Joseph and Zuleika

Jami (1414-1492) described the story in his poem Yusuf and Zuleika. The Medrash story about all Zuleika's friends cutting their fingers is retold as follows:

The poem now pursues the Scriptural account of the life of Joseph, or Yussuf, whose supernatural beauty is, however, described as being the special gift of God and recorded to have been so great that no woman could look on him without love. Zuleika, therefore, only shared the fate of all her sex. 

Some writers say the ladies who clamored so much against her for her passion were, when he first entered the chamber where they were all assembled, in the act of cutting pomegranates, some say oranges, and in their admiration and amazement cut their fingers instead of the fruit! 

Yussuf is considered the emblem of divine perfection, and Zuleika's love is the image of the love of the creature toward the Creator: some go so far as to say that we ought to follow her example and should permit the beauty of God to transport us out of ourselves. The rapid change from prison to the high estate of Yussuf they consider a type of impatience of the soul to burst its fetters and join its Creator. Yussuf was always surrounded with celestial light, typical as well of the moral beauty and wisdom which adorned his mind. He is sold as a slave, and Zuleika becomes his purchaser, to the great rage and envy of all her rivals, amongst whom was included the Princess Nasigha, of the race of Aad. 

The beautiful Yussuf now enters her service, and, at his own desire, a flock of sheep is given to his special keeping, his admiring mistress wishing, by every indulgence, to attach him to her. The nurse of Zuleika is the confidante of the passion which she cannot control and which, at length, in an imprudent moment, she discloses to its object himself. 

His father, Jacob, or the angel Gabriel in his likeness, appears to warn him of his danger, and he flies, leaving his mistress in an agony of despair, rage, and grief. She thus exclaims: 

Is this a dream?—another dream,


Now continue with the poem,


Is this a dream?—another dream,
Like that which stole my senses first,
Which sparkled o'er my life's dull stream,
By idle, erring fancy nursed?
Was it for this my life I spent
In murmurs deep, and discontent—
Slighted, for this, all homage due,
From gen'rous, faithful love withdrew?
For this, no joy, no pomp have prized;
For this, all honors have despised—
Left all my soul, to passion free,
To be thus hated—spurned-by thee?


The poem is called "The Women of Memphis" and can be found here (search for entry 224). It is lovely.

In the finale of the story Zuleika, old and imprisoned, sees Yusuf in his kingly attire. She runs to him, and Yusuf, recognizing that she is the true love, marries her. Zuleika becomes young again through a miracle.


The Sefer Gilgulei Neshamot tells that the reincarnation of Joseph was Yehoshuah, and the reincarnation of Zuleika was Rahav, one of the four most beautiful women in history. Yehoshuah married Rahav, making the poet finally correct.