Yosef's Sons

Yosef was given a wife by paroh who was the daughter of priest in Egypt. Not jewish. Yosef had 2 sons with this woman. Efraim and menashe. Technically they would not be jewish.. what's the answer?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

You are correct that Yosef married a woman named Osnat. Osnat was the daughter of Potiphera, an idolatrous priest. priest of On, to be his wife.

According to some sources, Osnat was Jewish and was produced from the rape of Dina. Dina, of course, was Jewish, so Osnat was Jewish as well, even though her father was the evil Shechem.

The reason she was named Osnat is because when Yakov heard that Dina was raped he was very embarrassed by this granddaughter. The baby was sent away and placed under a thornbush. The word “Osnat” is relieved to “sneh” which means bush.

We are also told that the abandoned Osnat was left with a golden plate on which it was engraved that she was Jewish.

The story then continues that the angel Michael came and took baby Osnat to Egypt leaving her at the home of Potiphera. Potiphera and his wife her only too happy to adopt the baby as they were childless. Osnat was treated well and raised exactly like a daughter.

When Joseph became second in command of Egypt, all the ladies wanted to marry him. They would throw their jewellery and other objects at him to get hi attention. Osnat had nothing to throw to Yosef except the golden plate bearing the inscription that she was Jewish. When Yosef saw it he knew he was to marry her. And so, it was.

According to other sources, Osnat was indeed a non-Jewish Egyptian who converted to Judaism upon marrying Yosef. In those days, converting to Judaism meant merely accepting the belief in the One God and living by a code or morality.

It is interesting to note that Yosef was the first Jew to give his wife a Ketubah upon marriage.

Pirkei D’rebbi Eliezer, ch. 38; Midrash Tanchuma 14:1; Chizkuni, Gen. 41:45