Yaakov thought that he was sending Binyamin into a perilous place; in reality, he was sending him to his loving brother, who wielded great power in Egypt. Perhaps no place was more secure for Binyamin than “Yosef’s” Egypt. The entire narrative, demonstrates that those circumstances which are seemingly hopeless can be in actuality beneficial. Yosef’s afflictions were necessary to his attaining the highest power in Egypt. His brothers however, who feared the dreaded vice-regent of Egypt, were in error, for that dreaded and evil Egyptian was none other than their loving brother, Yosef. The lesson to be noted is that men fear imaginary enemies, while all we should really fear is Hashem. All circumstances of life are in themselves meaningless, except for Hashem’s favor or disfavor.
