Keep Moving Forward!

The Parsha this week tells us of the story when the brothers threw Yosef in the pit. When the Torah tries to emphasize how hurtful this was to Yosef it adds that "The pit was empty, there was no water in it". Why must the Torah tell us there was no water? It just told us it was empty!

Rashi tells us that the pasuk specified that there was no water to imply that there were other things, like snakes and scorpions. The Gr"a explains that this lack of water may also be a reference to Torah (Mayim zu Torah). If someone lacks the Torah, it does not mean he is the same person just without Torah. If there is no Torah, there are inevitably other, more dangerous things which affect a person.

On a general and conceptual level, this idea is very fundamental to how to guide our Jewish lives. If we do not pursue those things which are fundamentally important, it does not merely mean we stay at neutral and can call ourselves "fine" (as opposed to great). If we do not push forward there will inevitably be something pushing us backwards. 

Have a great Shabbos!