בראשית, פרק ל״ט, פסוק ט׳

In the fateful moment of temptation with his master's wife, Joseph presents a multi-layered and deeply reasoned defense. His response is far more than a simple refusal; it outlines a complete moral and religious worldview built upon profound gratitude toward his earthly master and an unwavering reverence for God. Joseph begins by highlighting his unique status and the immense authority he wields. He emphasizes the excellent conditions his master has provided, noting that no servant in the household holds a higher rank [אוהב גר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because his master trusted him entirely and withheld absolutely nothing from his control, this absolute confidence is precisely what should make loyalty effortless. Lacking nothing, he has no justification to rebel [בכור שור].

The sole exception to his vast authority is the master's wife herself. Commentators explain that this boundary does not necessarily stem from an explicit warning to stay away from her, but rather arises naturally from her status as a married woman. While Joseph is entrusted with her material needs and property, marital intimacy remains strictly out of bounds [ספורנו, אור החיים, תולדות יצחק]. Nevertheless, another perspective suggests that the master, noticing the young man's striking physical beauty, may indeed have issued a direct warning regarding his wife [רד״ק].

Building his case, Joseph categorizes the proposed act into two distinct wrongs: a betrayal of man and a sin against God [רבנו בחיי, מלבי״ם]. On the human level, he points to the profound moral injustice of repaying kindness with evil. His master elevated him and placed total faith in him. To sleep with his wife would be an act of absolute ingratitude and a vile betrayal of a benefactor [ספורנו, שד״ל, ביאור יש״ר]. Moving to the religious realm, Joseph anticipates the inevitable argument that their actions could remain a secret. He counters that even if the betrayal is hidden from his master and the rest of society, it is never hidden from God, who will ultimately deliver punishment [שד״ל, חזקוני, צאינה וראינה].

The primary approach among commentators is that this sin against God refers to the universal prohibition of adultery, a law binding upon all of humanity long before the giving of the Torah. Joseph highlights this to show that he is not merely observing a voluntary family tradition, which would not constitute a punishable offense, but is rather bound by an absolute divine decree [רש״י, רד״ק, גור אריה]. Furthermore, he implies a logical progression: if unmarried foreign women are forbidden to Hebrews, a married woman is undeniably prohibited [תולדות יצחק]. Alternatively, the sin against God can be understood as the act of betrayal itself. Because God despises traitors and demands absolute loyalty, betraying an earthly master is inherently a grievous sin against Heaven [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך].

Joseph deliberately orders his arguments, mentioning the betrayal of his master before the sin against God, to tailor his defense to his audience. Speaking to an Egyptian woman unfamiliar with Divine law, he leads with the universally understood, logical argument of ingratitude and broken trust. Only after establishing a premise she can easily grasp does he introduce the religious imperative [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, מזרחי]. Beyond the immediate moral boundaries, Joseph's refusal carries a profound spiritual weight. The essence of sin is its power to remove a person from the influence of Divine light. Yielding to his urges would mean forfeiting his spiritual stature, severing his connection to the divine source of souls, and plunging into the darkness of animalistic lust [אור החיים, רש״ר הירש]. This awareness was so acute that he refused even the slightest compromise. Knowing that mere physical proximity without full contact would inevitably lead to a complete downfall and sin against God, he rejected any form of intimacy [דברי דוד].