2024/5785
There is a powerful lesson in this week's Parashah, Parashat Miketz, that we can learn from if we pay careful attention to an important change in Yosef’s speech.
40:16 states: וי֨ען יוס֧ף את ־פרע֛ה לאמ֖ר בלעד֑י אלה֕ים יענ֖ה את ־של֥ום פרעֽה, “And Yosef answered Pharaoh, saying “it is not me, it is Hashem who will answer the welfare of Pharaoh.” When Yosef interpreted Pharaoh's dream, he gave credit for his ability to do that to Hashem. Rav Eliyahu Dessler explains that this expression from Yosef came from self-reflection during his years in prison. While in prison, Yosef thought about what he needed to work on in himself and how that self-improvement could help set him free. Yosef realized he needed to acknowledge Hashem’s hand in everything. How do we know this? There is an interesting contrast to a statement that Yosef makes while in jail, כִּ֧י אִם־זְכַרְתַּ֣נִי אִתְּךָ֗ כַּאֲשֶׁר֙ יִ֣יטַב לָ֔ךְ וְעָשִֽׂיתָ־נָּ֥א עִמָּדִ֖י חָ֑סֶד וְהִזְכַּרְתַּ֙נִי֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְהוֹצֵאתַ֖נִי מִן־הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃ “But think of me when all is well with you again, and do me the kindness of mentioning me to Pharaoh, so as to free me from this place.” (40:14). While in jail, Yosef doesn’t recognize Hashem, but due to his introspection in prison, used Hashem’s name and recognized his presence.
This message is demonstrated in the Chanukah story too. The Maccabees’ military victory over the larger and seemingly more powerful Greek army, seems illogical and even impossible. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Z”L eloquently stated that it was precisely the Maccabees’ belief and trust in Hashem that defied the natural order of things and ultimately led to a Maccabee victory. In Rabbi Sacks’s words, “Never believe that a handful of dedicated people can’t change the world. Inspired by faith, they can. The Maccabees did then. So can we today.”
We can learn from Yosef the power of introspection and of bringing Hashem into our conversations. It is amazing to see that as Yosef’s language changes to include Hashem’s name, how it leads to his freedom and rise to success. There is a consistent message we can learn from the Maccabees and the Chanukah story, which is that trust in Hashem can empower people to beat the odds and accomplish amazing things. May we all be inspired by these examples and see miracles in our own lives.