Throughout this week's parsha, I noticed the remarkable consistency of Yosef's leadership. No matter where he goes, and regardless of what circumstances surround him, Yosef rises. From his father's home to Potiphar's house and even in jail, Yosef somehow emerges as a leader. Yosef does not merely survive, but rather, he prevails.
We see the first hints of Yosef's leadership in his dreams. His initial dream depicts his brothers as bundles of wheat that are all bowing to him, and in his second dream, the sun, moon, and eleven stars do the same. There is a lot of interesting discussion about whether Yosef should have shared his dreams or if it was an immature decision, but that debate is not our focus. Regardless of the reasoning, these dreams reveal how Yosef viewed himself. Before Yosef was appointed to any official position of leadership, he saw himself at the center, guiding others.
Our second example of Yosef's leadership emerges in Potiphar's house. Yosef, a slave from a different land with no connections and no status, rises to the top. The Torah states in Bereishit 39:4 that Yosef "found favor in his eyes and he appointed him over his household." How does an outsider become the most trusted figure in the home of one of Egypt's most powerful men? Even after Yosef is sent to prison because of Eishet Potiphar's false accusations, the pattern repeats itself. The Torah says that the head of the prison places Yosef in charge of all the prisoners, giving him authority over everything that occurs in the jail. Yosef once again rises to the top. These three episodes teach us that Yosef not only believed he was meant to lead, but he also consistently took action and stepped into leadership roles wherever he was placed.
This raises some critical questions. What gave Yosef the confidence to imagine himself in such a role that appeared in his dreams? How was he able to be so successful in rising to the top?
The Torah is clear that the ultimate source of Yosef's success was Hashem, as Yosef's rise was not merely due to natural talent. As it says in Bereishit 39:3, וַיַּ֣רְא אֲדֹנָ֔יו כִּ֥י יְהוָה אִתּ֑וֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר־הוּא עֹשֶׂה יְהוָה מַצְלִיחַ בְּיָדוֹ, "His master saw that Hashem was with him, and that Hashem made everything he did succeed." The Midrash states that Hashem had such an influence on Yosef's actions that Potiphar understood Yosef's achievements were not tricks, but signs of his devotion and relationship with G-d. However, divine assistance alone is not the only explanation for Yosef's inner confidence and ability to succeed. Yosef had something else, something deeply human, something all great leaders require: He had someone who believed in him.
Bereishit 37:3 states, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָהַב אֶת יוֹסֵף מִכׇּל־בָּנָיו כִּי בֶן זְקֻנִים הוּא, "And Israel loved Yosef more than all his sons, for he was a son of his old age." The Ramban explains that בֶן זְקֻנִים does not simply mean "the youngest," but rather that Yosef was constantly at Yaakov's side. Yosef stayed with Yaakov while his brothers went to the fields, allowing him to absorb Yaakov's teachings. Chazal add in Bereishit Rabbah that Yaakov taught Yosef all the spiritual wisdom he had acquired from Shem and Ever. Every step of Yosef's life, Yaakov was there, investing in him and mentoring him.
This idea provides a deeper understanding of Yosef's early confidence. Yosef did not dream of leadership out of arrogance or because he thought he deserved it. He dreamt of leadership because the person he admired most believed in his potential. His father's attention and presence gave Yosef the internal foundation to see himself as capable of greatness.
The Gemara in Sotah 36b adds to this idea by stating that at the moment Yosef was tempted by Eishet Potiphar, Yosef saw the image of his father, Yaakov, in the window: בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה בָּאתָה דְּיוֹקְנוֹ שֶׁל אָבִיו וְנִרְאֲתָה לוֹ בַּחַלּוֹן. The very fact that Yaakov is the figure who appears at Yosef's moment of crisis shows how profoundly Yaakov had shaped Yosef's identity. Whether Yosef literally saw his father or heard his voice in his conscience is irrelevant. The message of the Gemara is that Yosef made the right choice because Yaakov had instilled in him the values and self-understanding needed to withstand temptation. Yaakov's mentorship and belief in Yosef created a foundation that guided him even in isolation. Yosef did not stand alone in that moment; he carried Yaakov's influence with him.
This is the true definition of leadership. It is not solely about control or dominance. It is the ability to place a piece of yourself inside another human being, so deeply that your values speak even when you are silent. Yosef succeeds because Hashem was with him, but he stands tall because Yaakov taught him how. One of my favorite authors, Frederik Backman, writes, "The world is full of miracles, but none greater than how far a young person can be carried by someone else's belief in them." Yosef is the living embodiment of that truth. He becomes a leader not because he sought power, but because someone else saw greatness in him before he could see it in himself.
Through studying Yosef's leadership, we uncover who truly cultivated these qualities and allowed Yosef to thrive. Yaakov's influence and guidance enabled Yosef to fulfill his destiny. Now the challenge belongs to us. Whose potential will we recognize? Whose leadership qualities will we cultivate? Who will carry our belief and our voice into moments we may never witness? We often think that leadership is reserved for those in positions of authority, but the Torah teaches us otherwise. Real leaders create more leaders by stepping back and allowing others to rise. Our words and our willingness to notice someone's strengths may become the inner voice that guides them years from now.
Somewhere in our lives, there is a person waiting for someone to see what they cannot yet see in themselves. The question is not whether we will lead, but whom we will empower. Just as Yaakov shaped Yosef, we can shape the future by believing in others so that they can become the people they were meant to be.