It's All Part Of The Master Plan (Parashat Vayeishev)

Starting from the very beginning of the parasha, we see that a lot of events occur in Vayeishev - each of them having a domino effect on the next one.  We see from this that, though we may not always realize it, Hashem has a plan and there is a reason for everything that happens in life.

The Parasha starts out by telling us that Yaakov loved Yosef more than his other children.  Yosef's siblings noticed this as well and, as a result, they hated Yosef.  Yosef has two dreams which he interprets to mean that his brothers will one day bow down to him.  He shares these dreams with them and, needless to say, it only strengthens their hatred towards him.

Yosef's brothers had gone to tend to Yaakov's flock in Shechem ( although Rashiexplains that in reality they were tending to themselves - not the flock) and Yaakov sends Yosef to check on them.  Upon seeing Yosef approaching them, his brothers conspire to kill him!  Reuven, however, convinces them not to kill Yosef but simply to throw him into a pit.

Afterwards, the brothers take a break to eat some food (sibling rivalry can certainly work up an appetite) and, while doing so, a caravan comes and takes Yosef from the pit to sell him to Egyptians as a slave.  When his siblings realize what had happened, they dip Yosef's tunic in blood and return it to Yaakov claiming that their brother was attacked by a wild beast and killed.

Yosef's "master's" wife accuses him of trying to seduce her (thought it was really the other way around) and so the master throws him in Pharoah's prison.  While in prison he meets the "bartender" and "baker" who have also been arrested.  Each of them shares a dream they had with Yosef and he interprets them correctly.  Upon interpreting the bartender's dream, Yosef told him that in three days he will be reinstated to his previous position and released from jail - Yosef asked that when this happened the bartender should please remember Yosef and mention him to Pharoah.

It's truly amazing how each of the above mentioned incidents impacted the next one!!  Had Yosef not related his dream to his brothers, they may not have wanted to kill him.  Had they not wanted to kill him, they wouldn't have thrown him in the pit.  Had they not thrown him in the pit, he wouldn't have been captured by the caravan.  Had he not been captured by the caravan, he wouldn't have been sold to Potiphar's husband.  Had he not been sold, she wouldn't have accused him of seduction.  Had he not been accused, he wouldn't have been arrested.  Had he not been arrested, he wouldn't have interpreted the bartender's dream.  Had he not interpreted the dream, the bartender never would have mentioned him to Pharoah - which eventually led to Yosef's freedom and appointment as a ruler over Egypt - AMAZING!!

Yosef's one BIG mistake in all of this is a mistake that we make all too often - he failed to realize that Hashem had a plan!  When interpreting the bartender's dream, he asked that that bartender remember him when speaking to Pharaoh - for this, Hashem punished him with another two years in prison.  Yosef should have realized that it wasn't the bartender who needed to remember him, it was Hashem!

Often we get caught up in our day-to-day activities and forget that their is a greater force running the world.  I remember when I was a Freshman in college my brother taught English in a Yeshiva in Boro Park where he would often get me jobs as a substitute.  It happened once that I was completely broke and needed some cash ASAP.  I got a call from my brother's boss asking if I was available to work the following day - EXCELLENT!!  Foolishly, I failed to acknowledge that this was a gift from Hashem and instead went around exclaiming "I'm so lucky".  Sure enough, the Principal called me the following morning to apologize - he didn't need me, the teacher was able to come in...

We should all learn a lesson from the game of dominos that is this week's parasha and from the mistake that Yosef (and I made) - everything happens for a reason in life and, though we may not always realize it - It's All Part Of The Master Plan

Shabbat Shalom!