Strong Rebuke

There is a Midrash on this week’s Parsha that has a very powerful message. It says אוי לנו מיום הדין אוי לנו מיום התוכחה, which means woe is to us the Day of Judgement, and woe to us the day of rebuke.

The Midrash goes on to explain, that if we look at Yosef, among the youngest of the brothers, and they could not respond to his rebuke, and were dumbfounded, what will happen when each of us will stand before the Holy One Blessed Be He?

How will be able to answer when we will be shown our lives and numerous inadequacies? Will we be full of shame and embarrassment for not trying to reach our full potential?

This episode is a strong reminder that there will be a day of reckoning for all of us. The Pasuk in the Torah that tells us to respect our elders says, מפני שיבה תקום, that we are to stand before the elderly. A better interpretation would be לפני שיבה תקום, which would mean, before you become elderly, wake up! The time for Teshuva is now!