In this week's parsha, we encounter a fascinating moment that reveals profound insights into genuine religious consciousness. The Torah tells us that when Yosef was sold as a slave to Potifar, something remarkable happened: "וַיַּרְא אֲדֹנָיו כִּי ה' אִתּוֹ" - "his master saw that Hashem was with him."
Rav Shlomo Wolbe raises an intriguing question that cuts to the heart of our religious practice. What made Yosef so exceptional? After all, don't we also say "Baruch Hashem" and "Im Yirtzeh Hashem" throughout our day? Haven't we too reached the level of "Shem Shamayim shagur b'fiv" - having Heaven's name constantly on our lips?
The answer, Rav Wolbe explains, reveals the vast difference between mechanical religious behavior and genuine consciousness of Hashem. When Yosef said "Im Yirtzeh Hashem," it wasn't just a cultural convention or a habit. He genuinely felt and understood that the outcome was completely dependent on Hashem's will. Every time he mentioned Hashem's name, it came from a place of deep awareness and connection.
This stands in stark contrast to how we often use these phrases. How many times do we say "Im Yirtzeh Hashem" automatically, without truly contemplating what we're saying? Sometimes, we might even write "BS"D" at the top of a paper, only to fill it with lashon hara! This disconnect between our words and our consciousness is something we must work to bridge.
Rav Wolbe shares a powerful conversation he had with a gadol who once observed, "Look at this street. It's full of people, and not one of them is thinking about Hashem!" This striking observation highlights how rare genuine God-consciousness is, even among observant Jews.
Another telling incident involves Rav Yechezkel Levenstein. When Rav Wolbe asked him how he was doing, Rav Yechezkel simply answered "Well." He felt it would be meaningless to say "Baruch Hashem" without truly focusing on the words and their significance. This teaches us that authenticity in our religious expression is more important than mere repetition of phrases.
There's another crucial lesson we can learn from our parsha. Even for those who have developed a genuine consciousness of Hashem, there's a challenge of consistency. Yosef maintained his religious identity and expression regardless of his surroundings. Whether in Potifar's house or in prison, his recognition and acknowledgment of Hashem remained unchanged.
This teaches us that if we're accustomed to saying "B'ezras Hashem" or "Im Yirtzeh Hashem," we shouldn't alter our behavior based on our audience. True yiras Shamayim doesn't shift with our surroundings. Like Yosef, we should maintain our religious authenticity wherever we find ourselves.
The Sforno adds another dimension to this understanding. He explains that Yosef's success was so clearly supernatural that even Potifar could recognize it wasn't merely human capability. But crucially, this was only visible because Yosef constantly attributed his success to Hashem. He didn't take credit for his achievements but openly acknowledged their true Source.
As we go through this week, let's work on making our expressions of faith more genuine. When we say "Baruch Hashem" or "Im Yirtzeh Hashem," let's pause for a moment to truly feel and mean these words. This was the middah of Yosef HaTzaddik - having Hashem's presence permeate every aspect of his life, and this is how we too can bring Hashem with us wherever we find ourselves.
