Parshas Vayigash 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Dec 25, 2025
- 2 min read
ויאסר יוסף מרכבתו ויעל לקראת ישראל אביו ... (מו-כט)
MASHAL: For years, a certain yeshivah employed a cook whose presence in the kitchen was marked by a heavy cloud of dissatisfaction. To her, each day was nothing more than grueling work. She was constantly complaining about the meager pay, the long hours, and the chaotic energy of the bachurim, whom she claimed were driving her crazy. Her labor was technically proficient, but it lacked spirit; the food was prepared, but the atmosphere remained sour.
Eventually, she moved on, and a new cook took her place. On the surface, nothing had changed, the job description was identical, the kitchen was the same, and the wages remained modest. Yet, the environment transformed instantly. The new cook approached her duties with a radiant joy. While she certainly viewed the job as a practical means of supporting herself, she also saw it through the lens of avodas Hashem. She wasn’t just a cook, but a facilitator of holiness. “How lucky I am,” she would frequently say with a smile. “I get to nourish young men who are engaged in Torah study all day. By feeding them, I gain a share in their eternal reward.” Her perspective turned a mundane chore into a sacred mission.
NIMSHAL: When Yaakov met Yosef, there was an incredible amount of joy and radiation in the air. Father and son who hadn’t seen each other in over 22 years! Yet we are taught (see Rashi), that when Yaakov met Yosef, instead of expressing his love and longing for his beloved son, Yaakov recited Krias Shema. By doing so, he transformed that seemingly mundane physical joy into something remarkably significant and taught us a lesson for generations to come!