It states at the end of last week's parashah (40:23) וַיִּשְׁכָּח ֵהוּ יוֹסֵף אֶת הַמ ַּשְׁק ִים שַׂר זָכַר וְלֹא, "The Sar HaMashkim didn't remember Yosef and he forgot him." The meforshim ask why there is a double expression.
Chasam Sofer (Toras Moshe, end of Vayeshev) writes, "The Sar HaMashkim didn't speak at all about Yosef. This is the meaning of זָכַר וְלֹא יוֹסֵף אֶת הַמ ַּשְׁק ִים שַׂר, he didn't mention Yosef with his mouth. This resulted in Yosef also forgetting the Sar HaMashkim, as it states וַיִּשְׁכָּח ֵהוּ. Yosef forgot the Sar HaMashkim, and he lost hope of being saved through him. And after this yeush, (41:1) שְׁנָת ַיִם מִק ֵּץ וַיְהִי חֹלֵם וּפ ַרְעֹה יָמ ִים, 'It happened at the end of the two years to the day: Pharaoh was dreaming....' because man's help is false, and only Hashem can save."
In other words, it was for Yosef's benefit that he lost hope in the Sar HaMashkim. This brought him to only trust in Hashem. When that occurred, immediately, Pharaoh had his dream, and Yosef's salvation began. (We are saying this so that we can learn lessons from it. But obviously we have no perception of Yosef’s greatness, and his high level of bitachon.)
The Gemara (Gitin 7a) states, "If a person sees that his parnassah is tight, he should give from his money to tzedakah." What is the explanation of this Gemara? Why will tzedakah, more than any other mitzvah, help him earn parnassah in abundance? Furthermore, if he is tight on money, shouldn’t he be cautious with his money and hold on to it? Why should he give tzedakah now?
Kedushas Levi (Chidushei Agados, Agadata d'Sabei Atuna, Shaalah 6) explains that when one gives money to tzedakah, "He shows that he doesn't trust in his money. On the contrary, he trusts Hashem." Thereby, he is attached to Hashem, "and this will bring him brachos. Wherever he will turn, he will succeed, and his parnassah will increase immensely." As it states (Mishlei 11:24) עוֹד וְנוֹסָף מְפ ַזֵּר ׁיֵש, " There is one who scatters and yet is given more. " He is generous with his money, he is מְפ ַזֵּר, he spreads out his money to give to others, and because he trusts in Hashem, עוֹד וְנוֹסָף, he will earn even more.
