When Ms. Rachel "Likes" Antisemitism
7 min read
What makes someone truly righteous? The Jewish tradition speaks of rare individuals called "tzaddikim" - the completely righteous ones. Our sages only bestow this title on someone who overcame the greatest obstacles and actualized his or her potential to the utmost.
The one character in the Torah on whom our sages bestow this exalted title is Joseph, who rises to his greatness in this week’s Torah portion.
Through the story of Joseph - perhaps the most dramatic tale of spiritual development in the Torah - we discover not just what righteousness looks like, but how to achieve it. We see that the path to righteousness demands overcoming temptation, transcending our ego, and ultimately transforming personal growth into universal benefit. Joseph’s journey from privileged youth to spiritual giant and world leader etches a three-stage roadmap for what it takes to become a tzaddik.
We meet Joseph as the favored son, grooming himself and flaunting his dreams of grandeur before his brothers - actions that lead them to sell him into slavery. As he rises to power in his master’s house, he continues his self-indulgent behavior until God sends him the most daunting test of self-control imaginable.
Picture the scene: A young, abandoned teenager in a distant and highly promiscuous culture,1 wielding significant power in his master's household. Enter the seductress: his master's beautiful wife becomes sick with lust for Joseph, changing her clothes five times daily to entice him. Yet day after day, Joseph resists the impossible temptation.2 The episode reaches its climax when, during a festival with the house empty, she physically assaults him, catching him by his shirt and forcibly demands intimacy. Against all odds, he resists.
Though few of us will face a test as dramatic as Joseph's, we all confront daily battles with desire. Whether it's hitting snooze instead of getting up to pray, scrolling social media instead of studying, or indulging in gossip instead of guarding our speech - our lower impulses constantly threaten to derail us from our higher purpose. The first stage in becoming a tzaddik is learning to say "no" to these temptations that pull us away from our best selves.
Pro Tip: Judaism teaches us that every "no" to our lower desires opens the door to a greater "yes." When we resist the urge for immediate gratification, we create space for deeper satisfaction. When Joseph faced his moment of temptation, the Talmud teaches that he saw his father's face - he glimpsed the magnificent future he would forfeit by giving in to momentary pleasure.3 This is the secret to mastering desire: we need a vision so compelling that it makes resistance not just possible, but natural. When we say "no" to what's immediately pleasurable, we're really saying "yes" to what's ultimately meaningful.
Joseph achieves the second aspect of righteousness after Pharaoh summons him from prison to interpret his dreams. Pharaoh praises Joseph’s reputation as a dream interpreter, presenting him with a subtle but critical test. With his freedom at stake, we would understand if Joseph showcased his abilities. But unlike Shakespeare's tragic heroes, whose hubris leads to their downfall, Joseph has learned from his earlier mistakes. Instead of taking credit for himself, he responds, "Far be it from me! God will see to Pharaoh's welfare."4
According to the Midrash, God responds to this self-nullification: "Since you ascribed greatness to Me and did not seek to exalt yourself, be assured you will be elevated to greatness."5 Indeed, Pharaoh appoints Joseph to lead Egypt precisely because of this quality, declaring, "Could we find another like him—a man with the Divine Spirit?"6
Though we might not have the luxury of being thrown into an Egyptian dungeon for thirteen years to help cure us of our arrogance, we too must work to cultivate genuine humility in our quest to become a tzaddik.
Pro Tip: True humility isn't about denying your gifts - it's about recognizing them as divine investments. When God blesses you with exceptional beauty, intelligence, or wealth, He's not making you superior - He's making you responsible. The greater the gift, the greater the obligation to ensure God receives a worthy return on his investment.7
After mastering both desire and ego, Joseph doesn't retreat into isolated spirituality. Instead, he leads Egypt through a devastating famine, becoming a provider for the entire known world.
This reveals the ultimate Jewish vision of righteousness. In Proverbs, King Solomon describes the highest vision of a righteous person: the “tzaddik yesod olam” - the righteous person who becomes a foundation for the world.8 True righteousness isn't just about personal piety or character development. In its highest expression, the tzaddik becomes a channel through which divine blessing flows to all humanity.
Pro Tip: Before trying to change the world, change yourself. God needs tzaddikim to channel His blessings into our world, but He only entrusts His biggest blessings to those who have proven themselves capable of handling temptation and power.
Even Joseph - our paradigm of righteousness - stumbled repeatedly on his journey. Among other failures, he spoke ill of his brothers, flaunted his special status, and focused excessively on himself.9 Yet King Solomon teaches us something profound about these falls: "The righteous one falls seven times and rises." Rabbi Hutner, in a beautifully sensitive letter to his struggling student, reveals the deeper meaning of these words - the tzaddik rises not despite these falls, but through them. Every battle with desire, every choice between humility and ego, every opportunity to put others before ourselves - even the ones in which we fail - these are not detours from the path to righteousness. They are the path itself.
May we be successful in becoming what Judaism considers truly righteous: not just good people, but foundations through which blessing flows to the world.
Shabbat Shalom!
Avraham
