Tuesday, January 03, 2006

Yosef and Bitachon (II)

Someone left a comment that that Ya'akov employed his own efforts to deal with Eisav by sending gifts and preparing for war, so why is Yosef expected to rely on bitachon and not make any effort to free himself from prison? The Chazon Ish writes in Emunah U'Bitachon that one can act purposefully to resolve a situation in consonance with bitachon, but one can also act our of desperation as if no hope was left, which reveals a lack of bitachon. According to the Chazon Ish, relying on the efforts of a criminal drunk (to paint the Sar HaMashkim in his most unflattering light) fell into the latter category. Yosef had trust in Hashem in a global sense, but in this one instance it did not properly translate into action.
However, based on the Yismach Moshe we posted, the contrast with Ya'akov is not a question at all. Ya'akov had no clue as to how he would escape the confrontation with Eisav, hence every avenue of hishtadlus was open to him. Yosef knew and recognized the hand of hashgacha in sending the Sar haMashkim to be in prison at the same moment he was, so the path of eventual escape was clear. He is criticized for saying "zechartani...v'hizkartani" because what possible gain could there be in Yosef interjecting his own efforts to the plan which Hashem already had set in motion and would eventually bring his escape?

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