Karpas Joseph and Mashiach: from Sorrow to Victory
Genesis 37:3
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכׇּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.
Rashi describes the coat of many colors as k’li mailat k’mo karpas, a “clothing of fine wool.” Rashi derived this meaning from the appearance of the word karpas in the Book of Esther 1:6, where it refers to a fine linen garment (according to the Targum Aramaic translation, karpas here actually means wool.). The verse in Esther is the only time the word karpas appears in the Tanach .
This connection helps us understand why dipping the karpas is the first ritual (after the ceremonial hand-washing) of the seder. It is the giving of the coat of many colors to Joseph that led the Israelites to Egypt. It was what literary scholars refer to as the inciting incident for the Passover story.
We can also draw a connection between the dipping of the karpas in saltwater during the seder and the dipping of Joseph’s coat into blood by his brothers. After Joseph’s brothers sell him into slavery, they tell their father he was murdered and devoured by a wild beast. They dip his coat in blood and show it to their father to convince him of their lie.
To further emphasize the connection between the coat and the karpas, some medieval rabbis ruled that the karpas should be dipped in red vinegar to remind us of the blood in which the coat of many colors was dipped. But over time saltwater prevailed as a symbol of the tears of slavery.
When We dip the Karpas it Should not only remind us of Yosef but Also Machaich. We know whatever happens to Yoseph should also be linked to Mashiach. As we know Yosef is a prototype of the Messiah.
Genesis 37:31
וַיִּקְח֖וּ אֶת־כְּתֹ֣נֶת יוֹסֵ֑ף וַֽיִּשְׁחֲטוּ֙ שְׂעִ֣יר עִזִּ֔ים וַיִּטְבְּל֥וּ אֶת־הַכֻּתֹּ֖נֶת בַּדָּֽם׃
Then they took Joseph’s tunic, slaughtered a kid, and dipped the tunic in the blood
Rashi comments and says the following “שעיר עזים A KID OF THE GOATS — its blood resembles that of a human being (Genesis Rabbah 84:19).” Using Gezerah Shavah this is linked to many passages let’s look at a few.
Isaiah 61:10
שׂ֧וֹשׂ אָשִׂ֣ישׂ בַּֽיהֹוָ֗ה תָּגֵ֤ל נַפְשִׁי֙ בֵּֽאלֹהַ֔י כִּ֤י הִלְבִּישַׁ֙נִי֙ בִּגְדֵי־יֶ֔שַׁע מְעִ֥יל צְדָקָ֖ה יְעָטָ֑נִי כֶּֽחָתָן֙ יְכַהֵ֣ן פְּאֵ֔ר וְכַכַּלָּ֖ה תַּעְדֶּ֥ה כֵלֶֽיהָ׃
I greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being exults in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of triumph, wrapped me in a robe of victory, like a bridegroom adorned with a turban, like a bride bedecked with her finery.
Pesikta Rabbati comments on this and says the following. “As a bridegroom puts on a priestly diadem (Isa. 61:10). This text teaches that the Holy One, blessed be he, will put upon Ephraim, our true Messiah, a garment whose splendor will stream forth from world’s end to world’s end; and Israel will make use of his light and say: Blessed is the hour in which He was created! Blessed is the womb whence he came! Blessed is the generation whose eyes behold him! …Blessed are the forebears of the man who merited the goodness of the world, the Messiah, hidden for eternity [-to come].”
Pesikta Rabbati, Piska 37, translated by William Braude, Yale University Press, pg. 689
The Bridegroom getting ready for the Bride this sounds a lot like Revelations!
Revelations 19:9-13
Then the angel tells me, “Write: How fortunate are those who have been invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb!” He also tells me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that—for I am only a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God! For the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of Prophecy.”
Final Battle of this Age
11 Then I saw heaven opened,[i] and behold, a white horse! The One riding on it is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and many royal crowns are on His head. He has a name written that no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood,[j] and the name by which He is called is “the Word of God.”
