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Lehavas David · Parshas Vayeishev · Maamar ב

Serving Hashem Even without Tranquility

From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bereishis 37:1
וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן
And Yaakov settled in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
1“And Yaakov settled in the land of his father's sojournings, in the land of Canaan.”1 The Midrash says: “Rav Acha said: When the tzaddikim dwell in tranquility and seek to dwell in tranquility in this world, the Satan comes and accuses. He says, ‘Is what awaits them in the World to Come not enough for them? …’ Because Yaakov Avinu sought to dwell in tranquility in this world, the trouble of Yosef sprang upon him.”2 The holy sefarim raise a question.3 What is wrong with tzaddikim seeking to dwell in tranquility? All they want is peace of mind in which to serve the Creator!
וַיֵּשֶׁב יַעֲקֹב בְּאֶרֶץ מְגוּרֵי אָבִיו בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן (לז, א). אִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (בראשית רבה פד, ג), אָמַר רַב אַחָא, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהַצַּדִּיקִים יוֹשְׁבִים בְּשַׁלְוָה וּמְבַקְּשִׁים לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הַשָּׂטָן בָּא וּמְקַטְרֵג, אָמַר לֹא דַּיָּין שֶׁהוּא מְתוּקָּן לָהֶם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וְכוּ׳, יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, נִזְדַּוֵּוג לוֹ שְׂטָנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. וְהִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (שם משמואל, ועיין עוד בקול שמחה, ובקדושת היהודי), וְכִי מָה חִסָּרוֹן יֵשׁ בְּדָבָר זֶה שֶׁצַּדִּיקִים מְבַקְּשִׁים לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה, הֲלֹא כָּל רְצוֹנָם הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָהֶם מְנוּחַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ לַעֲבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא.
  1. Bereishis 37:1. ↩
  2. Bereishis Rabbah 84:3. ↩
  3. Shem MiShmuel; see also Kol Simchah and Kedushas HaYehudi. ↩
In shortIf tzaddikim want tranquility only for peace of mind to serve Hashem, why did Yaakov's wish bring upon him the trouble of Yosef?
2Let us first look at a verse a little further on: “And he was a lad with the sons of Bilhah.”4 Rashi explains that Yosef behaved like a youth: he would dress his hair and touch up his eyes so that he would look handsome. Rashi also writes, about Yosef's rise in Potiphar's house: “Once he saw himself as a ruler, he began eating and drinking and curling his hair. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘Your father is mourning, and you curl your hair? By your life, I will incite the bear against you!’ Immediately: ‘And his master's wife lifted up …’”5 The holy sefarim, among them the Divrei Yechezkel of Shinova, the Shem MiShmuel and the Imrei Noam, find this very hard to understand. Yosef HaTzaddik is the very embodiment of “the tzaddik is the foundation of the world.”6 How can we say that he had anything to do with curling his hair and the like?
וְנַקְדִּים, דְּהִנֵּה לְהַלָּן כְּתִיב (לז, ב) ״וְהוּא נַעַר אֶת בְּנֵי בִלְהָה״. וּפֵירֵשׁ רש״י ז״ל, שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה נַעֲרוּת, מְתַקֵּן בִּשְׂעָרוֹ מְמַשְׁמֵשׁ בְּעֵינָיו כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה נִרְאֶה יָפֶה. עוֹד אִיתָא ברש״י ז״ל (לט, ו) כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה עַצְמוֹ מוֹשֵׁל, הִתְחִיל אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה וּמְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרוֹ, אָמַר הקב״ה אָבִיךָ מִתְאַבֵּל וְאַתָּה מְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרְךָ, חַיֶּיךָ אֲנִי מְגָרֶה בְךָ אֶת הַדּוֹב, מִיָּד וַתִּשָּׂא אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו וְגוֹ׳. וְהִקְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (עיין דברי יחזקאל, שם משמואל, אמרי נועם) דִּמְאֹד יִפָּלֵא מִלְּהָבִין זֹאת, אֵיךְ שַׁיָּיךְ לוֹמַר עַל יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהוּא מִידַּת צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם, שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ שַׁיָּיכוּת לִדְבָרִים כָּאֵלּוּ שֶׁל מְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרוֹ וְכַדּוֹמֶה.
