[Avodah] how to reconcile

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 01:29:24AM +0200, Tal Moshe Zwecker wrote:
: Working on Kedushas Levi, How can we reconcile the following Dvar Torah 
: with Rashi's commentary and Midrash Rabbah 89:3 on verse Bereshis 40:23?

: Kedushas Levi says:
:     "And Yosef's master took him and placed him in jail. . .And he
:     remained there in prison." (39:20)

: This is seemingly superfluous. It seems to me that when the Holy One
: sends someone an incident that is heaven forbidden, not good or not
: positive, then he should desist from any physical reaction and rather
: he should simply trust and have faith in Hashem...

In terms of the message, both agree in recommanding avoiding hishtadlus.
Problematic either way.

In terms of substance, the medrash (and Rashi, who quotes it) is saying
that Yoseif failed to live up to this notion, which is why he was there
for two years -- one for each word of request. The Qedushas Levi says
that he remained there because he had faith -- as he was supposed to --
rather than try. Implied is that had Yoseif tried to get out of jail,
he would have gotten out.

The difference may be in their definition of hishtadlus. Rashi is
saying that relying on the sar hamashqim was a lack of bitachon. The
QL is talking about Yoseif relying on himself, not "al yedei matenas
basar vadam".

So, he got punished for trying the wrong sort of hishtadlus, which he
then (perhaps) accepted because he then developed the right sort of
bitachon when the sar hamashqim let him down.

Or perhaps there is simply a conflicting source the QL is extrapolating
from. Who said the two are /supposed/ to be reconcilable?

Just thinking out loud, since (1) the problem intrigues me, and (2) I
would think it a poor greeting if a new member's first post got neglected.
Barukh haBa!

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             It's nice to be smart,
micha at aishdas.org        but it's smarter to be nice.
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