Overcoming Obstacles

This Shabbat we begin the Book of Shemot. The impressive character traits the budding Jewish nation had in Egypt. It is all the more impressive when we consider that Egypt was the most decadent and corrupt place on earth.

The Jewish people didn’t change their names or lifestyles and remained faithful to the traditions of their ancestors.

Yosef set the tone for other Jews where he was challenged in an even bigger way. The Torah tells us הוא יוסף, “he was Yosef.” Rashi asks, don’t we know who Yosef was? But it was to tell us that this was the same Yosef as the simple young man that went down to Egypt. All of his wealth, fame, and notoriety, did not change him.

We are to constantly be aware how easy it is for us to be influenced by our surroundings. It is also easy for us to get carried away with our own successes and forget that it was Hashem that enabled us to succeed.

The Jews in Egypt managed to overcome these obstacles. Perhaps living together in Goshen allowed them to stick together. But what went on around them could easily have affected them. The fact that it didn’t, is nothing less than remarkable. We must never minimize these challenges, and be strong like our ancestors and remain committed to the principles of Judaism.