated in his portion and stature over all, even over the second one? This is as we find with Moshe and Aaron, where each one was singularly unique in his generation. This is understood through the fourth name, ד"י"ו"נ"ס"י"ם. (The first three letters are intended on the word יאר—shall illuminate; the last four on God’s name, which follows.) ד"י"ו—Diyo is like “Duo,” or two, for the blessed G-d gives both of them the state of spiritual elevation. נ"ס"י"ם —or nissim means miracles. This happens through a miracle. These four levels mention are all hinted at in the words of the priestly blessing.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקַי וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶתַעֲשֶה לְמַעַן קְדֻשַת חֲסָדֶיך וְגֹדֶל רַחֲמֶיךָ הַפְשׂוּטִים וּלְמַעַן טָהֳרַת שִׂמְךָ הַגָדוֹל הַגִבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא, בֶּן עֶשְׂרִ ים וּשְתַיִם אוֹתִיּוֹת הַיּוֹצְאִים מֵ הַפְסוּקִים שֶל בִּרְ כַת כֹהֲנִים (אנקת"ם פסת"ם פספסי"ם דיונסי"ם) הָאֲמוּרָה מִפִי אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו עַם קְדוֹשֶיךָ, שֶתִהְיֶה קָרוֹב לִי בְּקָרְ אִי לְךְ, וְתִשְמַע תְפִלָתִי נַאֲקָתִי וְאֶנְקָתִי תָמִיד, כְמוֹ שֶשָמַעְתָ אֶנְקַת יַעֲקֹב תְמִימֶךָ הַנִּקְרָא אִיש תָּם, וְתִתֶן לִי וּלְכָל נַפְשוֹת בֵּיתִי מְזוֹנוֹתֵינוּ וּפַרְ נָסָתֵנוּ בְּרֶוַח וְלֹא בְצִמְצוּם, בְּהֶתֶר וְלֹא בְאִסּוּר, בְּנַחַת וְלֹא בְצַעַר, מִתַחַת יָדְךָ הָרְ חָבָה, כְשֵם שֶ נָתַתָ פִּסַת לֶחֶם לֶאֱכוֹל וּבֶגֶד לִלְבּוֹש לְיַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ הַנִּקְרָא אִיש תָּם, וְתִתְנֵנוּ לְאַהֲבָה לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ, וְיִהְיוּ דְבָרַי נִשְמָעִים לַעֲבוֹדָתֶך, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנָּתַתָּ אֶׁת יוֹסֵׁ ף צַדִּיקֶׁךָ בְּשָּעָּה שֶׁהִּלְּבִּישוֹ אָּבִּיו כְּתוֹנֶׁת פַּסִּים לְּחֵׁן וּלְּחֶׁסֶׁד וּלְּרַחֲמִּים בְּעֵׁינֶׁיךָ וּבְּעֵׁינֵׁי כָּל רוֹאָּיו, וְתַעֲשֶׂה עִמִי נִפְלָאוֹת וְנִּסִּים וּלְטוֹבָה אוֹת, וְתַצְלִיחֵנִי בִּדְרָכַי, וְתֵן בְּלִבִּי בִּינָה לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂ כִיל וּלְקַיֵּם אֶת כָל דִבְרֵי תַלְמוּד תוֹרָתֶךָ וְסוֹדוֹתֶיהָ , וְתַצִילֵנִי מִשְגִיאוֹת, וּתְטַהֵר רַעְיוֹנַי וְלִבִּי לַעֲבוֹדָתֶךָ וּלְיִרְ אָתֶךָ וְתַאֲרִ יךְ יָמַי (נשוי אומר וִימֵי אִשְׂתִי וּבָנַי וּבְנוֹתַי) (ואם יש לו אב ואם יאמר וִימֵי אָ בִי וְאִמִי) בְּטוֹב וּבִנְעִימוֹת בְּרוֹב עוֹז וְשָלוֹם אָמֵן סֶלָה:
This phrase is used one other time in Tanach to describe the garment worn by Dovid's daughter Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:18-19.
זְּקֻנִּים because he (Yosef) was the son hie old age Baal haTurim writes that the word זְקֻנִים is acronym for a larger understanding of Yosef: זרעים, קדשים, נשים, ישועות (נזיקין), מועד These are the five orders of the Mishneh; Yosef did not learn Seder Taharos from his father, Yaacov. The sefer Ashrei Lev explains that that as Avrohom was Chesed, Yitzchak was Gevurah, etc., Yosef was midas Yesod. Likewise, the days of the week line up: Avrohom was the first day, Yitzchak the second, day, etc. and Yosef was day six (and Dovid was Shabbos). Plus, the Seder of Mishniyos was so divided according to the source of the Avos: Zerarim with Avrohom; Yitzchak with Nashim, etc. and Yosef with Taharos. Therefore, the Ariz”l taught that the each day of the week has a connection to certain parts of learning (Torah, Neviim, Kesuvim, Mishneh, Gemura, Mussar, Zohr, etc. Thus, Yosef’s source was Taharos, and his father did not need to teach him this Seder of Mishneh.
