Vayeshev, Gen 37:1-40:23, Torah portion for 17 Dec 2022
Gen 38: The story of Tamar. Judah had lost two of his sons to Tamar, and was reluctant to give her the third, as he should have. She pretends to be a harlot, to get Judah to take her to bed, and conceive. She has twins, Pharez and Zarah. A story of birthright, as Judah (the fourth son of Jacob) will eventually inherit his father's estate and become the line of kings. Pharez breaks through to get the birthright, though Zarah started to come out first.
I'm a little perplexed as to this brief story, and then nothing more, though I did find this article that I want to share.
The story of Joseph starts in this portion, with his coat of many colors. Loved by Jacob the most of his 11 brothers, they conspire to sell him into slavery and send him to Egypt. Letting Jacob think that Joseph is dead. This portion ends with Joseph in prison, falsely accused of trying to bed Potiphar's wife, and being forgotten by the butler of the Pharoah.
