It was a year.. How will “you” remember it?
Fresh in my mind is Bondi Beach, it’s still difficult to process.
As I reflect slightly longer, I think of the remaining living hostages miraculously released just a few months ago—the chances of which were slight to non.
As time is wont to have it, some of the chronology of this past year is already fuzzy.
I googled to see when the miraculous disarming of the greatest physical threat to Israel’s existence took place in Iran and scanned the news to see when the worst fears regarding the Bibas kids was confirmed.
It was a year.. how will you remember it?
In this week’s Parsha ( a worthwhile read) the saga between Joseph and his brother’s climaxes. Joseph reveals his identity as the second most powerful person in the world to his brothers who sold him into slavery —with thoughts of killing him — as they stand shamefaced and speechless in his midst.
Imagine the setting. Joseph bedecked in royal garments and his brothers standing in utter shock, humiliation and fear. What’s the next move?
Joseph makes the move with an unbelievable statement (this is an excerpt). “And now don’t be pained and it should not be irate in your eyes that you sold me here; for as a source of livelihood Gd has sent me before you…And now it is not you who sent me here but Gd..”
An incredible insight and vision if there ever was one with an incredible lesson for us all.
You see, Joseph focused on the Divine hand in his whole ordeal. He focused on his purpose and his mission at hand. He didn’t focus on those who wronged him or capitalize on his immense power to right the wrong. Joseph teaches us that when you live life recognizing that Gd runs the world and reject constant obsessing and arm chair analysis that tends to hijack our minds — we live a truer, more accomplished and calmer life.
We get to utilize our blessings rather than battle to retain them. We get to “live” our dreams rather than talk of them — in short we actualize and pulsate life!
How we remember the past year is irrelevant, indeed we’ll remember little. How we build on this year to live our purpose and soul mission is the true goal and the key to life, happiness, fulfillment and a tremendously blessed 2026!