Did you ever watch a professional puppet show? The puppets dance around and it is all synchronized to perfection. As you enjoyed the show, did it cross your mind that those puppets were alive? Of course not. You know with perfect clarity that those puppets are lifeless and it's the puppeteer who is pulling the strings. Now, what happens when those puppets are real, live people? Do you then also have no trouble acknowledging the true Puppeteer in Heaven?
When Yosef reveals himself to his brothers by saying "Ani Yosef", the happenings of the last twenty-two years suddenly become clear to them. At once, they realize that Yosef wasn’t just a 17-year-old boy who was dreaming; they find out that he was a Navi who had seen the fulfillment of every aspect of his prophetic vision.
Many years earlier when Yosef told his brothers about his dreams, they mocked him. And yet, they themselves began the chain of events to bring about the realization of those dreams. The brothers were convinced that by selling him they would ensure that his dreams would be buried forever. "He thinks he is going to be a king – let's sell him and make him into a slave." Logically, their plan made sense. Selling Yosef would be the greatest and most powerful move to destroy his dreams forever. However, the act of selling Yosef was the catalyst that set Hashem's plan into motion, bringing him to the house of Potiphar and eventually crowning him as king.
The midrash (perek 14) says, "Hashem says, you said 'We will see what would become of his dreams' but I say 'We will see whose plan will prevail - yours or Mine'. Obviously, it was the will of Hashem that Yosef became the king in Mitzrayim.
Shlomo Hamelech says in Mishlei 24 "Ein chachma ein tevuna v’ein eitza neged Hashem" – there is no wisdom, there is no understanding and no counsel against Hashem. This means that even the wisest of men can’t stop Hashem. The Ralbag on this pasuk says it refers to the incident of Yosef and his brothers. They tried to hold back the plan of Hashem, yet not only were they not able to stop it, but they actually caused it all to happen.
Shlomo Hamelech had an episode that shows this idea (sukka 53.). Shlomo once met the Malach hamaves who appeared to be sad. Shlomo asked "Why are you so sad?" The angel replied, "Because Hashem asked me to take away your two ministers and I wasn’t able to do it. I wasn’t able to fulfill my shlichus". As soon as Shlomo Hamelech heard that the lives of his ministers were in danger, he sent them to the city of Lud, a city where the Malach hamaves had no control. As soon as they reached the gates of the city, the Malach hamaves was waiting for them and took their neshamos. The next day Shlomo Hamelech met the Malach hamaves again and this time he was happy. Shlomo asks "Why are you so happy"? And he says, "Because you brought them to Lud! You brought the men to the exact place where I was commanded to kill them. I was commanded to take their neshamos at the gates of Lud and I had no way of getting them there. You helped me! You brought them there!" As the pasuk says, "Rabos machshavos b'lev ish v'atzas Hashem hi sakum" – there are many thoughts in the heart of man, yet it's Hashem's idea that prevails. Here Shlomo Hamelech thought he was saving the lives of his ministers, when in actuality, he was facilitating their death. It's all orchestrated by Hashem and man cannot interfere with Hashem's plan.
Let say you have an elderly parent who becomes very sick. Of course, the children consult the best doctors to determine the best treatment for the patient. Sometimes there are two doctors and they both say different things. Then, the family has to try to make the best decision, because there is really no way to know which treatment is best. The family discusses it and they decide on one treatment plan. It turns out that the treatment was a failure and the parent passes away. The children sometimes feel that it's their fault that they made the wrong decision. Sometimes, r''l, the siblings get into a fight because they feel that one sibling is at fault for insisting on the doctor or the treatment plan. This response is totally against hashkafas haTorah. "Hashem meimis umichaye" – it's Hashem who causes a person to die or to live. People have no say whatsoever. So, you try your best to do what you feel is best for the patient, for that is what we must do as proper hishtadlus. But whether the patient will live or die, that's not up to us. That's in the Hands of Hashem alone, and so nobody should ever feel guilty. Rav Pam zt''l says that a person dies because of "Unesane tokef" and the sickness is just a "hechi timza" how he died. Meaning, when a person dies, it's because Hashem decreed it, not because of the means (sickness, accident, etc.) The way he died is irrelevant.
We just celebrated the yom tov of Chanuka, a yom tov that teaches us this concept. The Greeks were a strong and mighty empire who emphasized culture. They were determined to destroy Yiddishkeit and they planned it out with decrees, death penalties, and war. And yet, not only did we prevail, but through their efforts our Yiddishkeit became strengthened so that we got Chanukah! Of course, it came through the mesiras nefesh of the chashmonaim and all those who responded to the cry of "Mi l'Hashem ailai". But look how amazing it is, that the very ones who sought to uproot Yiddishkeit were the catalysts that brought about the yom tov of Chanukah which we continue to celebrate each year anew. And it's davka Chanukah that gives us so much inspiration, so much chizuk in Torah and avodah. There's so much light, so much kedushah that came to the world from Chanukah, and that light shines anew each year on Chanukah! Little did those Yevanim know what a gift they were bringing about! Chanukah!! And all this shows that "Ein chachma, ein tevuna, v’ein eitza neged Hashem". Hashem is the One, the Only One, Who is pulling all the strings. The puppets have absolutely no say in their movements. It’s Hashem Who's in control.
