"It happened at the end of two years; Pharaoh was dreaming" (Genesis, 41:1). The Midrash points out that Joseph had to spend an additional two years in jail since he put his trust in another person and not in the Divine. One of the ways to understand this is that Joseph felt this man was the key to his freedom and thus limited the ability of the Divine to help him.

In life, we have to make the appropriate effort, but we cannot rely on our effort alone to solve our problems. God is limitless and can send us a blessing through any means; we should not limit His ability by deciding where the blessing should come from. The Talmud teaches us that the source of a person's success is hidden from him, echoing this same idea. This applies to every aspect of our lives, whether in terms of relationships, finance, health... We need to realize that, through the efforts we make and the trust we place in the Divine, we will be blessed. However, this blessing may not come in the manner we expect, but in the manner and time in which the Divine wants them to come. The options open to God are infinite.

Shabbat Shalom!