Parashat Vayigash: The Final Corridor

Living Emunah By Rabbi David Ashear

In this week's parasha, Vayigash , Yosef reveals himself to his brothers with the words, אני יוסף, העוד אבי חי - "I am Yosef; is my father still alive?" These words evoke the statement from Chazal, אוי לנו מיום הדין , "Woe to us from the Day of Judgment." Yosef's brothers had repeatedly expressed concern for their aged father, but when Yosef asked this question, they realized they had been contradicting themselves. They had caused their father to suffer for 22 years by selling Yosef into slavery. The Rabbis caution us not to repeat their mistake. While we may justify our actions with excuses, one day we will stand in judgment before Hashem, and we do not want to be found hypocritical. Our purpose in this world is to follow Torah and mitzvot in the circumstances Hashem has placed us. We are held accountable not only for our actions but also for the opportunities we could have embraced but did not. A central aspect of emunah is believing that every moment of our lives matters and that Hashem expects us to use each moment productively. After Yosef interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, warning of seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine, he advised Pharaoh to appoint an איש נבון וחכם to oversee the storage process. Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian asked: Why was it necessary to appoint a navon v'chacham for the seemingly straightforward task of gathering and storing grain? He explained that during seven years of extraordinary abundance, it would be difficult for someone surrounded by plenty to truly appreciate the need to store every last piece of grain. Only a chacham , who is רואה את הנולד (able to foresee future consequences), could envision the desperation of the final year of famine and act accordingly. By picturing the end of the famine, where people would beg for crumbs, a chacham would ensure that not a single grain was wasted. Similarly, in this world, we live amidst an abundance of opportunities to perform mitzvot. It is our responsibility to gather as many mitzvot as possible, for in the next world, there will be no further opportunity. There, a hunger for mitzvot will arise, and people will yearn for just one more chance to perform a mitzvah. A chacham lives in the present with an eye toward that future. There is no greater pleasure than that reserved for the World to Come, but this joy is determined by how much a person accomplishes in this world. The Chafetz Chaim would frequently imagine himself standing before Hashem for judgment, ensuring he was properly prepared. Our Rabbis teach עולם הבא עולם הזה דומה לפרוזדור בפני , this world is like a hallway leading to the next world. To gain entry to the grand ballroom, we must prepare properly while in the hallway. This requires a sense of urgency to utilize every moment to its fullest. I once read a mashal : If a king summons someone to determine their fate in the kingdom, that person would dress in their finest attire for the meeting. Upon reaching the final corridor before entering the throne room, they would stop to check their appearance in a mirror, ensuring they were perfect for the king. This world is that final corridor. We must always strive to present ourselves perfectly before the King. Someone who internalizes this perspective will live each day to its fullest, maximizing the potential Hashem has bestowed upon him. Shabbat Shalom.