Greater than Yosef HaTzaddik

 

by Rabbi David Chananya Pinto

“And now, be not distressed, nor reproach yourselves for having sold me here” [Vayigash 45:5]

A story brought in the holy Zohar on Parshat Mikeitz shows the great merit of a person who overlooks personal affront. 

Rav Abba was sitting at the entrance to Lod when he noticed a tired man who sat down on a boulder that jutted out from the side of the mountain and soon fell asleep. While he was still asleep, a poisonous snake made his way over to the sleeping man. Suddenly a branch from a tree broke off and fell directly on the snake, killing it instantly. When the man awoke he noticed the dead snake lying next to him. He got up and started walking away and just then the boulder he had lain on broke away from the mountain and rolled down to the valley below. Once again he was miraculously saved from death. 

Rav Abba was most impressed by the sight of these miracles he had just witnessed. Rav Abba approached the man and asked him: 

“Please tell me, what good deeds do you possess that Hashem performed two open miracles for you? He saved you from the snake’s poisonous bite and from tumbling to certain death.” 

He replied: “It never happened to me that someone harmed me and I wasn’t appeased. I always forgave him and never held on to anger for any bad that was directed my way. Not only did I forgive, but from that day on, I tried to perform acts of kindness to those who tried to annoy me.” 

When Rav Abba heard these words he cried and said: “The deeds of this man are greater than those of Yosef HaTzaddik. Concerning Yosef, those who caused him suffering were his own brothers; he had to have mercy on them. But this person behaved in this manner with every single person, therefore it is fitting that Hashem perform many miracles for him.