  1. Bereishis 37:2. ↩
  2. Rashi on Bereishis 39:6; Bereishis 39:7. The “bear” is the trial with Potiphar's wife, as the words that follow in Rashi show. ↩
  3. Mishlei 10:25. ↩
In shortRashi says Yosef groomed and curled his hair, bringing on Potiphar's wife; how could such behavior belong to Yosef HaTzaddik?
3aWe will explain this with a teaching of my holy father and teacher, zt"l, which he said in the name of the holy Rebbe R' Baruch of Mezhibuzh, zt"l, the grandson of the Baal Shem Tov. On the verse “And I will surely hide My face,”7 R' Baruch said that the Holy One, blessed be He, hides Himself within the things of this world so that people will seek Him, but they do not seek Him. My father explained R' Baruch's words as follows. We know that in all the things of the world there are holy sparks. They must be sifted out, drawn forth, rectified and raised up through Torah and prayer, and above all through saying berachos.
וּנְבָאֵר עַל פִּי אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה שֶׁאָמַר בְּשֵׁם הרה״ק רַבִּי בָּרוּךְ ממעז׳בוז׳ זצללה״ה, עַל הַכָּתוּב (דברים לא, יח) ״וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר״, שהקב״ה אוֹמֵר שֶׁהוּא מַסְתִּיר עַצְמוֹ בְּתוֹךְ דִּבְרֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיְּבַקְּשׁוּ אוֹתוֹ, אַךְ אֵין מְבַקְּשִׁים אוֹתוֹ. וּבֵיאֵר דְּבָרָיו, כִּי יָדוּעַ שֶׁבְּכָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם יֵשׁ נִיצוֹצוֹת קְדוֹשׁוֹת שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לְבָרְרָם וּלְהוֹצִיאָם לְתַקְּנָם וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם עַל יְדֵי תּוֹרָה וּתְפִילָּה, וּבְעִיקַּר מַעֲלִים אוֹתָם עַל יְדֵי אֲמִירַת בְּרָכוֹת.
  1. Devarim 31:18. ↩
3bThis is what Chazal meant when they said: “A precious gem hung around the neck of Avraham Avinu, and every sick person who saw it was healed at once.”8 That is, through the berachos he said, Avraham rectified all the holy sparks hidden in every thing. The holy sparks are the “precious gem.” “Hung around his neck” alludes to the berachos said over food and other enjoyments, which are said aloud, with the voice that rises from the neck. And “every sick person who saw it was healed at once” means that the berachos set the rectification in motion [which is the “healing”]. Here, then, is the meaning of R' Baruch's words on “And I will surely hide”: Hashem hides Himself in every thing. He has hidden holy sparks, and His own Godliness, blessed be He, within every thing, and our one task is to reveal those sparks, raise them up and rectify them. Those are my holy father's words.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז״ל מַרְגָּלִית טוֹבָה הָיְתָה תְּלוּיָה בְּצַוָּארוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ ע״ה וְכָל חוֹלֶה הָרוֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ מִיָּד נִתְרַפֵּא (בבא בתרא טו, ב), הַיְינוּ שֶׁאַבְרָהָם עַל יְדֵי הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּירַךְ, תִּיקֵּן אֶת כָּל הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת הַגְּנוּזִים בְּכָל דָּבָר, וְהַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים הֵם בְּחִינַת ׳מַרְגָּלִית טוֹבָה׳, וְ׳הָיְתָה תְּלוּיָה בְּצַוָּארוֹ׳ רוֹמֵז לִבְרָכוֹת הַנֶּהֱנִין שֶׁאוֹמְרִים בְּקוֹל שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מֵהַצַּוָּאר, ׳וְכָל חוֹלֶה הָרוֹאֶה אוֹתָהּ מִיָּד נִתְרַפֵּא׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי הַבְּרָכוֹת נַעֲשָׂה רֵאשִׁית הַתִּיקּוּן. וְזֶה בֵּיאוּר דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי בָּרוּךְ ממעז׳בוז׳, ׳וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר׳, שהקב״ה מַסְתִּיר עַצְמוֹ בְּכָל דָּבָר, הַיְינוּ שֶׁגָּנַז נִיצוֹצוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים וֶאֱלָקוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּכָל דָּבָר, וְאֵין לָנוּ אֶלָּא לְגַלּוֹת אֶת הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשׁוֹת וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם וּלְתַקְּנָם, עכד״ק.
