Parashat Vayeishev – 5786

From the Pit to the Promise: Finding God’s Presence in Parashat Vayeishev

A D’var Torah for Parashat Vayeishev

By Rabbi Scott “Shalom” Klein (AJR 2024)

Parashat Vayeishev, which we read just before we kindle the lights of Chanukah, plunges us into one of the darkest family sagas in the Torah: the story of Joseph and his brothers. It is a portion filled with sibling rivalry, betrayal, favoritism, and descent—Joseph is thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, and eventually imprisoned. Jacob, in his grief, refuses all comfort. Darkness seems to prevail.

Yet, amidst this unrelenting bleakness, the Torah offers a crucial counterpoint, a phrase repeated twice in the Parashah, like a quiet, enduring whisper of hope: “וַיְהִי ה’ אֶת יוֹסֵף”— “And the Lord was with Joseph.” (Genesis 39:2, 39:21).

The first instance comes after Joseph is sold and finds himself in the house of Potiphar:

“The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he stayed in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did succeed in his hand.” (Genesis 39:2-3)

Later, after Joseph is falsely accused and thrown into a dungeon, the same reassurance appears:

“But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer… The chief jailer did not look into anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because The Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made succeed.” (Genesis 39:21, 23)

The repetition of this phrase is profoundly instructive for our own lives, particularly when we, or those we serve, find ourselves in a “pit” of despair or challenge.

It is easy to see God’s hand when we achieve success, receive an honor, or experience a clear blessing. But Parashat Vayeishev teaches us that God is present not just in the palace of our triumphs, but in the pit of our failures, betrayals, and loneliness.

The great medieval commentator, Rashi, explains the phrase “The Lord was with Joseph” in the context of Potiphar’s house as meaning that Joseph’s piety and devotion to God were visible and apparent to the Egyptian master. Rashi suggests that Joseph would constantly utter the name of God and even wear a divine name around his neck, demonstrating that his religious integrity was not abandoned upon being sold into slavery.

However, the 19th-century commentator Malbim offers a more nuanced reading. He suggests that this verse refers less to Joseph’s outer actions and more to the Divine Providence that accompanied him, causing everything he touched to succeed, thereby compelling the Egyptian master to recognize that a special spiritual force was at work.

The true measure of Joseph’s greatness—the reason he is so successful—is not that things went well for him, but that he never lost sight of God’s presence even when everything was going wrong. He did not let the darkness of his surroundings extinguish the internal light of his faith.

This message always resonates with my Army service, reminding me that maintaining integrity and faith, even in the harshest environments, is the key to enduring success.

To those serving in uniform, Joseph’s story reminds us that even when duty is difficult, the mission is unclear, or personal sacrifice is great, our commitment to integrity and service is sustained by a presence greater than ourselves. God is with the righteous, whether they stand on the parade field or feel lost in the field of battle.

To those working for Jewish community and engagement, the repeated blessing that God was with Joseph, making him succeed, assures us that the work of building community and extending kindness is inherently blessed. Even when faced with internal friction or external apathy, the small acts of hesed (kindness) we offer can be seen and prospered by God.

This Parashah, leading right into Chanukah, is a reminder that the greatest miracle is not merely the defeat of a powerful enemy or the burning of a small cruse of oil, but the enduring presence of the Divine in the darkest corners of human experience.

May we all strive to be like Joseph: to maintain our integrity, extend kindness, and recognize the quiet, powerful truth of “וַיְהִי ה’ אֶת יוֹסֵף”—The Lord is with us—in every pit, prison, and place of struggle.

Shabbat Shalom.