In Parshat Vayigash, Yosef asks his brothers if his father is still alive. Yosef obviously knew that his father was still alive because his brothers kept on reiterating how hard it was to get their father to allow Binyamin to come with them. Despite knowing that Yaakov, his father, must be alive, Yosef says to his brothers when he reveals himself, “I’m Yosef, is my father still alive?”

Why does Yosef ask this rhetorical question?

Yosef’s rhetorical question is showing that a person can physically be alive but emotionally, spiritually or mentally be dead. Waking up every morning gives us the ability to fulfill our goals; however, sometimes we continue doing our routine, are upset, or are living on our phones and shutting out life. Yosef is asking a question that everyone should ask themselves: Am I living and trying to fulfill my goals, grow spiritually, and help others or am I just alive? Each person who is reading this is alive and has the ability to live life to the fullest, so please take Yosef’s message and don’t just exist but live and show the world you exist.

By Shira Sedek