* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
What is success?
Yosef HaTzadik is the only one in the entire Torah who is called an “Ish Matzliach” (“a successful man”). But this week's Parsha simultaneously describes several troubles he endured: His brothers threw him into a pit, sold him as a slave, he advanced and then was sent to Egyptian prison, and only at the end did he rise to greatness. What's so successful about such a life story?
Our commentators explain: at every stage, everyone who met Yosef saw that God was with him. That he was connected to faith and values. Whether he was in prison or in the Egyptian palace, he maintained exactly the same identity. Whether poor or rich, he remained the same righteous Yosef.
This is a different definition of success, one not necessarily connected to status or money. A stable and consistent person, one who stays connected to the Creator in every situation, who withstands all trials and continues to shine - that is a successful person.
2.
Finding hints along the way
We have all experienced times of emotional turmoil when we lack inner peace and feel that we have lost our way.
In last week’s parasha, Yosef was sent by his father to look for his brothers and he can’t find them. At precisely that moment, someone notices him and asks him a life changing question that captures the essence of the issue. He asks Yosef: “What are you looking for?”
The Kotzker Rebbe says that these words are also directed to us: What are you seeking? Do you feel that you’re headed in the wrong direction and that you’re lost? Are you wondering which path you should take?
First of all, you must determine your ultimate destination. Think deeply and decide what you really want. What is your goal in life? What is your purpose? Where are you heading?
Yosef gave this mysterious man a profound answer: “I am looking for my brothers.”
His answer does not indicate a place on the map but a lifetime goal. Yosef is seeking his brothers; he desires brotherhood. He is looking for peace, mutual understanding, and love. And from this point on everything changes. Yosef becomes the role model of a person who manages to cope and succeed even in the most difficult of circumstances.
This is a vital question that everyone needs grapple with, both on an individual and national level: What are you searching for? What are we searching for? When we’re able to determine what we really want, what we aspire for, and what gives meaning to our lives - then our direction will become clear.
