Rabbi Sacks writes that in the parashah, Joseph is the object of the actions of others—the hurtful acts by his brothers against him, the actions of Potiphar’s wife–rather than his own. In contrast, the actions that are his—dreaming, running Potiphar’s house, interpreting the dreams of others—are attributed explicitly to God. In this way, Joseph is a unique figure in the Tanakh. The few times when he tried to control his own fate backfired. This is a paradox.
