PARSHAT VAYESHEV – NO WATER

בס "ד

This week’s Torah reading, Vayeshev, tells the story of Yosef, one of the most interesting characters in Torah. His brothers throw him in a pit and the Torah describes what the pit was like: “It was empty, there was no water”. Our sages extract an important lesson out of this description. Based on Likutei Sichot, vol. 15, p. 324

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The Empty Pit: A Lesson in Humility from Yosef’s Story

In this week’s Torah portion, Vayeshev (“And he sat down”), we encounter the story of Yosef—one of the most fascinating and complex characters in the entire Torah. His life is filled with dramatic turns and profound lessons. While there are countless details worth exploring, I want to focus on one small but powerful detail that carries a deep message for all of us.

Before Yosef was sold into slavery and taken down to Egypt, his brothers threw him into a pit. The Torah goes out of its way to describe this pit in a seemingly repetitive way:

“But the pit was empty; there was no water in it.”

At first glance, this sounds unnecessary. If the pit was empty, of course there was no water. Why does the Torah need to spell this out?

Our Sages teach us that every word in the Torah is precise and intended to teach a lesson. The Torah is not merely telling stories—it is guiding us in how to live.

Empty of Water, But Not Empty at All

The sages explain that while the pit had no water, it was not truly empty. Instead, it was filled with serpents and scorpions. Yosef was thrown into a place of danger and impurity, yet miraculously he emerged alive.

This raises an obvious question:
If the Torah wanted to tell us that the pit was full of serpents and scorpions, why not say so explicitly? Why emphasize the absence of water instead?

To understand this, we must first understand what “water” represents in the Torah.

Water as a Symbol of Torah

Throughout Jewish tradition, the Torah is compared to several essential substances—bread, oil, and water. Each metaphor highlights a different aspect of Torah.

Water, in particular, represents bitul—self-nullification and humility.

Just as water naturally flows from a high place to a low place, Torah can only truly reside in someone who approaches it with humility. A person must be willing to set aside ego, preconceived ideas, and self-importance in order to receive divine wisdom.

No Water Means No Humility

Now we can return to Yosef’s pit with a deeper understanding.

When the Torah says there was no water in the pit, it is hinting that there was a lack of humility. On the elevated spiritual level of Yosef’s brothers—who were themselves great scholars—this absence of humility had serious consequences.

And what happens when humility is missing?

Automatically, serpents and scorpions appear.

In other words, when Torah learning is disconnected from humility and self-nullification, it can quickly become distorted. Impurity, negativity, and ego fill the space.

A Teaching from the Baal Shem Tov

This idea is echoed in a powerful teaching from the Baal Shem Tov, who explains a verse we recite daily in prayer:

“You will stray, and you will serve other gods.”

The Baal Shem Tov explains that this is not describing two separate steps. It is not that a person first drifts away from Torah and then later serves idols. Rather, the moment one strays from the path of Torah, one is already serving other gods.

How so?

Because the essence of Torah is not intellectual discussion alone. The essence of Torah is connection to the Giver of the Torah—God Himself. When Torah is learned without humility, without submission to divine truth, it ceases to be Torah in its true sense.

Letting the Torah Speak to Us

There is a fundamental difference between two approaches to learning:

• Telling the Torah what it should say, based on our own assumptions and intellectual frameworks
• Listening to what the Torah is saying to us, allowing it to challenge and shape us

This is not a play on words—it is a fundamental mindset.

True Torah learning requires us to ask:

What is the Torah trying to teach me?

What message is God conveying through these words?

Not:

How can I make the Torah fit into my existing worldview?

The Pit as a Metaphor

Seen in this light, the pit becomes a metaphor.

The brothers of Yosef were great learners of Torah, but on their exalted level, they lacked a certain degree of humility. They did not fully pause to ask:

• What is happening with Yosef?
• Why does Yaakov treat him differently?
• What is G-d’s plan unfolding here?

Instead, the absence of “water” led to the presence of “serpents and scorpions”—misjudgment and destructive action.

The Lesson for Us

The takeaway is clear and timeless:

Humility is a fundamental prerequisite for learning Torah.

When we learn, we must strive to empty ourselves of ego and listen deeply. We must allow the Torah to guide us, rather than bending it to fit our own narratives.

May we merit to fill our “pits” with water—with humility, clarity, and genuine connection to the Giver of the Torah.

Discorso del rabbino Tuvia Serber


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