The story of Joseph’s ketonet passim, often translated as the “coat of many colors,” is central to Parashat Vayeshev. In English culture and language, this coat inspired Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the famous Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice musical. Its vibrant portrayal of the garment and the title of the musical seem to leave no doubt that the stripes must surely have been multi-colored. Yet, the Hebrew phrase sparks debate about what this garment actually was.
While translations like the King James Version describe it as a "coat of many colors," Aryeh Kaplan in The Living Torah highlights the complexity of passim. It can mean "colorful," "embroidered," "striped," or even "ornamented with pictures." Some suggest it was a luxurious long garment reaching the hands and feet, made of wool or silk. Modern translations vary: The Revised Standard Version opts for “a long robe with sleeves,” while the New International Version calls it “a richly ornamented robe.”
Interestingly, the term appears again in 2 Samuel 13:18, describing Tamar’s royal garment, linking Joseph’s coat to themes of status and distinction. This regal symbolism explains his brothers' jealousy, seeing the coat as a mark of Jacob's favoritism and Joseph’s destined leadership.
Joseph’s ketonet passim is a garment of mystery, its interpretations as varied as its supposed colors. It is yet another example of how translations are often interpretations, adding information that was not necessarily present in the original text.