It states at the end of last week's parashah (40:23) וישכחהו יוסף את המשקים שר זכר ולא, "The sar hamashkim did not remember Yosef, and he forgot him." The miforshim ask why the pasuk expresses the same concept twice: that the sar hamashkim didn't remember Yosef and that he forgot Yosef?
The Chasam Sofer (Toras Moshe, end of וישב) says וישכחהו means that Yosef forgot the sar hamashkim. The pasuk is saying two things: The sar hamashkim didn't remember Yosef, and also Yosef forgot the sar hamashkim. Certainly, we are unable to understand fully and correctly the holy ways of the great tzaddikim, the ה"י שבטי, such as Yosef HaTzaddik. But the Torah tells us about their lives so we can learn the lessons that apply to us. According to the Chasam Sofer's commentary, we understand that, initially, Yosef was waiting and hoping that the sar hamashkim would remember him and help him get out of prison. But after two years passed, and the sar hamashkim didn't do anything to help Yosef, Yosef lost hope of attaining salvation through him. He forgot about him, and it was then that his salvation began.
This is because there is a great rule: When one relies on his abilities and hishtadlus, it doesn’t help; it actually makes matters
