When Times Get Dark, Align to Light- Parsha Vayigash 5783

“It is one of the toughest ordeals; a breakup can feel so demoralizing and cause emotional chaos. The loneliness, coupled with the reminiscing thoughts of the ex- the memories, and the remainder of them through the habits formed during the relationship, all add up to sadness. As time passes, we start filling our time with activities we like, and a new positive outlook starts to take over. An overpouring of light, positive actions, cast a shadow on the dark times and sorrow caused by them. We see in hindsight; the end of that relation was for the best.

The hindsight of the breakup is a classic example of our limited view of the things that happen to us. Our view is narrow, as we are living the “dark time”, we feel swallowed by its pull. Our experience is linear with time, we lack the ability to look beyond where we stand. Acknowledging that one day, you will look back and see this as a bump in the road.

Opportinities With a Shift In Perspective

When a person reaches this acknowledgement, they can align to receive the opportunities in that situation. It’s a mental shift that happens, an alignment from dark pessimist outlook to want to improve, learn from the experience, be better, a optimistic outlook.

Parsha Vayigash illuminates this surrendering necessary to be able to deal with challenging situations. Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers and forgives them for having sold Joseph to slavery.

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me,” and they drew closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. But now do not be sad, and let it not trouble you that you sold me here, for it was to preserve life that God sent me before you.”

The significance of those words is astounding. He forgave. Looking in Hindsight allowed him to not have anger or hatred to the history between him and his brothers. Joseph finds meaning in his struggles and suffering he was put through. He was able to lift himself from the low points because he was surviving a higher purpose.

“I Was Not Sold, I was Sent” Mentality

Recall what transpired in the previous Parsha. Joseph is sold into slavery. Taken to Egypt. Put in Jail. Not once did Joseph become depressed or angry. Joseph surrendered to what was to be. The Italian phrase, “lo que sera, sera”, what will be will be, has excruciating power as we live in the struggle. This surrendering does not come from a place of weakness, on the contrary, it comes from empowerment. As our struggle happens, we choose our attitude towards it. As a result, we acquire a new perspective a mission in our circumstance.

This mental shift allows us to align to light. It does not change the circumstance, but it allows us to lift our attitudes and get positive results. We go from a victim mentality to a soldier on a mission. We serve our creator with the circumstances in our journey. In the struggle, we remind ourselves, “I am a piece of God, I am here on a mission”, that outlook will make a world of a difference. We focus on how we can lift sparks in that dark road. Then, in hindsight, we will get the vision to see what the purpose was for being placed in that circumstance.