Taken from Growth Through Torah by Rabbi Zelig Plisking
Don't sit here!
"Vayaishev Yackov/And Yackov sat...."(Beraishis 37:1)
Rashi cites the sages who say that Yackov wanted to live in peace and serenity. But this was not to be, and the troubles of his son Yosef began. Hashem said , "Is it not sufficient for the righteous that they receive their reward in the world to come? Why do they need to live in serenity in this world."
The question arises: Why is it wrong to want to live in serenity? The answer is that there is nothing wrong with a little serenity as long as its a means to the end and not the end. The lesson we learn in this from Yackov avinu is that we can never stop growing, never stop striving for better. The "Mash" Rav Blumenfeld from Neveh Tzion once said that Yidishkeit is like going up a down escalator, once you stop going up you right away are going down. So we can chill, we can have fun, we can enjoy, as long as its in the right way and as long as its in order to give us strength to go on further, higher and higher.
That answer was for us but what's the answer by Yackov? Yackov avinu desired serenity not so that he could devote his time to personal pleasures, but rather to be able to engage in spiritual pursuits. The answer for that is that a life without challenges is a life not lived. Every life situation can bring spiritual growth.
Talk it out!
"Vayeesnu oso vlo yachlu dabro lshalom/And they hated him and they were not able to speak to him for peace." (Beraishis 37:4)
Rav Yonosan Eibeshutz says something amazing here. It is possible that if the brothers would have spoken the matter over with Yosef they would have been able to make peace. The problem was that they were not talking to each other. This is what frequently happens when people are in the midst of a feud. OLne does not want to listen to the other. However, when one person tells another that he wronged him, the other person might apologize and accept upon himself not to do it again. (Tiferes Yonasan)
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