Divine Protection of the Righteous

ויהי ה' את יוסף במדרש עם שאר השבטים לא כו'.

“And Hashem was with Yosef,” and in the Midrash: not with the other tribes, etc.

The Sefat Emet explains that the special accompaniment of Hashem with Yosef is highlighted by the Midrash, distinguishing him from the other brothers.

לפי שהי' בבית אדוניו המצרי ע"ש.

Because he was in the house of his Egyptian master, as is known.

Yosef’s unique danger and isolation in Egypt required a unique manifestation of divine protection.

דכתיב רבות רעות צדיק.

As it is written: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.”

The Sefat Emet cites the verse to show that the righteous often face numerous trials.

ומכולם יצילנו ה'.

And from all of them Hashem saves him.

Even though the righteous encounter many challenges, divine salvation accompanies them continuously.

ועמך כולם צדיקים לכן רבות רעות מסבבים אותם וה' אתנו.

“And Your people are all righteous” — therefore many hardships surround them, and Hashem is with us.

Because the people of Israel as a whole possess righteousness, they too experience many surrounding trials, yet they are not abandoned.

וכן הוא במדת הצדיק אות ברית קודש שכל המקרות מזדמנים דוקא במקום הזה והערלה סובבת.

And so it is with the trait of the tzaddik and the holy covenant: all events are specifically drawn to this place, and the foreskin surrounds it.

The Sefat Emet links Yosef’s trials to the spiritual aspect of the covenant (brit), emphasizing that impurity seeks to obstruct the point of holiness.

ולכן חתם הקב"ה אות ברית להציל הצדיק.

Therefore the Holy One sealed the sign of the covenant to protect the righteous.

The covenant itself serves as divine protection, shielding the tzaddik from surrounding forces of impurity.

כמ"ש ה' אלקיך מתהלך בקרב מחנך להצילך.

As it is said: “Hashem your God walks in the midst of your camp to save you.”

The verse affirms that divine presence stays with the people precisely to rescue and safeguard them.

היוד שחתם הקב"ה בקרב נגמר השם שדי והוא מציל הצדיק.

The yod with which God sealed the inner place completes the name Shaddai, and through this He saves the righteous.

The concluding mystical point: the divine imprint (the letter yod) completes the protective divine Name, which serves as the source of the tzaddik’s deliverance.

Summary: The Sefat Emet teaches that Yosef’s unique divine protection arises from his connection to the covenant of holiness. The many challenges faced by the righteous are tied to the forces that surround this point of sanctity, but the divine seal and presence ensure their salvation.