A Jew in All Circumstances

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

Parshas Vayeishev begins just after the Torah lists the members of the House of Esav. Rashi comments (Bereishis 37:1) that when Yaakov beheld this mighty family (each of Esav’s sons was a general), he became worried. “Who can conquer all of them?” he thought to himself. In response, the first verse of Vayeishev states, “These are the generations of Yaakov: Yosef.” Rashi (based on Ovadia 1:18) explains that Yaakov is likened to fire; Yosef, a flame; and the House of Esav to straw. “One spark from Yosef will burn up all of these (descendants of Esav).” Indeed, when Yosef was born, Yaakov understood that he could now return to Eretz Yisrael and face Esav (Bava Basra 123b).

Yosef’s crucial role is clear from various other sources. The Sages say that Yosef was the one who fought Amalek, a descendant of Esav (ibid.). Moshiach ben Yosef will be the one tasked with fighting Gog and Magog in the end of days.

Indeed, the rest of the book of Bereishis focuses on events that brought about Klal Yisrael’s journey to Egypt. At every turn, we see awesome displays of Hashem’s oversight of worldly matters great and small (hashgacha), and in particular, how Hashem protected and helped Yosef (hashgacha pratis). The prime vehicle through whom all these events occurred was Yosef.

Rav Chaim Friedlander notes that all of Yaakov’s twelve sons were exceptionally righteous. If so, why was Yosef singled out to fight Esav? Also, why was Yosef the vehicle by which Klal Yisrael was brought to Egypt?

Rav Friedlander answers that it stemmed from Yosef’s emunah, and his faith that Hashem was before him at all times. Yosef was attached to Hashem in all circumstances—even when placed in the most trying circumstances any human being can face. Indeed, even non-Jews noticed Yosef’s emunah and bitachon in Hashem. His Egyptian master, Potiphar, saw that “Hashem was with him” (Bereishis 39:3), and Rashi (ibid.) adds that “Hashem’s name was always on Yosef’s lips.” Pharaoh described Yosef as “a man within whom is the spirit of God” (Bereishis 41:38).

The Torah emphasizes Yosef’s bitachon by his time spent in prison. When he made a simple effort to gain release from prison (asking the Sar Hamashkim to mention his plight to Pharaoh), he was punished with another two years in prison! This effort would have been a minimal amount of hishtadlus for the average person. However, Yosef was on such a high level that he did not require any hishtadlus to save himself. His bitachon in Hashem was so great that otherwise normal hishtadlus was deemed punishable for him (Beis HaLevy).

The Nefesh HaChaim (1:7) states that the extent to which Hashem shows one hashgacha pratis is commensurate with one’s level of emunah and bitachon. This is why Yosef, whose emunah and bitachon in Hashem was so great, merited that Hashem redeem him from utterly hopeless situations on numerous occasions. Hashem also turned these very situations into the springboard for positive outcomes.

Rav Friedlander comments that a person with great emunah and bitachon merits to be the vehicle by which Hashem’s hashgacha is revealed in the world. When a person lives attached to Hashem, Hashem shows that He stands by him. This is why the events that led to Klal Yisrael’s coming to Egypt occurred through Yosef. Yosef was the vehicle to display Hashem’s hashgacha in the world.

This is also the reason why Yosef was the one who fought Esav and Amalek. Yosef lived with the sense that Hashem was him always. In contrast, Amalek was the one nation that denied Hashem’s hashgacha despite witnessing the awesome miracles of the Ten Plagues, the Exodus and the Splitting of the Red Sea. They claimed that everything had happened by chance, and they waged war against Klal Yisrael.

The initial seed of denial of Hashem’s hashgacha was in Esav. When Esav came to receive his father’s blessing, only to learn that Yaakov had already received it, he heard his father say, “Who was the hunter of game who brought for me and I ate from all before you came and I blessed him—may he indeed be blessed (Bereishis 27:33).” Esav knew what this meant—Yitzchak Avinu confirmed the brachah that he gave to Yaakov. Yet, despite that knowledge, Esav began planning to kill Yaakov (ibid. 41). Thus, Esav denied Hashem’s hashgacha.

The role of fighting these deniers of hashgacha went to Yosef, who is the example of how one can live attached to Hashem in all situations.

We live in a time of hester panim; Hashem’s oversight is concealed from us. We are expected to learn from Yosef, and live with the awareness that Hashem is before us, leading us constantly.

How can we do this?

Rav Yerucham Brodiansky suggests a solution. The verse states, “In all your ways, know Him” (Mishlei 3:6). Rabbeinu Yonah explains that whatever we are doing, great or small, we should pray to Hashem that He help us succeed. For example, if one needs new shoes, even if one has the money and knows his shoe size, turn to Hashem and ask, “Please, Hashem, I need shoes. Help me, lead to me to the right pair of shoes, a pair that will fit properly and be good for me. Grant that I am able to use them in good health.”

Through praying even for small matters, we gain recognition that Hashem is the One controlling every detail of our lives. He is the reason behind it all. If we say such prayers consistently, we will grow in awareness that Hashem is with us always.

Rav Brodiansky (based on Shaarei Teshuva 3:17) also advises that we think about the various kindnesses that Hashem has done for us throughout our lives. Doing this helps us realize that Hashem was always with us, and this will build in us the awareness that Hashem is with us right now, as well.

My father lived this way. He often spoke about chassadim Hashem had done for him. He would also remind others, saying, “Look back a few years. Try to remember where you were then. Now, ask yourselves, did you really think, back then, that you would make it to where you are today?”

One of the stories he shared with us was about his draft notice from the U.S. army.

“I went to the draft office on the appointed day,” my father said, “and waited with a lot of other young men to get called in to the inspecting officer’s room. When my turn came, the officer started checking me, and at one point, he told me to take off my shirt. When I did so, he saw my tzitzis.

“‘What are these?’ the inspecting officer said, confused. He looked at me in a strange way and gave me an exemption!

“Every time I think about this, I can’t help but wonder about it. This was certainly not the first time this officer had seen tzitzis. There were even a few bachurim that same day who were wearing tzitzis. Look at the great chessed Hashem did for me!”

May we feel that Hashem is with us always!

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