  1. Bava Basra 16b (the sefer has 15b). ↩
In shortIn R' Baruch of Mezhibuzh's name, the Rebbe's father taught that Hashem hides holy sparks in everything, for us to raise, above all through berachos.
4We may understand all of this as follows. The Chovos HaLevavos teaches a well-known principle: all the things and affairs of this world are either a mitzvah or, Heaven forbid, a sin; nothing is merely permitted.9 In other words, a person's purpose is to serve the Creator through everything in the world, even through permitted things such as eating and the like, intending to serve his Creator in all of them. If he engages in permitted things without serving Hashem through them, and without meaning them to help his avodas Hashem, his service of Hashem, then such involvement counts as a sin. As the Ramban writes, a person like this is called “a scoundrel within the bounds of the Torah.”10 Serving Hashem through every permitted thing is “a difficult service in the Beis HaMikdash.”11 Yet this is the goal of a Jew's avodah and the level of true tzaddikim, who in their great holiness can raise up all permitted things. As we said, every thing in this world holds holy sparks in which Hashem hides Himself, and these must be raised up through Torah and prayer.
וּלְהָבִין כָּל הַנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל אֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ בְּדֶרֶךְ זֶה, דְּהִנֵּה נוֹדַע מַה דְּאִיתָא בְּחוֹבַת הַלְּבָבוֹת (שער עבודת האלוקים פ״ד), שֶׁכָּל דִּבְרֵי וְעִנְיְינֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הֵם אוֹ מִצְוָה אוֹ ח״ו עֲבֵירָה, אֲבָל אֵין דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא רְשׁוּת. וְהַיְינוּ כִּי תַּכְלִית עֲבוֹדַת הָאָדָם לַעֲבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא עַל יְדֵי כָּל דָּבָר אֲשֶׁר בָּעוֹלָם, אֲפִילּוּ עַל יְדֵי עִנְיְינֵי הָרְשׁוּת כַּאֲכִילָה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּזֶה, שֶׁיְּכַוֵּון בְּכוּלָּם לַעֲבוֹד אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ, וּבְאִם יַעֲסוֹק בְּעִנְיְנֵי הָרְשׁוּת בְּלֹא שֶׁיַּעֲבוֹד בָּהֶם אֶת ה׳, וּלְכַוֵּון בָּהֶם לְתוֹעֶלֶת לַעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ, אֲזַי אוֹתוֹ עֵסֶק בְּעִנְיְינֵי הָרְשׁוּת נֶחְשָׁב כַּעֲבֵירָה, וּכְפִי שֶׁכָּתַב הרמב״ן ז״ל בְּפָרָשַׁת קְדוֹשִׁים (ויקרא יט, ב) שֶׁזֶּה נִקְרָא ׳נָבָל בִּרְשׁוּת הַתּוֹרָה׳. וְזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָה קָשָׁה שֶׁבַּמִּקְדָּשׁ, אָכֵן זֶהוּ תַּכְלִית עֲבוֹדַת הָאִישׁ הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי וּמַדְרִיגַת צַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת, שֶׁבְּרוֹב קְדוּשָּׁתָם יְכוֹלִים לְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְהָרִים כָּל עִנְיְנֵי הָרְשׁוּת, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ שֶׁבְּכָל דָּבָר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִמְצָאִים הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁמַּסְתִּיר בּוֹ הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְצָרִיךְ לְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְהַגְבִּיהַּ אוֹתָם עַל יְדֵי תּוֹרָה וּתְפִילָּה כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל.
  1. Chovos HaLevavos, Shaar Avodas HaElokim, ch. 4. ↩
  2. Ramban on Vayikra 19:2. ↩
  3. Menachos 11a. Chazal use this phrase for kemitzah, the taking of a fistful of flour from a meal offering, one of the hardest services in the Beis HaMikdash. It became a saying for any very demanding service. ↩
In shortNothing in this world is neutral: true tzaddikim make even permitted things into avodas Hashem by raising the sparks within them.
