A thought on פרשת וישב
"...va'yehi birchas HaShem ba'kol asher yesh lo...""...and HaShem's blessing was found in all that Yosef did..." (39:5)
The Torah recounts the successes of young Yosef as he made a name for himself within the Egyptian kingdom. Time and again, he put his mind to a task and HaShem blessed him and his efforts. Moreover, as our verse suggests, that blessing was effusive and rampant, benefiting all who were around Yosef, whether his masters, his co-workers, the Pharaoah...
As we have learned in the past, the Ralbag takes interest in deriving "to'el'es b'midos" (values lessons), and "to'el'es b'dae'os" (conceptual lessons) from the saga within each parsha. What are we to derive from this facet of Yosef's life in Egypt?The Ralbag teaches us that the Torah introduces us here to the concept of infectious hashgacha. Yosef was not working for himself. He worked for his masters. Yet, he engaged in his responsibilities with a dedication, as befits a G-d fearing person. HaShem watched over him and blessed him with success, which is "hashgacha." What the Torah is adding is that this bracha "spread out" so that those associated with Yosef also succeeded. They reaped the benefits of his Divine bracha. Yosef was working for them, and his "success" was quantified by their prospering. This is "infectious hashgacha."
The mechanism, explains the Ralbag, is that HaShem responds to the efforts of those who seek Him, and who seek to follow in His ways. There is a halo effect, at times, and those who are close to the one who has been blessed, will also feel the bounty of that blessing.
The Ralbag concludes that with our understanding of this mechanism,
"we have removed the confusion over how one person's
prayers on behalf of another person can be effective."
When HaShem responds to a good person's prayers, He fulfills the desire of that person. If the one who prays seeks salvation, or healing, or other benefit for another person, then the Divine fulfillment of that desire will include the fulfillment of the other person's needs and desires.
When good things happen, it is important to see the birchas HaShem which is operating. With the Ralbag's lesson, we also need to consider that the bracha may not be in our own merit. We may be the fringe beneficiaries of a deserving person whose prayers or efforts may have been answered in a way which happens to incorporate us. A humbling thought.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
The Torah recounts the successes of young Yosef as he made a name for himself within the Egyptian kingdom. Time and again, he put his mind to a task and HaShem blessed him and his efforts. Moreover, as our verse suggests, that blessing was effusive and rampant, benefiting all who were around Yosef, whether his masters, his co-workers, the Pharaoah...
As we have learned in the past, the Ralbag takes interest in deriving "to'el'es b'midos" (values lessons), and "to'el'es b'dae'os" (conceptual lessons) from the saga within each parsha. What are we to derive from this facet of Yosef's life in Egypt?The Ralbag teaches us that the Torah introduces us here to the concept of infectious hashgacha. Yosef was not working for himself. He worked for his masters. Yet, he engaged in his responsibilities with a dedication, as befits a G-d fearing person. HaShem watched over him and blessed him with success, which is "hashgacha." What the Torah is adding is that this bracha "spread out" so that those associated with Yosef also succeeded. They reaped the benefits of his Divine bracha. Yosef was working for them, and his "success" was quantified by their prospering. This is "infectious hashgacha."
The mechanism, explains the Ralbag, is that HaShem responds to the efforts of those who seek Him, and who seek to follow in His ways. There is a halo effect, at times, and those who are close to the one who has been blessed, will also feel the bounty of that blessing.
The Ralbag concludes that with our understanding of this mechanism,
"we have removed the confusion over how one person's
prayers on behalf of another person can be effective."
When HaShem responds to a good person's prayers, He fulfills the desire of that person. If the one who prays seeks salvation, or healing, or other benefit for another person, then the Divine fulfillment of that desire will include the fulfillment of the other person's needs and desires.
When good things happen, it is important to see the birchas HaShem which is operating. With the Ralbag's lesson, we also need to consider that the bracha may not be in our own merit. We may be the fringe beneficiaries of a deserving person whose prayers or efforts may have been answered in a way which happens to incorporate us. A humbling thought.
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 10:51 PM
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