The Hei added to the name of Joseph and the Yud to Pinchas

Synopsis

Rabbi Chiya begins by saying that the angel taught Joseph the seventy languages that the Pharaoh knew but also taught him the Holy Language that the Pharaoh did not. Rabbi Shimon says that even though Joseph pretended not to understand the language of Potiphar's wife she eventually caught onto him and knew that he did understand; then the Holy Spirit known as 'testimony' gave him a warning. It is this testimony that is the Hei that was added to Joseph's name and the Yud that was added to the name of Pinchas.

Relevance

Joseph's greatness was found when he resisted the seductive words and sexual advances of Potiphar's wife, one of the most enchanting women in the world. The inner strength and virtue deeply rooted in Joseph is implanted within us so that we forever triumph over the seductions of our material world.

Pharoah symbolizes man's self-destructive ego. The narrative that expounds upon Joseph's mastery over Pharoah in the Holy Tongue instills in us self-mastery and might, so that we may, at last, triumph over our Evil Inclination. This great Light extends to all human beings. Humanity now achieves its final victory over the angel Satan and his entire legion.

The addition of the Hebrew letters Hei and Yod into the names of Joseph and Pinchas, respectively, indicates the alteration of human nature, the divine aspect of the Creator being imbued into the very being of these people. Here, we too receive an injection of divinity through these two "genetic-like" Hebrew letters. Our essence is forever changed.

Angels Egypt Garments Joseph Pinchas Potiphar Seventy Shechinah Testimony Women

16. Rabbi Chiya began: "This he ordained in Jehoseph for testimony, when he went out over the land of Egypt, I heard the language of him whom I had not known" (Tehilim 81:6). We have learned THAT THE ANGEL taught Joseph seventy languages, AS WERE KNOWN BY PHARAOH, but also in the Holy Tongue HE WAS greater THAN PHARAOH, FOR PHARAOH DID NOT KNOW THE HOLY TONGUE. This is meant by "I heard the language of him whom I had not known" FOR HE TAUGHT HIM LANGUAGES THAT HE HAD NOT KNOWN PREVIOUSLY. But, IF THIS IS SO, what is "testimony?" AND HE ANSWERS, Come and see: When Potiphar's wife took hold of him for the reason, Joseph made himself as one who did not know her language, and so it was each day until the last time, as it is written: "And she caught him by his garment" (Beresheet 39:12). What is the meaning of "she caught him?" Until that time he had pretended that he did not know her language, BUT THEN SHE SAW THROUGH HIM, THAT HE DID KNOW HER LANGUAGE, MEANING THAT HE UNDERSTOOD HER INTENTION. THIS IS THE MEANING OF "SHE CAUGHT HIM:" THAT SHE CAUGHT THE TRICKERY IN HIM. "HIS GARMENT (HEB. beged)," IS DERIVED FROM TRICKERY (HEB. begidah). And the Holy Spirit, THAT IS, MALCHUT, cried out to him, "That they may keep you from the strange woman, from the alien woman who makes smooth her words" (Mishlei 7:5). HE ASKS, what is this trying to teach us here? AND ANSWERS, THIS IS TEACHING US that everyone who keeps himself from such a thing AS JOSEPH DID is bound up with the Shechinah and holds on to this testimony WHICH IS MALCHUT. And which is it? This is the Hei that was added to him, as it is written: "This he ordained in Jehoseph for testimony." Also in our section, a Yud was added to the name of Pinchas because he was zealous over the same matter, THE AFFAIR OF ZIMRI, FOR THE YUD HINTS AT MALCHUT.

16. רִבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח, עֵדוּת בִּיהוֹסֵף שָׂמוֹ וְגוֹ.' הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְּאוֹלִיף שַׁבְעִין פִּתְקִין, וְלָשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ יַתִיר. הה"ד, שְׂפַת לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֶשְׁמָע. אֲבָל מַאי עֵדוּת. ת"ח, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאִתְּתֵיהּ דְּפוֹטִיפַר הֲוַת אֲחִידָא בֵּיהּ לְהַהִיא מִלָּה, הֲוָה יוֹסֵף עָבֵיד גַּרְמֵיהּ כְּמַאן דְּלָא יָדַע לִישָׁנָא דִּילָהּ, וְכֵן בְּכָל יוֹמָא עַד הַהִיא שַׁעֲתָא בַּתְרַיְיתָא, דִּכְתִיב וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂהוּ בְּבִגְדוֹ. מַאי וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂהוּ. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּעָבִיד גַּרְמֵיהּ כְּמַאן דְּלָא יָדַע לִישָׁנָא. וְרוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ צָוַוח לָקֳבְלֵיהּ, לִשְׁמָרְךָ מֵאִשָׁה זָרָה מִנָּכְרִיָּה אֲמָרֶיהָ הֶחֱלִיקָה. מַאי קמ"ל. אֶלָּא כָּל מַאן דְּנָטִיר גַּרְמֵיהּ מֵהַאי, אִתְקְשַׁר בָּהּ בִּשְׁכִינְתָּא, וְאָחִיד בְּהַהוּא עֵדוּת. וּמַאי הוּא. ה' דְּאִתּוֹסַף בֵּיהּ. דִּכְתִיב, עֵדוּת בִּיהוֹסֵף שָׂמוֹ. אוּף הָכָא י' אִתּוֹסַף בְּפִנְחָס, עַל דְּקַנֵּי בְּהַאי.