Parashat Miketz: The Right Mindset

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

This week's parashah begins with the words " ויהי מקץ שנתיים ימים - and it was at the end of two years." Twoyears since what? The Midrash explains- because Yosef asked the sarhamashkim to mention his name to Pharaoh and get him out of jail, Hashemadded an extra two years to his sentence. Not only did Yosef not gain by askingfor help. He even lost. The mefarshim are bothered. What did Yosef do wrongby requesting that help? After all, aren't we supposed to make a hishtadlut to try and help ourselves? All he did was make a simple effort to try and get himself out of jail. Some explain, in the words of Rashi we can find the answer.Rashi writes " מפני שתלה בו יוסף לזכרו הוזקק להיות אסורעוד שתי שנים ". To understand these words we need to understand the answer toanother question first. Rabbi Dessler asked, when Yosef interpreted Pharaoh'sdreams, he then added his own advice on how Pharaoh should proceed. Seemingly,this was Yosef making a hishtadlut to show Pharaoh how wise he was, sohe would get appointed as an advisor. Didn't Yosef learn his lesson afterstaying in jail for two extra years? How could he make this hishtadlut right when he got out? Rabbi Dessler answered, based on the words of RabbenuBachya, who explains how bitachon works together with hishtadlut. The pasuk says in Mishleh , " בטחאל ה' בכל לבך ואל בינתך אל תשען ." We are commanded to rely on Hashem andnot our strengths. A person should not feel because he is smart he'll besuccessful. As the pasuk says, " משיב חכמים אחור,ודעתם יסכל ". Hashem can easily remove any good idea from a person'sthoughts. Hashem is in charge of success. A person should not thinkbecause he has money it is due to his skills, because Hashem is the one incharge of money. He should think I have money because Hashem gave it to me, andthe way I made it just happened to be one of the millions of ways that Hashemcould have given it to me. Although we have an obligation of hishtadlut, we'renot allowed to think that anything resulted because of the hishtadlut .That having been said, there was nothing wrong with Yosef asking the sarhamashkim to mention his name to Pharaoh. The problem was he was " תולה בטחונו בו ". He thought that would be the causeof him getting out. It made so much sense. He did this man a favor. He showedhim how talented he was. It seemed like it was sure to bring success, and Yosefbelieved that. During the next two years in jail Yosef corrected that. Herecognized causes don't matter, only Hashem does. Therefore, when he stood infront of Pharaoh and Pharaoh said, "I heard that you know how to interpretdreams," Yosef immediately corrected him saying, "I don't know how to doanything. Only Hashem does." Once that was clear there was no problem of him offeringadvice to Pharaoh. In fact, it's recommended to make a hishtadlut, aslong as a person realizes the hishtadlut will not be the cause ofsuccess. The lesson for us is obvious. The act of making an effortis necessary, but we always have to make sure to have our mindset in the rightplace. How much importance are we putting on the effort. If the effort is notthe real cause we should have just as much, if not more, focus on our prayersand especially on our bitachon in Hashem. Rabbi Mughrabi told a story that one time the Chazon Ishasked a student of his to travel to America to try and raise funds for animportant cause. The student went happily and he spent two full weeks theretrying to raise money, only to come up practically empty handed. He wasembarrassed to tell the Chazon Ish what happened. A week after he returned theChazon Ish called for him. The student came in with shame. The Chazon Ish toldhim, "Thank you so much. You helped me a lot. Baruch Hashem all the money camein. You really did me a favor." The student then asked, "Where did the moneycome from? I didn't really collect anything." The Chazon Ish said, "Ijust got a big check from a donor in France." "So what does that have to dowith me?" asked the student. The Rabbi explained, "We are commanded to make a hishtadlut to take care of our needs. Our hishtadlut doesn't tell Hashem how tohelp us. It just fulfills our responsibility. Once we did our part, Hashem willsend from where He sees fit. You spent two weeks traveling to doing your utmostto help. That was the hishtadlut . Hashem then decided to help us throughthis wealthy man in France. He gave him a large order from which he gave us the ma'aser." This is the emmet. Hishtadlut has nothing todo with results. It's a responsibility in action only, but our mindset shouldalways be only on Hashem. Shabbat Shalom