G-d is in Me - the Response to Negative Self-talk
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Vayigash
ויגש אליו יהודה ויאמר בי אדני
And Yehudah approached him (Yosef) and said “please my master”
And Yehudah approached him (Yosef) and said “please my master”
This verse is a continuation to the conclusion of last week’s Parsha.
After Yosef finds his silver goblet in Binyomin’s sack, Yehudah cries out “what can we say to my master? What can we say and what can we do to justify ourselves. G-d has found the sin of your servants.”
The word Vayigash is used to describe approaching Hashem in prayer. Yehudah refers to Yosef as Adoni “my master”. This word has the same letters as the Divine Name אדנ-י.
But as we approach Hashem, we begin to question ourselves and our worthiness to stand before Him. “What can we say?” i.e. how can we speak in prayer? “How can we justify ourselves?”. We reflect on our sins, our baggage, our guilt and shame as “Hashem has found our sins” and knows very well who we are.
These thoughts of inferiority, lowliness and being unworthy, are the voice of the Yetzer Hora, seeking to prevent us from drawing close and connecting to Hashem.
Our response to these inner voices can be found in Yehudah’s words בי אדני. Literally meaning “please my master”, it can also be read as “in me is Adon-ai”. Yehudah is not addressing Yosef. He is talking to himself.
When plagued with feelings of unworthiness, we must remind ourselves that inside of us is a pure soul which is a part of Hashem, which cannot be taken away from us or blemished.
With this realisation, Yehudah concludes “let me speak in the ears of Adon-ai”. Because I am a pure soul, I am worthy to speak to Hashem. No matter what has happened, my prayers are meaningful and precious, and Hashem wants to hear them.
After Yosef finds his silver goblet in Binyomin’s sack, Yehudah cries out “what can we say to my master? What can we say and what can we do to justify ourselves. G-d has found the sin of your servants.”
The word Vayigash is used to describe approaching Hashem in prayer. Yehudah refers to Yosef as Adoni “my master”. This word has the same letters as the Divine Name אדנ-י.
But as we approach Hashem, we begin to question ourselves and our worthiness to stand before Him. “What can we say?” i.e. how can we speak in prayer? “How can we justify ourselves?”. We reflect on our sins, our baggage, our guilt and shame as “Hashem has found our sins” and knows very well who we are.
These thoughts of inferiority, lowliness and being unworthy, are the voice of the Yetzer Hora, seeking to prevent us from drawing close and connecting to Hashem.
Our response to these inner voices can be found in Yehudah’s words בי אדני. Literally meaning “please my master”, it can also be read as “in me is Adon-ai”. Yehudah is not addressing Yosef. He is talking to himself.
When plagued with feelings of unworthiness, we must remind ourselves that inside of us is a pure soul which is a part of Hashem, which cannot be taken away from us or blemished.
With this realisation, Yehudah concludes “let me speak in the ears of Adon-ai”. Because I am a pure soul, I am worthy to speak to Hashem. No matter what has happened, my prayers are meaningful and precious, and Hashem wants to hear them.