Choosing the Right Way | Rabbi Yaakov Mizrahi

Yosef HaTzaddik was in jail for 12 years. When he comes out, and he's standing in front of Pharaoh, and he tells Pharaoh what the dream means, Pharaoh is blown away. Yosef gives advice to Pharaoh and then Pharaoh rewards Yosef HaTzaddik. And the pasuk tells us the unbelievable reward that Yosef got. Pharaoh takes off his ring, he puts it on Yosef. He gives him this unbelievable garment to wear, a chain around his neck, he gives him a royal chariot. Pharaoh, what are you thinking? Yosef was just in jail for 12 years. You think he needs all this? You could have said: Thank you. You're pardoned. You don't have to go back to jail. What are you giving him all this glory and fame for? The Midrash says that he got exactly what's coming his way. The hands that didn't sin, the mouth that didn't sin, the body that didn't sin, the legs that didn't go to the Aveira. He was able to choose - Does he want to enjoy the wrong way or does he want to enjoy the מותר way? He didn't lose anything. The Sefer גלגל העין says, in the name of the Beit Avraham, In the beginning of the year, it's already decreed how much Parnassa, how much sustenance, how much Bracha a person’s going to have. That's also decreeing how much, in a way, a person is going to enjoy his year. And he gets to decide if he wants to enjoy it the wrong way, or if he wants to enjoy it the right way. Whatever enjoyment he's going to have, it's coming his way, but he can do like Esav, and sell the בכורה for a plate of lentils, or he could say: No, no, no. I'm going for the בכורה. Whatever is coming a person's way, he's going to get. It's up to him to decide does he want to get it the wrong way or does he want to get it the right way. Yosef HaTzaddik, holding himself back, he did not lose anything. When somebody holds himself back from doing something wrong, watches his eyes, protects his Kedushah, he's only standing to gain in an unbelievable way.