The Parsha |
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Vayeisheiv
The Text:
Joseph asks his fellow inmates to tell him their dreams, so he can interpret them.
“[The Torah means] to speak in praise of Joseph: he was a youth and a slave [while the baker and wine steward were] two prominent officials …each of whom could have ordered him killed. Yet he was not afraid to ask them [about their dreams], and speak his mind concerning their interpretation, for he trusted in his wisdom - [although] if the baker had escaped [the execution predicted by Joseph], he would have hung him.”
[Ramban - comments to Genesis 40:7]
The Question:
We might have expected to read that Joseph trusted in G-d. Instead, we are told that he trusted his own wisdom. Why is this worthy of praise?
The Answer:
Confidence in our abilities does not negate trust in G-d. On the contrary: when we recognize that talent is a Divine gift, we can trust that G-d will help us succeed. Joseph trusted his wisdom because it was G-d-given; had he attributed the power to himself, he might have been too afraid to try.
The Message:
We know that bitachon – trust in G-d’s benevolence – grants us the serenity to deal with life’s challenges. But bitachon gives us something else too: the courage to act with the confidence, knowing that G-d has the power to grant us success.
Click below to open a printable pdf
Joseph asks his fellow inmates to tell him their dreams, so he can interpret them.
“[The Torah means] to speak in praise of Joseph: he was a youth and a slave [while the baker and wine steward were] two prominent officials …each of whom could have ordered him killed. Yet he was not afraid to ask them [about their dreams], and speak his mind concerning their interpretation, for he trusted in his wisdom - [although] if the baker had escaped [the execution predicted by Joseph], he would have hung him.”
[Ramban - comments to Genesis 40:7]
The Question:
We might have expected to read that Joseph trusted in G-d. Instead, we are told that he trusted his own wisdom. Why is this worthy of praise?
The Answer:
Confidence in our abilities does not negate trust in G-d. On the contrary: when we recognize that talent is a Divine gift, we can trust that G-d will help us succeed. Joseph trusted his wisdom because it was G-d-given; had he attributed the power to himself, he might have been too afraid to try.
The Message:
We know that bitachon – trust in G-d’s benevolence – grants us the serenity to deal with life’s challenges. But bitachon gives us something else too: the courage to act with the confidence, knowing that G-d has the power to grant us success.
Click below to open a printable pdf
| vayeishev_snapshot_and_closer_look_template_final.pdf |