Trust in God over Man

במדרש ולא פנה אל רהבים זה יוסף כו'.

In the Midrash: “And he did not turn to the arrogant” — this refers to Joseph.

The Sefat Emet begins by citing the Midrash, which identifies Joseph as the one who refused to rely on human arrogance or human power.

כי יוסף הרגיש מיד שניתוסף לו ב' שנים על שאמר זכרתני.

For Joseph immediately sensed that two years were added to his imprisonment because he had said, “Remember me.”

Joseph understood that his request from the chief cupbearer had caused an extension of his time in prison, as a spiritual consequence for placing trust in a human intermediary.

ומיד סילק מלפנות אחריו דכ' ולא זכר שר המשקים את יוסף וישכחהו.

And immediately he refrained from turning to him, as it is written: “But the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, and he forgot him.”

Joseph withdrew any inner reliance on the cupbearer, which the verse reflects by emphasizing both the cupbearer’s lack of remembrance and Joseph’s own detachment.

והקשה בזוה"ק דהלשון כפול ע"ש.

And the Zohar asks: why is the wording doubled?

The Zohar raises the difficulty of the verse’s repetition, noting that “did not remember” and “forgot” appear redundant.

וי"ל וישכחהו קאי על יוסף ששכח ממנו אם כי אמר לו זכרתני.

And it may be explained that “and he forgot him” refers to Joseph, who forgot the cupbearer even though he had earlier said, “Remember me.”

The doubling indicates two different forgettings: the cupbearer forgot Joseph, and Joseph intentionally erased reliance on the cupbearer from his heart.

עכ"ז לא הי' פונה דעתו ולבו אליו.

Nevertheless, Joseph did not turn his mind or heart toward him.

Joseph’s inner stance was free of dependence, fully oriented only toward God.

והראי' שעתה שפתר חלום פרעה לא התנצל כלום לפניו על אודותיו רק בטח בה' כנ"ל.

And the proof is that now, when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, he offered no self-defense before him regarding his own situation, but relied solely on God, as stated above.

When finally standing before Pharaoh, Joseph made no effort to plead for himself, demonstrating his complete trust in God rather than in human rulers.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that Joseph’s added years in prison awakened him to purify his trust in God, leading him to abandon all reliance on the cupbearer. The doubled language “did not remember” and “forgot” signifies both the cupbearer’s forgetfulness and Joseph’s own intentional detachment, culminating in his unwavering trust when appearing before Pharaoh.