* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
We have all experienced times of emotional turmoil when we lack inner peace and feel that we have lost our way.
In last week’s parasha, Yosef was sent by his father to look for his brothers and he can’t find them. At precisely that moment, someone notices him and asks him a life changing question that captures the essence of the issue. He asks Yosef: “What are you looking for?”
The Kotzker Rebbe says that these words are also directed to us: What are you seeking? Do you feel that you’re headed in the wrong direction and that you’re lost? Are you wondering which path you should take?
First of all, you must determine your ultimate destination. Think deeply and decide what you really want. What is your goal in life? What is your purpose? Where are you heading?
Yosef gave this mysterious man a profound answer: “I am looking for my brothers.”
His answer does not indicate a place on the map but a lifetime goal. Yosef is seeking his brothers; he desires brotherhood. He is looking for peace, mutual understanding, and love. And from this point on everything changes. Yosef becomes the role model of a person who manages to cope and succeed even in the most difficult of circumstances.
This is a vital question that everyone needs grapple with, both on an individual and national level: What are you searching for? What are we searching for? When we’re able to determine what we really want, what we aspire for, and what gives meaning to our lives - then our direction will become clear.