Miketz 5775 - English

By Rabbi Daniela Szuster
Congregation B’nei Israel, San Jose, Costa Rica

Joseph: a humble talented man

Last week in Vayeshev, and this week in Miketz, we see Joseph as a young dreamer and as a man capable of interpreting other people’s dreams.  Wouldn’t he make a great psychoanalyst in our times!

Every time someone would ask him to solve their confusing dreams, Joseph would agree on the condition they understood the interpretation did not come from him but from G-d.

It is interesting that he expressed this more than once.  For instance, the Torah says that Joseph told the cupbearer and the baker, when they consulted him about their dreams: “Surely God can interpret!” (Bereshit 40:8)

When Pharaoh approached to ask him about his dream, Joseph answered: “"Not I! God will see to Pharaoh's welfare.” (Bereshit 41:16).

When analyzing Joseph’s life, it must be noted that while he always claimed his words came from G-d, there really is no mention that G-d ever spoke to him like He did with the patriarchs.  However, without ever communicating directly with Him, Joseph had an incredible faith and conviction in G-d.  Maybe because of all he lived through, all those ups and downs, desolation, solitude and suffering, it was easier for him to develop a deep spiritual life and such a strong faith in the Creator.

Aside from being a man of faith, we see Joseph as an extremely humble person.  From his story in the Torah, we are able to perceive him as a talented, intelligent, and sharp man, but he never admits it; he always emphasized that all his words came from G-d.

In this day and age, we constantly see people in distinguished positions, along different fields in society, displaying proud, vain, and conceited attitudes.  It is indeed a great challenge to occupy a position of power and, at the same time, manage to maintain a humble attitude.  Joseph did this throughout his life.  As I mentioned before, maybe the fact of having lived for so long inside a well or in a dungeon, led him to appreciate the world and taught him to distinguish between the vain and the important things in life.

His humility was probably a key part of his success while ascending from one position to another.

There is a very wise phrase in the Talmud that says: “He who pursues honor will see honor flee from him. Yet, he who flees from honor – honor may yet catch up to him.” (Talmud Babli Erubin 13b).  Joseph ran from honors, he did not consider them a result of his own merits, and this is perhaps why he received so many honors in his lifetime.

Undoubtedly, Joseph was a righteous, faithful and humble man.  These values helped him overcome the most terrible suffering.

May G-d inspire us, in this sometimes selfish, vain and conceited era, to follow the path Joseph chose for his life.

Shabbat Shalom! Chag Haurim Sameach!