Joseph the Charmer and the Correlation between Scholarliness and Good Looks

It would seem from the Talmud (Nedarim 50b), that one's scholarly achievements are inversely related to his attractiveness. For proof, I bring you this story that took place between the Roman Emperor's daughter, and the illustrious scholar, "Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya."

"The daughter of the emperor said to Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya: You are the epitome of magnificent Torah, but it is stored in an ugly vessel, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya was an unattractive man. He said to her: You may learn the answer to your statement from your father’s house. In what container do you place wine? She said to him: In earthenware vessels. He said to her: Is it conceivable that everyone stores their wine in earthenware vessels, and you also store it in earthenware vessels? Is there no distinction between the emperor and ordinary people? You should place your wine in vessels of silver and gold.

She went and placed the wine in vessels of silver and gold, and it spoiled. Rabbi Yehoshua said to her: The same is also true of the Torah. It spoils if it is contained in a handsome person. She asked him: But are there not people who are both good looking and learned in Torah? He said to her: If they were ugly they would be even more learned." https://www.sefaria.org.il/Nedarim.50b?lang=bi

And thus, the question can be asked, Why is it that Yaakov praises Joseph's good looks? "A charming son is Joseph, a charming son to the eye; each of the daughters climbed heights to gaze."(Translation: Artscroll). 

A few years ago, I saw an article in an Israeli paper in which the parents of an Israeli model were interviewed after their daughter was featured prominently in a magazine with global readership. The parents said something to the effect of: "We are so proud of our daughter being on the cover of the __________ Magazine. It brings us so much joy, and we knew that she could do it." And I remember, very puzzled, wondering: "What is it the parents were so proud of?" If looks, after all, are innate, than -its educational baseness aside - why would the parents be so proud of their daughters looks? And were she ugly, if such a thing exists, would the parents be any less proud? (As an aside, my wife, very wisely always reminds me to praise our daughters for their intelligence, creative endeavors, righteousness, and kindness.)

Though perhaps this is not the time to deliberate on the matter but it would seem that what Yaakov was doing is setting a paradigm for our conceptualization of reality. For, those who believe that the words of wisdom about each and every son's destiny was a blessing is mistaken. The Torah explicitly states that these were not blessings, nor were they meant to be blessings. "All these are the tribes of Israel - twelve - and this is what their father spoke to them and he blessed them; he blessed each according to his appropriate blessing," i.e. Yaakov shared a parting message with each son - and only then did he bless them, each with a bracha whose content we will never know. Each received both a personalized, and loving message, and each received a personal, heart-to-heart blessing. The messages we are told, the blessings we are not. 

Thus, in summary, it would seem to be that Yaakov's message about Joseph - both for him and for all of am Yisrael for perpetuity is that if you have good looks that's part of your overall purpose in life. Joseph came full circle - from his childish, puerile behavior, playing with his hair, to acting with the utmost modesty, and then doing a kiddush Hashem, rising to the top leadership post of Egypt, maintaining his inner modesty and sensitivity, not having children when others suffered at the time of famine, and becoming a truly sensitized Jew, the opposite of gaudiness and egotistical, self-absorption and obsession with one's own vanity. And for that, Yaakov Avinu praised Joseph, the handsome son of his beautiful wife, Rachel, who didn't flaunt his looks but used them to facilitate the realization of a higher cause.