Ilustration Credit: Noa Kelner
Midrash מִדְרָשׁ
Yosef is sold to a caravan of Yishmaelites that was on the way to מִצְרַיִם (Mitzrayim, Egypt). The caravan was carrying נְכֹאת וּצְרִי וָלֹט — spices, balm, and labdanum (that’s a sticky part of a plant used for making perfume) (Bereishit 37:25).
Why does the Torah give the details about what the Yishmaelites were carrying? Does this matter to the story of Yosef and his brothers?
Rashi wonders about this, and he brings an answer based on a midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 84:17).
לְהוֹדִיעַ מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים, שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל עַרְבִיִּים לָשֵׂאת אֶלָּא נֵפְטְ וְעִטְרָן, שֶׁרֵיחָן רַע, וְלָזֶה נִזְדַּמְּנוּ בְשָׂמִים, שֶׁלֹּא יִזּוֹק מֵרֵיחַ רַע.
This teaches us how God protects tzaddikim (righteous people). These caravans would normally carry kerosene and tar, which have bad smells. But God made sure this caravan had spices, so Yosef wouldn’t be harmed by a bad smell.
God knew that Yosef was suffering. His brothers had pushed him into a pit and now he was being dragged away from his home to be sold as a slave. God wanted to make things a little easier for Yosef.
Traveling with nice-smelling spices definitely did not solve all of Yosef’s problems. But maybe, in this small pleasant experience, Yosef was able to experience God’s kindness and gain a little strength from that.
- Were you ever going through a hard time, and a small gesture of love and kindness - from a family member, friend, or God - made things a lot better for you even if it didn’t solve your problems?
- How does this connect to the miracle of the oil on Hanukkah? (Did that miracle solve the bigger issues caused by the war? If not, what good was it?)
- You may not be able to solve most people’s problems, but don’t give up! What small things can you do for people around you to make their lives a lot better even if you can’t solve everything?
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