I once encountered an extraordinary man in a hotel where I was staying as part of a Passover program. As I strolled through the grand hotel lobby, I noticed an elderly gentleman with a flowing white beard wearing full Chassidic garb.

I greeted him with the traditional “Good Yom Tov!” and in Yiddish I asked him how he was doing. He returned the greeting, and when I asked him where he was from, he told me he was from Williamsburg. Clearly, he was not talking about Williamsburg, Penn., but the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, N.Y. Learning that I was from Encino, Calif., he remarked, “You look like you are a Chabadnik!” I proudly confirmed, “Yes, I am; I’m proud to be a disciple of the Rebbe and his emissary in the San Fernando Valley in California.”

“Then I would like to tell you a story about the Previous Rebbe,” he said, smiling, referring to the Rebbe’s father-in-law, the Sixth Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn.

“Before the Holocaust,” he explained, “I had a very large family. I lost my entire family to the Nazi killing machine. I survived, but I came out all alone. I was a young, broken man, lost and alone.”

“I heard that there was a very great rebbe, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and that people would go to him and receive his blessing. So, I arranged to see the Rebbe and planned to ask for his blessing.

“I entered the Rebbe’s study, and the Rebbe asked me where I was from.”

Pausing, the man explained, “You need to understand that when the Previous Rebbe arrived in the United States in 1940, he was not physically healthy. He had suffered illness, and he didn’t speak very clearly. The Rebbe had a gabbai—an attendant and secretary—who was with him and would translate for him. I think his name was –”

That’s when I interjected and said, “Rabbi Simpson! My grandfather!”

The Rebbe’s attendant was Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson, my maternal grandfather. So it was actually my grandfather who asked this man the Rebbe’s question, “Where are you from?”

“I’m from Satmar,” he replied.

“What do you need?” asked the Rebbe, “What kind of blessing are you looking for?”

“Mishpacha,” I answered, “Family. I want to be able to rebuild my devastated family. I lost everyone, and I want to be able to rebuild.”

“The Rebbe gave me a tremendous blessing, telling me that I would merit to build a large family, loyal to the tenets of Judaism.”

“That’s my experience with your Rebbe and your grandfather,” he said.

“Nu,” I asked him, “what came of the Rebbe’s blessing?”

“Thank G‑d,” he exclaimed, beaming, “I have over 130 descendants!”

A Family in Egypt

The portion of Miketz continues with the riveting story of Joseph, but gives us just a few words about his descendants.

After telling us how Joseph went from jailhouse to palace, the Torah mentions that Pharaoh gave Joseph a wife, Asenath, and they had two sons together: Menasseh and Ephraim.

This story is astounding. Joseph undergoes a transformation from slave to king—the quintessential rags to riches—all within 13 short years! The fact that the Torah includes seemingly unrelated information about Joseph’s children suggests its significance and urges deeper exploration.

What do we know about these children? They were undoubtedly special, as demonstrated by their relationship with their grandfather, Jacob, after he arrived in Egypt. Jacob formed a profound bond with them, meeting daily to study Torah together. He considered them like his own children, telling Joseph, “… your two sons … they are mine. Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine like Reuben and Simeon.” 1 For this reason, Manasseh and Ephraim are counted in place of Joseph among the 12 Tribes.2

While there are many commentaries that discuss the names Manasseh and Ephraim and the significance they embody, I would like to focus on a teaching from the Rebbe.

Celebrating Survival

As discussed in my column on the parshah of Vayeshev, Joseph’s traumatic story—being despised by his brothers, sold as a slave, hounded by Potiphar’s wife, and locked away for 12 years—could have understandably led him to a life of depression and dysfunction. Instead, he responded to his trials with unwavering positivity. Throughout his ordeal, he constantly says, “Baruch Hashem – thank G‑d! This is from G‑d! It’s all from G‑d! G‑d has helped me!”

Remarkably, Joseph emerges from this prolonged period of turmoil unscathed. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, he rises to become a king in Egypt. Which begs the question: How can a person maintain such resilience?

The answer lies in the strength and resilience derived from G‑d. Joseph not only knew this truth, but lived by it, firmly believing that there are no accidents, only a Divine plan.

This understanding is reflected in the name Joseph gave his eldest son, Manasseh, which means “G‑d has caused me to forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”3 It doesn’t mean Joseph completely erased the memories of his experiences, but that G‑d allowed him to set aside all his troubles and all his suffering.

Consider how many incredible stories of strength and resilience came out of the Holocaust. Despite facing unimaginable horrors, many survivors managed not only to function daily, but also to become extraordinary individuals.

Joseph embodies this idea. Despite the challenges, he declares, “Thank G‑d, I survived. G‑d allowed me to set aside and overcome my trauma.” To commemorate this survival, he named his son Manasseh.

Moving Beyond Survival

The Rebbe, however, emphasizes that mere survival is insufficient. We must not only survive; we must thrive!

Many Holocaust survivors, after overcoming their trauma, immediately married and brought new children into the world. They started businesses and established communities. For many, if not most, it took years before they could talk about their experiences. But they thrived.

Joseph recognized this truth, which is why he named his second son Ephraim, meaning “G‑d has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”4 Said Joseph, “Not only did I survive – Manasseh – but I thrived – Ephraim. Not only did I survive my trauma, but I am at the top of my game. I am as productive as I could be and then some! I didn’t just survive and find a nice nine-to-five job; I became the king! I run the country!”

Looking ahead to the portion of Vayechi, Jacob blesses his grandsons, Manasseh and Ephraim, with the words, “May the angel who redeemed me from all harm bless the youths, and may they be called by my name and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac, and may they multiply abundantly like fish, in the midst of the land.” 5

Before bestowing the blessing, Jacob placed his hands on his grandsons’ heads in a peculiar manner, crisscrossing them. He placed his stronger and more dynamic right hand – the hand of blessing – on the head of Ephraim, the younger son, and his left hand on Manasseh. Why? Because Jacob agreed with Joseph: survival is important, but for a Jew, thriving—symbolized by Ephraim—is paramount.

This reinforces the Rebbe’s message: while surviving our trials and tribulations is important, it is not enough. We must thrive. We must grow. This is a key takeaway from the Joseph story that we must strive to incorporate into our daily lives.

Wishing everyone a happy Chanukah. Let’s get out there and thrive!