JHI Dvar Torah on Parshat Vayeshev

This Dvar Torah is being sponsored by Ms. Helen Bauer of France in memory of her aunt Taub bat Berel whose yahrtzeit is the 26th of Kislev.


PARSHAT VAYESHEV - EXTREME PIETY

Parshat Vayeshev contains one of the most dramatic stories of the Chumash (Bible) - the temptation of Yosef (Joseph). Yosef was then a slave in the household of Potifar, a high-ranking minister of the Egyptian king. Though a slave, Yosef was extremely talented, and Potifar entrusted him with the management of the entire household.

Yosef was extremely handsome. As a result, Potifar’s wife began to ceaselessly entice him to sin with her. On the day of a major Egyptian celebration, Potifar’s entire household left to join in the rejoicing save his wife who feigned illness and remained at home. Yosef then entered the house, and almost succumbed to her temptations. The image of his father Yaakov (Jacob) then miraculously appeared threatening that if he sinned, Yosef would be eternally severed from his heritage. Yosef then seized control of himself and fled.

The Midrash Rabbah on Shir Hashirim, as explained by the Commentary of Etz Yosef, writes that Yosef’s intention in coming to the house on that day was to do his regular work. This devotion to his duties was indicative of Yosef’s great piety and integrity.

To quote the original texts: “Rabbi Nechemiah said, It was a day of tiatron of the Nile, and they all went to see, and he [Yosef] entered to do his work, to calculate the accounts of his master” (Midrash Rabbah Shir Hashirim 1:1).

The Commentary of Etz Yosef on the Midrash explains – “To me it appears that it was the day that the Nile burst forth from its banks to rise upon the entire land of Egypt, [and therefore] they made on it [that day] a rejoicing in the land of Egypt. And that is what Rabbi Nechemiah concludes: “and they all went to see and he [Yosef] entered to do his work.” According to this, it is understandable that the scripture [took the trouble and] taught that he came to the house to do his work. For this is significant in that it demonstrates the chassidus (extreme piety) of Yosef. For even though all the servants and maidservants were subordinate to him, and they all went to be present at the merriment, nevertheless, he did not go with the counsel of the revelers, nor did he sit with scoffers. But he faithfully came to the house to do the work of his master.”

Much is written in the Torah describing Yosef’s G-dly stature. Yosef’s brothers were all people of enormous holiness. Yet, Yosef was apparently the most pious of them all. He is referred to in Torah literature as Yosef Hatzaddik — Yosef, the supremely righteous man. Yosef was also a great scholar of Torah. By age 17, he had already mastered all of the Torah that Yaakov had acquired over a 14 year period during which Yaakov did not even interrupt his study in order to sleep (Rashi, Bereishit 13:3). Furthermore, although Adam, Noah, and the patriarchs had already lived, it was the merit of Yosef fleeing from the temptation of Potifar’s wife that caused the Red Sea to ‘flee’ from before the Jews and split at the time of the Exodus when they were being chased by Pharaoh’s soldiers and chariots (Midrash Yalkut Shimoni on Tehillim 114:3).

The Midrash came to reveal an additional and heretofore unknown dimension to Yosef’s piety. What could eclipse all of Yosef’s other spiritual accomplishments? What deed demonstrated yet greater piety than that which is otherwise known about Yosef? This Midrash provides the answer…Yosef worked most faithfully for his master Potifar.

Evidently, extreme integrity in matters of money requires consummate righteousness and sanctity. Thus, Yosef’s being a faithful employee demonstrated an additional level of piety that would not have been otherwise evident, notwithstanding all of his other G-dly attributes.

Many people who do not work in Torah-related fields are troubled by the nagging feeling that their daily labors do not involve spiritual growth. The Midrash and Etz Yosef are teaching that in fact, virtually any workplace presents a unique opportunity for such. Working with absolute integrity as Yosef did can beget exalted holiness. Of course, “Absolute integrity” at work connotes far more than basic job performance. It means, for example, that unless permission is granted, one should work during every minute for which he is paid; one must never pocket anything from the business, however small, such as a paper clip, a pencil, and so forth.

It is very disappointing to hear reports of outwardly devout Jews being implicated in major financial wrongdoing. The (incorrect) impression given by such news is that devout Orthodox Jewish observance can coexist with ongoing financial misconduct. As this Dvar indicates, little could be further from the truth.

The following quote from the Kav Hayashar (a great 17th Century work on Torah ethics and the service of G-d) chapter 52 strongly emphasizes this Torah ethic. “One should not rely on what he sees with his eyes — that [the person observed] is acting with perfection, for one man does not know what is in the other’s heart. Always remember this principle: He who does not wish to have benefit from the money of his friend and certainly does not wish for stolen money, and [one whose] financial dealings are with integrity — he is certainly a man that is a tzaddik (truly righteous person) and is just. But when one sees another Jew kissing tefillin and praying and not dealing with money with integrity, one must distance himself from him with all forms of distancing. For the fundamental fear [of G-d] and piety is [expressed] in matters of money. And every man that maintains his piety in financial matters, he is the consummate tzaddik.”