Parshas Vayeishev begins with Yosef, a beloved son and talented dreamer, whose life takes a sudden turn. Instead of rising to leadership in his father’s household, he is betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold as a slave, and eventually imprisoned in Egypt.
Nothing in Yosef’s journey resembles the path he imagined. And yet, the Torah describes him with a remarkable phrase:
“G-D was with Yosef… and he became a successful person.”
(Vayeishev 39:2)
Success?
In slavery?
In a foreign land?
In a place of darkness and uncertainty?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that Yosef’s greatness was not that he avoided hardship, but that he transformed hardship into light. He carried his identity, his mission, and his awareness of G-d into every situation, even the ones he never chose.
Yosef’s Secret: Purpose Doesn’t Leave You – Even in the Pit
When Yosef is thrown into the pit, the Torah adds that the pit was “empty; it had no water.”
The Sages note: no water, but full of snakes and scorpions.
That’s what emotional and spiritual darkness feels like. It isn’t simply the absence of clarity; it’s the presence of fear, confusion, and danger.
And yet Yosef emerges as the same Yosef. He doesn’t collapse into despair or bitterness. Instead:
He remains connected to G-d.
He remains committed to helping others.
He rises to leadership even in prison.
Yosef proves that a Jew’s inner light does not depend on circumstances. Circumstances can change in an instant. Purpose does not.
The Rebbe’s Teaching: A Little Light in the Darkest Places
The Lubavitcher Rebbe taught repeatedly that the mission of a Jew, and especially one serving others, is not to run from darkness but to illuminate it.
“A little bit of light,” the Rebbe explained, “can dispel a tremendous amount of darkness.”
But Yosef shows us something deeper:
Sometimes the light comes only because you are placed in the dark.
Had Yosef never entered the pit…
Had he never entered Egypt…
Had he never been imprisoned…
He would never have risen to become the source of salvation for his family and for an entire civilization.
His suffering did not interrupt his mission.
It became the mission.
A Message for Today: When Our Mission Demands More of Us Than We Expected
Many of us confront moments we never anticipate, loss, pressure, overwhelming responsibility, unexpected transitions, or challenges that shake our confidence. It’s easy to feel like the pit is too deep, the darkness too thick.
But Yosef teaches:
Your mission does not get cancelled because the road shifted.
It expands.
It deepens.
It becomes more essential.
And when we choose integrity, compassion, optimism, and faith, especially in difficult places, we create light not only for ourselves but for countless others.
A SoulLinks Reflection
At SoulLinks, we meet people who serve in high-pressure environments. Law enforcement officers, military personnel, first responders, and community leaders, who carry enormous responsibilities and often face their own “pits”: trauma, exhaustion, moral injury, family stress, and moments when the mission feels heavier than expected.
Yosef’s story reminds us:
You can stand for light even when surrounded by darkness.
You can remain faithful to your identity even when no one is watching.
You can elevate the moment, even the painful ones, by choosing purpose.
This is the essence of our work:
Strengthening Jewish light on the front lines.
Supporting those who serve so they never carry their mission alone.
We don’t get to choose every circumstance.
But we always get to choose whether we bring light into it.
Yosef chose light.
May we do the same.
Post-Note: Carrying Light Forward
As we reflect on Yosef’s ability to stay true to his mission even in the darkest places, I’m reminded of someone whose life embodied this message with remarkable clarity: Rose Lubin, HY"D, the young Jewish police officer who served in Israel with courage, joy, and unwavering purpose.
Like Yosef, Rose brought light wherever she went — often into places that needed it most. Her smile, her strength, and her dedication to protecting others continue to inspire so many. In her honor, SoulLinks launched a special initiative encouraging Jews around the world to spread light by lighting Shabbat candles and sharing that light with others.
If you haven’t yet read Rose’s story, I encourage you to take a moment.
Her life reminds us that even one person’s light can illuminate an entire world.
Read the article about Rose and our “Spreading Rose's Light” initiative
May her memory continue to shine and inspire us all.