ויהי מקץ שנתיים ימים ופרעה חולם
At the end of Parashas Vayeishev (Bereishis 40:23), Rashi cites Midrash Rabbah (Bereishis 89:3), which teaches that Yosef placed his trust in the chamberlain to put in a few good words about him to Pharaoh. Perhaps this would secure his release from prison. For someone of Yosef HaTzadik’s elevated spiritual level, relying on people was beneath him. Thus, Yosef’s sentence was changed, and two more years were added. His request implied a subtle lack of bitachon, trust. Not that Yosef should have avoided exerting his hishtadlus, effort, which is crucial, but his heart relied too heavily on human intervention, rather…
