When Yosef was tested with ashes Potiphar, it states (Bereishis 39:12) הַחוּצָה וַיֵּצֵא 'וגו בְּבִגְדוֹ וַת ִּתְפ ְּשׂ ֵ הוּ , "She grabbed him by his garment... he fled and went outside." The Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 87:8) states that Yosef had the strength and ability to pass this test and to go outside, as it states הַחוּצָה וַיֵּצֵא in the merit of Avraham Avinu, as it states, ָההַחוּצ אֹתוֹ וַיּוֹצֵא, "Hashem took Avraham outside."
This occurs to every Yid who desires to serve Hashem. Even when, according to the rules of nature, he can't succeed, Hashem will raise him above the rules of this world, and miracles can occur.
There is another place where the word הַחוּצָה is used. It states (Bereishis 39:12) וַיֵּצֵא וַיָּנָס הַחוּצָה, that Yosef ran outside, and fled away from the wife of Potiphar. The Midrash says that Yosef was able to pass this test in the merit of the avos, as it states about Avraham הַחוּצָה אֹתוֹ וַיּוֹצֵא, that Hashem took him outside.
We can explain that Yosef passed this test because he was a Yid, and he had the power of הַחוּצָה וַיֵּצֵא, to go outside the limits of life, and to serve Hashem beyond the rules of nature and beyond the limitations of this world.
Also, in this week's parashah, we see that Avraham waged a war against four mighty kings and won. It states (14:14) כִּי א ַבְרָם וַיִּשְׁמַע מֵאוֹת ׁוּש ְׁלֹש עָשָׂר ש ְׁמֹנָה בֵיתוֹ יְלִידֵי חֲנִיכָיו אֶת וַיָּרֶק אָח ִיו נִש ְׁבָּה דָּן עַד וַיִּרְדֹּף, "Avram heard that his relative had been taken captive, and he armed his trained men, those born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and he pursued them until Dan. וַיַּכֵּם וַעֲבָד ָיו הוּא ל ַיְלָה עֲל ֵיהֶם וַיֵּחָלֵק, "He divided himself against them at night, he and his servants, and smote them..."
Rashi (14:9) writes פִּי עַל וְאַף ,ה ָיוּ שֶׁגִּבּוֹרִים ָלְהוֹדִיעֲך אַחֲר ֵיהֶם מ ִלִּרְדֹּף א ַבְרָהָם נִמ ְנַע לֹא כֵן, the four kings were mighty. "Despite this, Avram did not hesitate to pursue them."
This is because a Yid receives strength from above. All he has to do is try to do his best, and Hashem will help him succeed.
Never Too Late
One of the factors that prevents people from serving Hashem is that they feel they are too old to change their ways. It states (17:24) ע ָרְל ָתוֹ בְּשַׂר בְּהִמ ֹּלוֹ שׁ ָנָה ַׁעוָתֵש ת ִּשְׁע ִים בֶּן וְא ַבְרָהָם, "Avraham was ninety-nine-years-old when he was circumcised..." Why did he receive this important mitzvah so late in his life?
Chazal in Mesechta Gerim (4:3) address this question, and answer that it is to encourage all potential converts that they shouldn't feel that they are too old to become a Yid. If Avraham had a bris milah when he was, let’s say, twenty years old, people older than twenty would feel that they are too old to convert. Avraham was given the mitzvah of bris milah when he was 99 years old, so all goyim will know that it isn't too late to convert.
This lesson applies to every Yid. One shouldn't feel that he is too old to do teshuvah. Even if he is ninety-nine years old, he can change his ways and do teshuvah. We know this from a kal v'chomer. Hashem encourages goyim who want to convert that it isn't too late for them to join the Jewish nation. Kal v'chomer, Hashem will say to every Yid that it isn't too late for him to do teshuvah. Even later in his life, he can still improve his ways, and Hashem will accept him with love and with open arms.
The Gemara (Bava Kama 97b) states that Avraham Avinu minted a coin. There were the images of an old man and an old woman on one side of the coin, and the images of a young girl and boy were minted on the other side of the coin. This coin taught people a lesson. Avraham was telling people that it is never too late. Even the old can become like the young again. Even the old can change and improve their ways.