5This, we may say, is what Yaakov Avinu intended when he sought to dwell in tranquility. He did not want rest for the body. On the contrary, he wanted to raise up even the tranquility of this world and bring it into holiness, for the honor of the Creator, and to elevate the holy sparks within it.
וְיֵשׁ לוֹמַר דְּזוֹ הָיְתָה כַּוָּונַת יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ ע״ה שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה, הַיְינוּ לֹא שֶׁרָצָה לָבוֹא לִמְנוּחַת הַגּוּף, אֶלָּא אַדְּרַבָּה שֶׁרָצָה לְהַעֲלוֹת וּלְהַכְנִיס אֶל הַקְּדוּשָּׁה גַּם אֶת שַׁלְוַות הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא, וּלְהַעֲלוֹת הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים שֶׁבָּזֶה.
In shortYaakov sought tranquility not for bodily rest but to bring this world's tranquility itself into holiness.
6The same was true of Yosef HaTzaddik when he dressed his hair. He wanted to elevate everything to Hashem, in the spirit of “Hashem made everything for His sake.”12 As Chazal said, “A person washes his face, hands and feet every day for the sake of his Maker,”13 for even an act like this can be raised up to avodas Hashem, as we have explained. This is also the meaning of Rashi's words, “Once he saw himself as a ruler.” Yosef realized that even in Egypt, “the nakedness of the land,”14 a land steeped in immorality, he still ruled over his yetzer hara. So he wanted everything, even the things of this world, to be elevated through him. That is why “he began eating and drinking and curling his hair.” His whole intention in this was only the honor of Hashem, and not, Heaven forbid, his own pleasure at all.
וְזֶה הָיָה הָעִנְיָן בְּיוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁהָיָה מְתַקֵּן בִּשְׂעָרוֹ, שֶׁרָצָה יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק לְהַעֲלוֹת הַכֹּל לָה׳, בִּבְחִינַת ״כֹּל פָּעַל ה׳ לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ״ (משלי טז, ד). וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל בְּשַׁבָּת (נ, ב) רוֹחֵץ אָדָם פָּנָיו יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו בְּכָל יוֹם בִּשְׁבִיל קוֹנוֹ, שֶׁגַּם זֶה אֶפְשָׁר לְהַעֲלוֹת לַעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא וְכִדְבָרֵינוּ. וְזֶה גַּם הַכַּוָּונָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ ׳כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה עַצְמוֹ מוֹשֵׁל׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁרָאָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּמִצְרַיִם עֶרְוַת הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁמִּכָּל מָקוֹם הוּא מוֹשֵׁל בְּיִצְרוֹ, אֲזַי רָצָה שֶׁהַכֹּל יִתְעַלֶּה עַל יָדוֹ, גַּם עִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְעַל כֵּן ׳הִתְחִיל אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה וּמְסַלְסֵל בִּשְׂעָרוֹ׳, וְכָל כַּוָּונָתוֹ הָיְתָה רַק לִכְבוֹד ה׳, וְלֹא ח״ו לַהֲנָאַת עַצְמוֹ כְּלָל וּכְלָל.
  1. Mishlei 16:4. ↩
  2. Shabbos 50b. ↩
  3. Bereishis 42:9. ↩
In shortYosef's grooming, eating and drinking were meant to raise worldly things to Hashem, once he saw that he ruled his yetzer hara even in Egypt.
7But Heaven showed Yaakov and Yosef that, although their whole intention truly was only for the honor of the Creator, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not want them to serve Him only out of peace of mind and tranquility. He wanted them to hold fast to their holy service and go forward in it amid hardship too. The holy Rebbe of Kotzk, zt"l, taught the same on the Mishnah “Do not say, ‘When I am free I will learn,’ for perhaps you will not become free.”15 He explained that some people were created for exactly this purpose: to serve the Creator even though they have no peace of mind. This is what Hashem wants and demands of them. That is the meaning of the Mishnah. Do not say, “When I am free” of stray thoughts and other hindrances, “then I will learn.” Do not say this, because “perhaps you will not become free.” Perhaps this is your task and the purpose of your service: to serve the Creator even though you “will not become free” and will have no rest from material concerns. That is what Hashem wants and asks of you.
