Yosef HaTzaddik's Hillula

* Yosef HaTzadik, zs'kl, (Joseph the Righteous) was the gilgul of Noach HaTzadik, zs'l. He returned as Yosef HaTzaddik to correct the Brit HaKodesh (Holy Covenant).

* Yosef HaTzadik was not born handsome and as he grew up, he was an average-looking teenager. When Yaakov Avinu, zs'l, met with his brother, Esav, Yosef HaTzadik was afraid that Esav will see his beautiful mother, Rochel Imenu, a'h, and will want her. Therefore, he stood in front of her covering her beauty. As a reward for protecting his mother, he instantly became very handsome.

* Yaakov Avinu took the birthright away from Reuven, a'h, and gave it to Yosef HaTzaddik. (Bava Batra 86:6, 123a).

* After the brothers, a'h, sold Yosef HaTzaddik, they regreted it and ran after the Midyanim to buy him back but were not able to catch up. The brothers blamed Yehudah and at that moment, it was decreed in Shamayim that Yehuda's wife and 2 sons will die, a'h.

* Yosef HaTzaddik, zs'l was 17 years-old at the time he was sold into slavery.

* The wife of Potifar had her servants tie down Yosef HaTzaddik and placed a metal brace around his neck with a sharp point right under his chin. Yosef HaTzaddik still refused to look at her and each time he would lower his head, it cut open his chin. This happened every single day for a period of a year, as it says "They bound his legs in rope and metal pierced his soul" Tehilim 105.

* The day Potiphar's wife tried forcing him to sin, he visualized the image of his father Yaakov Avinu, zs'l, and meditated on the name containing the Mystery of the Ketonet Pasim. This was the last thing his father had taught him. With this he overcame his desires as he stabbed his fingers and toes in the ground placing his full weight on them until the desire left him.

* Potiphar visited Yosef HaTzaddik in prison and knew that Yosef HaTzaddik was innocent. He was afraid to speak up because his wife was a very powerful woman and was afraid that Pharoah would place him in prison.

* Yitzchak Avinu, zs'l, was living in Hevron at the time and he knew thru Ruach HaKodesh that Yosef HaTzaddik is alive in Egypt but he did not reveal it to his son, Yaakov Avinu.

* Yosef HaTzaddik was in prison for 12 years and the prisoners would abuse him daily because of Potiphar's wife. HaShem caused for 2 important ministers to err so Pharoah would throw them in jail. This caused the prisoners to stop abusing Yosef HaTzaddik and instead, to talk about the 2 jailed government ministers.

* The wife of Potifar would constantly sneak into jail and continued tempting him, offering him freedom and money. She had him tortured when he refused.

* When Yosef HaTzaddik was released from jail he received an incarnation of the soul of Chanoch ben Yered, a'h (who became the angel Matatron). That same night the angel Gavriel appeared to Yosef HaTzaddik and taught him 70 languages.

* When Yosef HaTzaddik became ruler over Egypt, the daughters of kings would peek out of the lattices and pelt him with jewelry and rings so that he would look at them - but he did not look. Every day he saw daughters of kings - sometimes adorned, sometimes perfumed, sometimes unclothed - but he did not allow himself to be tempted.

* Because Yosef HaTzaddik did not give in and won the battle, he earned the title Yosef Hatzadik, Tzadik Yesod Alom.

* The rape of Dina bat Yaakov, a'h, by Sh'chem ben Chamor, produced Osnat, a'h. Yaakov Avinu gave Osnat a scarf with HaShem's holy name on it and sent her to live in Egypt. When Yosef HaTzadik became ruler of Egypt, Osnat threw the scarf on him and that's how he knew she was a Jewess. They married and from their union, Menashe and Efraim, zs'l, were born.

* When the Jews wanted to cross the Yam Suf (red sea), it refused to split until it saw the coffin of Yosef HaTzaddik.

* Rabeinu Yosef Chaim's (Ben Ish Chai , zs'l) soul was rooted in the soul of Yosef Hatzadik.

* Yosef Hatzadik's soul returned as one of the Asara Harugei Malchut (Ten Martyrs), (an incident which took place after the destruction of The Second Temple), Rabbi Yishmael Kohen Gadol, zs'l, was the reincarnation of Yosef Hatzadik.

* Gematria numberic value 217, same as אני יוסף, I'm Yosef, same gematria value Devorah דבורה (HaNevia, a'h). She was from Shevet Efraim and was Moshiach ben Yosef of her generation.

* Gaon of Vilna, zs'l, says that Esther HaMalka, a'h, descendant of Binyamin, zs'kl, was Moshiach ben Yosef of her generation.

* פותח את ידך ומשביע לכל חי רצון "You open Your hand, and satisfy every living thing according to their needs".
לכל חי רצון - Roshei Tevot RoCHel, all in the merit of Rochel Imenu, a'h.

* Moshiach ben Yosef is the secret of the Ox.

* “Yosef’s bones, which the children of Israel had brought up from Egypt, was buried in Shechem”. Why Shechem? R. Chama the son of R. Chanina, zs'l, taught, “From Shechem he was kidnapped him and so to Shechem his lost body must be returned.” (Sotah 13b)

* The city of Shechem, is the secret of Yosef, who corresponds to the sefirah Yesod. This is why Shechem was given to Yosef HaTzaddik [and his descendants) for his attribute is Yesod."

Yosef Hatzadik's Hillula is today Rosh Chodesh Aleph Tamuz (June 23, 2009).
May the merits of Yosef HaTzaddik protect us all, Amen.