By Avner Friedmann
Last week’s Parshah told us that when Yosef was in prison, his two cellmates, the royal butler and the royal baker, each had a disturbing dream on the same night, which Yosef successfully interpreted. He told them that in three days time the royal baker would lose his head and the royal butler would be reinstated to his original position.
Before the royal butler was released from prison, Yosef asked him to please intercede with Pharaoh on his behalf and ask him to commute his sentence and free him from prison. The Parshah states,[1] “When your fortune improves, remember me and please do me a kindness. Mention me to Pharaoh and take me out of this house. For I was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and here too, I did nothing to be put into the dungeon.”
However, due to this momentary weakening of trust in HaShem and putting his trust in a human being, we are told that Yosef had to suffer an additional two years in prison, making up a total of twelve years[2]. This begs a question asked by many commentators. “According to this, it seems that if a person tries to extricate himself from difficulty, he lacks faith in HaShem? But how could this be? Don’t our rabbis teach us that not only are we allowed to do so, but on the contrary, rather than relying passively on miracles, we have an obligation to do so?
It is brought in the name of the Baal Shem Tov[3] that regarding faith and trust (emunah and bitachon), there are two kinds of people. Most of us fall into the first category. Since we live in a natural world, we therefore must use natural means to save ourselves from hardships and difficulties. However, there also are special, righteous individuals (Tzaddikim) who have complete and total trust in HaShem. They are always cognizant of HaShem’s presence and therefore have an acute awareness of His personal supervision in their daily lives and are conscious of Him in everything they encounter. To them, the miraculous is part and parcel of their daily lives. HaShem is always their only salvation and to them, relying on anything other than Him is lack of faith.
Yosef was such an individual. Throughout his life he always demonstrated the highest level of trust in HaShem. We see this when he was thrown into the pit by his brothers, when they sold him into slavery and when he was falsely accused by his master’s wife and thrown into the dungeon etc. Every step of the way, Yosef was aware of HaShem’s and knew that He was with him. About him, the verse,[4] “Praiseworthy is the man who has made HaShem his trust”, is applicable.
HaShem supervises each person according to his spiritual level.[5] Therefore, a person who believes in nature is subject to the laws of nature. However, if a person truly realizes that he is always in HaShem’s presence and that everything is HaShem’s doing; if he nullifies himself to HaShem and puts his trust wholly in Him, then HaShem deals with him in a manner that is completely above the laws of nature. When Yosef asked the butler for help, he was relying on natural means. Therefore, he was given two additional years in prison in which to attain a higher degree of humility and reliance on HaShem.
The Talmud[6] tells us that “With those who are close to Him (like Yosef), The Holy One, Blessed is He, is exacting to a hair’s breadth.” Because of their greatness, such individuals are judged even for the tiniest infraction. This is in order to purify them and make them fully worthy of untainted reward in the World to Come. On the other hand, for ordinary people, it would be sinful to disregard a natural opportunity to save oneself, such as asking a human being for a favor.
At the completion of two years, Yosef was rushed out of prison, suddenly finding himself before the king of Egypt. Any other person would have been tempted to try to impress Pharaoh, but not Yosef. Rather, when Pharaoh told him that he had heard of his unique talent to interpret dreams, Yosef responded,[7] “It is not me. G-d will provide for Pharaoh’s welfare.” About this Rashi comments[8], “This wisdom is not mine”. In other words, under no circumstances do I claim to possess special powers. Rather, it all is attributable to G-d Himself.
Yosef took the risk that Pharaoh would not be impressed with him as an individual and send him back to prison. Instead, he placed total trust in HaShem. He understood that HaShem runs the world and that whatever happens is completely His doing, as it states in the Rambam’s Principles of Faith, “I believe with a perfect faith that the Creator, blessed is His name, He creates and directs all creatures, and He alone did, does and will do all actions.”
Because of this, HaShem responded, as it were, “Just as you acknowledged My kingship before Pharaoh, therefore measure for measure, Pharaoh will say to you,[9] “See! I have placed you in charge of all the land of Egypt etc. I am Pharaoh, and without you no man shall lift up his hand or foot throughout the land of Egypt.”
This matter, of placing our faith and trust solely upon HaShem and that when we do so, He responds in kind, is closely connected to the holiday of Chanukah. The Maccabees, were just a handful of priests, and they understood that according to nature, their chances for victory against the mighty Greek Empire was virtually impossible. However, as faithful, G-d fearing people, they put their complete trust in HaShem. They recognized that they had no power of their own and that ultimately everything is in HaShem’s hands. They would do the right thing and HaShem would give them success if they deserved it. As a result of their faith and trust, they were miraculously victorious.
In our generation, we too need to put our full trust in HaShem. Throughout our long history, the Jewish people have been like a lamb surrounded by seventy wolves. According to nature our survival has always been quite impossible. Nonetheless, by holding on to our faith and trust in HaShem, not only are we alive and well, but the enemies who desired to devour us, are no more. The great Babylonian, Egyptian, Assyrian, Greek and Roman empires, along with many others, are no more, but we are here, alive and vibrant. We need to realize that our faith and trust in HaShem is our greatest strength and that just as HaShem saved us from our enemies before, so will He save us in our generation.
The Holy Zohar states that[10] HaShem never abandons His Tzaddikim. He protects them in this world and in the World to Come, as it is written[11]: “But all who take refuge in You will rejoice, they will sing joyously forever, You will shelter them… When You bless the righteous, HaShem, You envelop him with favor like a shield.”
May we experience HaShem’s salvation with the true and complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach, speedily in our times, Amen!
[1] Bereshit 40:14-15
[2] Rashi 40:23.
[3] Nachshoni in the name of Toldot.
[4] See Rashi in Bereshit 40:23, who brings Psalms 40:5.
[5] Letter from Ejiyahu, Vol. 3, P. 231, and Vo. 4 P. 30.
[6] Yevamot 121b and Baba Kamah 50.
[7] Bereshit 41:16.
[8] 41:16.
[9] Bereshit 41:41-44.
[10] Vayeshev 189b
[11] Psalms 5:12-13.