אָמְנָם מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הֶרְאוּ לָהֶם, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבֶּאֱמֶת הָיָה כָּל כַּוָּונָתָם רַק לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא בֶּאֱמֶת, אַךְ הקב״ה הָיָה חָפֵץ שֶׁלָּאו דַּוְקָא בַּעֲבוֹדָה מִתּוֹךְ מְנוּחַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְשַׁלְוָה יַעַבְדוּ אוֹתוֹ יִתְ׳, כִּי אִם גַּם מִתּוֹךְ הַדְּחָק יִתְהַלְּכוּ וְיַחֲזִיקוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתָם הַקְּדוֹשָׁה. וְהוּא כְּמַאֲמַר הרה״ק מקאצק זצללה״ה (רמתים צופים ח״ב דף יט ע״ב) עַל הַמִּשְׁנָה (אבות ב, ד) אַל תֹּאמַר לִכְשֶׁאֶפָּנֶה אֶשְׁנֶה שֶׁמָּא לֹא תִּפָּנֶה, וּבֵיאֵר בָּזֶה, כִּי יֵשׁ בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ דַּיְיקָא לְתַכְלִית זֹאת, עַל מְנָת לַעֲבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם מְנוּחַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְזֶה מַה שֶׁרוֹצֶה הקב״ה וְדוֹרֵשׁ מֵהֶם. וְזֶהוּ ׳אַל תֹּאמַר לִכְשֶׁאֶפָּנֶה׳ מִמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת זָרוֹת וּשְׁאָר מְנִיעוֹת אָז ׳אֶשְׁנֶה׳, אַל תֹּאמַר כֵּן שֶׁהֲרֵי ׳שֶׁמָּא לֹא תִּפָּנֶה׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁמָּא זֶה תַּפְקִידְךָ וְתַכְלִית עֲבוֹדָתְךָ, לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁ׳לֹּא תִּיפָּנֶה׳ וְלֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ מְנוּחָה מִדְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים, זֶה רוֹצֶה הקב״ה וְשׁוֹאֵל מֵעִמְּךָ.
  1. Avos 2:4; Ramasayim Tzofim, part II, 19b. ↩
In shortHashem wants service amid hardship too; as the Rebbe of Kotzk taught, serving without peace of mind may be why some people were created.
8That is what Chazal meant: “Because Yaakov Avinu sought to dwell in tranquility in this world, the trouble of Yosef sprang upon him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, was telling Yaakov that although it was true that he wanted to serve the Creator out of the tranquility of this world, he had to know that the goal is not to serve Hashem only out of tranquility. He should consider that perhaps it was Hashem's will for him to serve Him amid distractions and hardship. Perhaps this was his task and his purpose in avodas Hashem: even when troubles came upon him, as they did in the days of his mourning over Yosef, he was to serve the Creator through them too.
וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רז״ל, יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ לֵישֵׁב בְּשַׁלְוָה בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, נִזְדַּוֵּוג לוֹ שְׂטָנוֹ שֶׁל יוֹסֵף. דְּהַיְינוּ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הקב״ה, הֵן אֱמֶת שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא מִתּוֹךְ שַׁלְוַת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, אַךְ צָרִיךְ אַתָּה לֵידַע שֶׁלֹּא רַק מִתּוֹךְ שַׁלְוָה הוּא הַתַּכְלִית לַעֲבוֹד אֶת ה׳, וְיֵשׁ לְךָ לִרְאוֹת אוּלַי רְצוֹן הקב״ה שֶׁתַּעֲבוֹד אוֹתוֹ מִתּוֹךְ טִירְדוֹת וּדְחָק, וְזֶהוּ הַתַּפְקִיד וְהַתַּכְלִית שֶׁלְּךָ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ צָרוֹת, וּכְמוֹ בִּימֵי אֶבְלוֹ עַל יוֹסֵף, גַּם מִתּוֹךְ כָּךְ תַּעֲבוֹד אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא.
In shortThe trouble of Yosef taught Yaakov that his task included serving Hashem amid troubles and distractions, not only in tranquility.
