Mikeitz

The Midrash finds the words of Yaakov when he says to the brothers למה הרעותם לי, why did you treat me badly, totally out of character. The Midrash says that this is the only time Yaakov said something that wasn't proper, for he implied that what 'ה was doing was by chance. 'ה said that I am working to make his son the king in Egypt & he says למה הרעותם לי ?

It appeared that the sale of Yosef was a terrible tragedy, disastrous for Yaakov when, in reality, it was the opposite. Because of the sale, Yosef becomes second to the king giving him the ability to support Yaakov & all the families in the time of hunger.

However, asks the אוצרות התורה how could Yaakov be faulted for his question? He had lost his favorite son, the one whom he had taught all that he had learned from Shem & Ever. This was the son who was the greatest of the brothers in wisdom whose safety was compromised by Yaakov’s request that he go check on his brothers. Yaakov thought that Yosef had been mauled by animals & blamed himself because he had sent him to the brothers. Therefore, how could there be any fault found in Yaakov for saying למה הרעותם לי ?

Writes ר' אברהם גרודזינסקי, a human being is limited by place and time. He doesn't know what's good or bad for he only knows what's going on around him, not what's happening in other places. Also, a person can only see what's happening now since doesn't know the future. Chazal prove this theory from Yaakov; not only couldn't Yaakov see the future that Yosef would become king, he cried bitter tears for nine years while Yosef had already become King of Egypt. Just a few hours journey could have transformed Yaakov’s mourning into joy. The key is to have absolute trust in 'ה that whatever He's doing is for the best which is exemplified by the following story.

The author of המגיד מדבר tells us a story that was told to him directly from the person involved. When the "white" anti Bolsheviks came to power after WWI, the Jews enjoyed a few years of peace & some even became wealthy. Every day this person was in his office by 8 o'clock. One morning as he made his way to the office, he heard someone calling out.
A man was standing on the steps to a small shul calling out for a tenth man to complete a minyan. Since he was early, he went in to complete the minyan. However once he was inside, he saw that there were only four other people. He went back out and said, “what's going on? I'm not the tenth only the fifth; it'll take you all day to get ten people.” He answered that many Jews pass this way so it won't be long. He sat down & said tehillim ten minutes went by & only one more person came in. He got up to leave but the gentleman pleaded with him to wait since he had yahrtzeit for his father and needed a minyan.

This person couldn’t stay since he had to be in the office by eight & it was already eight. The man got angry at him & said, “I am not letting you leave; I have yahrtzeit & need to say kaddish. As soon as I get a minyan & we daven, you can leave.”

Not wanting to antagonize this individual, he unwillingly went back to say tehillim but still, only two more people arrived. Realizing that his morning was shot anyway, he remained until finally a minyan congregated. He thought the man would just say a mishna & then kaddish so he was surprised when he started from the beginning of davening. Wanting to leave he kept looking to the door hoping someone else would walk so he could go, but no one did. After the conclusion of the davening, the man brought out cake & schnapps. Only after that and with profuse thanks was he able to leave.

Finally he was making his way to the office when a man came running frantically screaming to get away. This man said that the communists came, overtook the city, killed out all the Jews & are now raiding the spoils. He turned, ran for his life & was able, after a few days, to escape Russia.
Imagine what would have happened had he left that minyan early.

On Chanuka, we say הפכת מספדי למחול לי פתחת שקי ותאזרני שמחה , you have changed my lament into dancing; you undid my sackcloth & girded me with gladness. The שפת אמת says that the days of Chanuka are days of great inspiration for the Jewish people. We were at a tremendous low when 'ה helped & we were taken out of slavery to freedom, out of bondage to redemption, teaching us that as great as the problems are, that's how great the redemption will be. Never give up & trust that 'ה knows what He's doing which will only be for our benefit.

Maybe this is the fault found in Yaakov’s question. While things looked so bleak & the pain was too much to bear, surely he knew that whatever 'ה did was for his benefit. Having those words come out of his mouth, however, insinuating that there was no plan, that things were just happening, was something that never should have been spoken. Teaching us that no matter what happens & what things look like, 'ה always has a plan!