Now we see a parallel just as Yosef’s coat was dipped in blood we see Messiah’s clothes dipped in blood. But whose blood is this? Let’s see what Isaiah says.
מִי־זֶ֣ה ׀ בָּ֣א מֵאֱד֗וֹם חֲמ֤וּץ בְּגָדִים֙ מִבׇּצְרָ֔ה זֶ֚ה הָד֣וּר בִּלְבוּשׁ֔וֹ צֹעֶ֖ה בְּרֹ֣ב כֹּח֑וֹ אֲנִ֛י מְדַבֵּ֥ר בִּצְדָקָ֖ה רַ֥ב לְהוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
Who is this coming from Edom, In crimsoned garments from Bozrah—Who is this, majestic in attire,”Pressing forward in His great might?
“It is I, who contend victoriously, Powerful to give triumph.”
-Isaiah 63:1
Ramchal, R’ Moshe Chaim Luzzato, comments on this.
“I will explain to you a certain sod which is completely sealed, and it concerns what is written, “Who is this who comes from Edom…’ (Yeshayahu 63:1). This is the Tzadik, and he is Mashiach ben Yosef.”
-Ramchal, Ma’amar HaGeulah, Secrets of the Redemption, Translated by R’ Mordecai Nissim, Feldheim Press, pg 118
The Koren Steinsaltz Nevim Commentary By Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Stensaltz comments on this verse and says the following
“Red-Clothed [Hamutz]: Although the word hamutz generally denotes sour food, in this context it is apparently referring to a red dish color (see Radak). Perhaps this word is chosen due to the smell of the blood on the garments, or because they appear as though they were dirtied by vinegar [homtez]. (cited at The Koren Steinsaltz Nevim Commentary By Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Stensaltz pg 889)
Enoch describes not only the Messiah being glorified but being crowned.
En 14
20 And the Great Glory was sitting upon it—as for his gown, which was shining more brightly than the sun, it was whiter than any snow. 21 None of the angels was able to come in and see the face of the Excellent and the Glorious One; and no one of the flesh can see him—22* the flaming fire was round about him, and a great fire stood before him. No one could come near unto him from among those that surrounded the tens of millions (that stood) before him. 23 He needed no council, but the most holy ones who are near to him neither go far away at night nor move away from him. 24 Until then I was prostrate on my face covered and trembling. And the Lord called me with his own mouth and said to me, “Come near to me, Enoch, and to my holy Word.” 25 And he lifted me up and brought me near to the gate, but I (continued) to look down with my face.
James H. Charlesworth, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1 (New York; London: Yale University Press, 1983), 21.
Gk Beale comments on Revelations 19:13
καὶ περιβεβλημένος ἱμάτιον βεβαμμένον αἵματι, καὶ κέκληται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ.
13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood,[j] and the name by which He is called is “the Word of God.”
In support of understanding Christ in 19:13 as an agent of judgment is Targ. Pal. Gen. 49:11: “his garments, dipped [or “rolled,” m‘g ‘gyn] in blood, are like the outpressed juice of grapes,” which alludes to Isa. 63:2 in describing the Messiah’s defeat of the enemy (Targum Neofiti uses the same verb “dipped”). V 12 of the Targum continues, “How beautiful are the eyes of King Messiah, as the pure wine. He cannot look … on the shedding of the blood of the innocent.” This is striking since the reference to eyes in the Targum connotes the Messiah’s attribute of justice for the oppressed, as does the reference to Jesus’ eyes in Rev. 19:12 (esp. following the clause “he judges and wages war in righteousness” in v 11 and following “blood of his servants” in v 2). In the Apocalypse “blood” can refer to the suffering of Christ or of Christians as well as to the suffering of those judged, or it can be a metaphor of judgment itself. The most decisive use is in 14:18–20, where “blood” is used with winepress metaphors and is clearly a picture of the judgment of unbelievers.
– G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1999), 959.
The Karpas not only should remind us of the sorrow that Yosef went through but the future victory and judgment and Redemption that we will have. Hope this chidush has blessed you! Shalom