9This is also what the Holy One, blessed be He, meant when He told Yosef, “By your life, I will incite the bear against you.” It was His will to bring hard trials upon Yosef and to take his tranquility away from him, as we find in the episode of Potiphar. He wanted to see that even then Yosef would serve the Creator in his own way, even through the things of this world, as he had served before.
וְזֶה גַּם הַכַּוָּונָה אֵצֶל יוֹסֵף, שֶׁאָמַר הקב״ה ׳חַיֶּיךָ אֲנִי מְגָרֶה בְךָ אֶת הַדּוֹב׳, הַיְינוּ שֶׁרְצוֹנִי לְהָבִיא עָלֶיךָ נִסְיוֹנוֹת קָשִׁים, וּלְהָסִיר שַׁלְוָותְךָ מֵעָלֶיךָ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בְּעִנְיַן פּוֹטִיפַר, וְלִרְאוֹת שֶׁגַּם אָז תַּעֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא כְּדַרְכְּךָ, וְאַף בְּעִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כַּעֲבוֹדָתְךָ מֵאָז.
In shortHashem incited the “bear” against Yosef to take away his tranquility and see him go on serving as before, even through worldly things.
10Our explanation also settles another puzzle. Why did Yosef really need to be put to this test? It hardly seems fitting that such a thing should ever come the way of a tzaddik like him. The answer is what we said in the name of my holy father: in every thing there are holy sparks that must be sifted out and raised up. Only Yosef HaTzaddik had the power to sift out and rectify the qualities of beauty and love and to elevate them for the honor of the Creator. That is why this episode came his way: to sift out and rectify those qualities.
וּלְפִי דְּבָרֵינוּ מְיוּשָּׁב, מַה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִתְמוֹהַּ, מַדּוּעַ בֶּאֱמֶת הוּצְרַךְ יוֹסֵף שֶׁיַּעֲמִידוּהוּ בְּנִסָּיוֹן זֶה, מַה שֶׁלִּכְאוֹרָה אֵינוֹ הָגוּן לְצַדִּיק כָּמוֹהוּ שֶׁיָּבוֹא דָּבָר זֶה לְיָדוֹ כְּלָל. אֶלָּא הָעִנְיָן הוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ בְּשֵׁם כ״ק אאמו״ר זצללה״ה, שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכָל דָּבָר נִיצוֹצוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְבָרְרָם וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם, וְרַק יוֹסֵף הַצַּדִּיק הָיָה בְּכֹחוֹ לְבָרֵר וּלְתַקֵּן אֶת מִידּוֹת הַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְהָאַהֲבָה וּלְהַעֲלוֹתָם לִכְבוֹד הַבּוֹרֵא, וּלְכָךְ בָּא מַעֲשֶׂה זֶה לְיָדוֹ, עַל מְנָת לְבָרֵר וּלְתַקֵּן אֶת אוֹתָם הַמִּידּוֹת.
In shortThe trial came to Yosef in particular because only he had the power to rectify and raise up the qualities of beauty and love.
11May Hashem grant that we be privileged to serve Him with everything we use in this world, and in this way attain a share in the deeds of the Avos, the level of “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?”16 Through this may we bring the redemption closer. Amen, may it be His will.
יִתֵּן ה׳ שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה לַעֲבוֹד אוֹתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ בְּכָל מַה שֶׁאָנוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים מֵעִנְיְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְלָבוֹא בָּזֶה לִבְחִינַת מָתַי יַגִּיעוּ מַעֲשַׂי לְמַעֲשֵׂי אֲבוֹתַי (תנא דבי אליהו פרק כה) שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָנוּ נְגִיעָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂה אָבוֹת, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה לְקָרֵב הַגְּאוּלָּה, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
  1. Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah, ch. 25. ↩
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we serve Hashem through all we use in this world, share in the Avos' deeds, and so bring the redemption near.
Takeaway

Yaakov and Yosef wanted tranquility for the holiest reason, to raise even this world up to Hashem, yet Heaven showed them that Hashem also wants to be served amid hardship and trouble. Instead of waiting until we are free, we can recognize that serving Hashem without peace of mind may be our very task, and meanwhile make every ordinary act, every meal and its berachos, a way of raising the hidden sparks to Him.

Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›

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