In this week's parsha we read about the re-unification of Yosef, his brother's and Yaakov. Although the entire episode of the "sale of Yosef" is extremely difficult for us to understand on face value, there is still a tremendous amount we can learn from Yosef's eventual reconciliation with his brothers. After years of trials, tribulations and suffering which was the result of his sale, Yosef had the ability to look at the bigger picture and realize that it was all in order to bring salvation to the entire family.

We are all faced at times with situations were we feel someone has wronged us or hurt us. In many cases this may be close friends or family or brothers like the case of Yosef. In the short term it is very difficult for us to overcome and reconcile with the "guilty" party. In the long term we are usually able to look back and see that the entire "fight" was really about something very petty, but after years of animosity we have totally destroyed the relationship. In some cases there is never an opportunity to reconcile, in better cases it might take 1-2 generations before families and friends reconcile.

We can all learn from Yosef, who understood the betrayal and hurt he was subjected to was part of a larger plan. If Yosef could overcome all the wrong from his brothers can't we overcome the wrong done to us by our family/friends?

Shabbat Shalom,

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