<p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The very first title conferred upon Yosef was that he was a נער — <em>a lad</em>. (בראשית לז ב)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The Torah also describes how at the age of seventeen he tended his father’s sheep together with his brothers and was particularly fond of the children of Bilhah and Zilpah. It records too, his having reported his brothers’ errant behavior to their father Yaakov. Despite all that, the Torah depicts how Yaakov displayed a special love towards Yosef, presenting him with a fine woolen tunic, which provoked his brothers' hatred toward Yosef.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">What is the significance of noting his youthfulness, isn’t that evident already in describing him as a teenager?</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The Midrash interprets this emphasis as indicative of his typical adolescent behavior, alluding to his having been preoccupied with <em>‘beautifying his eyes, walking daintily, and grooming his hair’</em>, an indication of his seeming immaturity.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Yet, despite this negative portrayal of Yosef’s childishness, the Tikunei Zohar sees in his being defined as a נער, as a reference to the fact that he was the גלגול — reincarnation of חנוך — Chanoch, the great-grandfather of Noach, who the Torah spotlights as having <em>‘walked with G-d’</em> for three-hundred years, and was taken prematurely from this world, lest he succumb to the influence of his generation, and ascended to heaven by the word of G-d.( בראשית ×”, כב-כד, רש"×™)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The Zohar asserts, that the famous verse in Mishlei that guides us in raising our children, חנוך לנער… (משלי כב ו) —<em>Train a child according to his way, </em>is also<em> </em>associating the word חנוך with the personality of Chanoch, seeing its placement it the context of educating the נער — a child, an equation between Chanoch and נער, alluding as well to his soul connection to Yosef, the 'נער'.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The Chasam Sofer contrasts the spiritual approaches of the postdiluvian patriarch Avraham, and the antediluvian righteous one, Chanoch, explaining that whereas Chanoch sought to protect himself in a self-imposed seclusion from the poisonous attitudes of that generation, Avraham courageously faced the opposition, promoting a faith in a Creator, and a devotion to His will, without fear.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Why did Chanoch cower from the task Avraham undertook?</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The Sefer Nachlas Sadeh suggests it stemmed from the fact that Chanoch did not believe in himself and his abilities to accomplish such a overwhelming task.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The great Mashgiach of Mir, Rav Yerucham Levovitz bemoaned the loss of so many potentially great accomplishments because people lacked faith in themselves.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">He directs us to the story of the prophet Yirmiyah who at first was reticent to assume his noble role with his claim נער אנכי — <em>I am but a youth. </em>G-d<em> </em>emphatically responds, אל תאמר — <em>Say not</em>, נער אנכי — <em>I am a youth!</em></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Yosef, the <em>gilgul</em> of Chanoch picked up where his predecessor left off, believing in himself and his talents, fearlessly promoting the will of G-d, never acquiescing to doubt. (ספר נחלת שדה תנאים ואמוראים ד' קלט)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">So why then does the Torah in aligning Yosef with Chanoch emphasize this alliance in the word נער — a lad, if Yosef was indeed the improved version of Chanoch?</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">How does a teenager navigate successfully through the challenging years of adolescence and become great?</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Perhaps the Torah is seeking to teach us that every person needs to feel positive about who they are. The moment we feel worthless, is the moment we become susceptible to the easy temptations and pleasures that the world provides, offering us delusional and temporal happiness and satisfaction.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">A young man setting out on his journey in life must first gain a healthy view of himself, building confidence in himself.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">We all aspire for identity, connection, and autonomy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The ‘grooming of one’s hair’ represents how comfortable one views oneself. Self-maintenance is a sign of appreciating oneself. Depressed individuals care not to check if their hair is brushed before they leave home as they are wallowing in their self-pity and pain. One’s sense of self is evident in the way one grooms oneself, and in the type of clothing one selects, and the manner it is worn.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The ‘beautifying of one’s eyes’, might allude to enhancing one’s instrument of connection, the tool we use to look directly at one another, eye to eye. It is a necessary component to further and deepen our sense of bonding with others, which is so vital to building up self-confidence, and the ability to influence others positively.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The confident ‘stride in a young man’s walk’ is indicative of a sense of drive, purpose, and ambition towards a destination and goal. A teenager who just shuffles along with shoelaces dangling untied, demonstrates a child in distress and displeased with oneself.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Although many a lad will become obsessed with themselves unhealthily, grooming themselves merely to draw attention; gazing at others in seeking selfish pleasures; walking haughtily in a display of immature arrogance, but that was not the case of Yosef. He was striving to discover himself so that he dedicates those talents for the benefit of others.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">In his youthful zealousness he accused the brothers of lacking these very qualities.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">His report to his father that they ripped a limb from a live animal, was a demonstration of their lack of self-dignity, permitting their instincts to betray their ennobled stature, and exhibit their lack of the most basic self-respect.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Yosef suspected that their interactions with the general populace was not centered on altruism, but rather out of selfish interest and gain, and possibly tainted with inappropriate intentions toward the women they interacted with.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">His accusing them of degrading the children of Bilhah and Ziplah in referring to them as the children of the maidservants, intimating they had an inferior status of servants themselves, was indicative of their failure to respect others by permitting themselves to be biased and derisive. They sought not sincere connection to others and related to others condescendingly and with arrogance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Because of these claims Yosef was providentially challenged to display his purity of motive in these very areas that he accused them. The brothers questioned his intentions, alleging that he too was guilty of obsession with himself; was feigning purity and equally driven towards impropriety; guilty of conceit in his allegations against them implying he was better than them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">When the brothers stripped Yosef of his prized tunic, leaving him naked in the pit, he nevertheless maintained his dignity throughout, remaining calm, proving that he remained true to his elevated stature.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Even after losing his former exalted stature in the eyes of his loving father, becoming a slave, he remains a kindhearted individual who is sincerely compassionate to his masters, capturing their respect. Even when later imprisoned, he shows sensitivity to the other prisoners winning their admiration.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">When facing the temptress, the wife of Potiphar, despite being far away from the inspiration and supervising eyes of his illustrious father, he remains totally in self-control of his strongest urges and not indulging in even setting his eyes upon her.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Yosef remains forever the exemplar of believing in oneself. Even as a lad, he begins his journey in transforming the cautious righteousness of Chanoch into a courageous promoter of the will of G-d, willing to confront the world and its challenges, inspiring it with a powerful faith in G-d, and an abiding faith in oneself.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The lesson of Chanukah is just that. The Chashmonaim bravely revolted against their adversaries despite the odds against them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The Holy SHaLah reveals that the word חנוכה is a combination of the name חנוך and the letter ×” — חנוכ ×”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">The letter ×” we are taught is the foundation of this temporal world. The open bottom represents the potential for failure. The opening on the left leg, symbolizes man’s ability to return in, provided he leaps upward to make it back in.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">Yosef who sanctified G-d’s name in private, without any influence other than his own conviction, merited that he is called יהוסף. (תהלים פא ו)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">May we believe in ourselves and rise to our innate ability in conquering the demons that seek to quash our greatness!</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">א גוט שבת און א פרייליכן חנוכה,</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">באהבה,</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;" _mce_style="font-size: large; font-family: times new roman, times;">צבי יהודה טייכמאן</span></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p>