Joseph, the Righteous

On the sixth day of Sukkos, Joseph visits every Jew. Joseph spent most of his long life in the immoral environment of ancient Egypt. He was second-in-command to Pharaoh, and was thus in constant contact with the local population. Yet, from among all his holy brothers, the sons of our forefather Jacob, only Joseph is called "Joseph the Righteous;" his righteousness and virtue were even more pronounced, given the immoral place in which he was forced to live. And the society did not ostracize him for his righteousness; in fact, the righteous manner in which he lived his life won him the admiration of all the Egyptians around him.

Children today face a similar challenge. It may not seem easy to behave differently than everyone else in the neighborhood, but Joseph teaches us that we can thrive as a righteous observant Jews, wherever we may live.