A Life Changing Moment

Speak about a time when your life was changed by something that seemed minor or unimportant in the moment, but later turned out to lead to something very significant?

בראשית ל״ז:י״א-י״ג

(יא) וַיְקַנְאוּ־ב֖וֹ אֶחָ֑יו וְאָבִ֖יו שָׁמַ֥ר אֶת־הַדָּבָֽר׃(יב) וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶחָ֑יו לִרְע֛וֹת אֶׄתׄ־צֹ֥אן אֲבִיהֶ֖ם בִּשְׁכֶֽם׃(יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־יוֹסֵ֗ף הֲל֤וֹא אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ רֹעִ֣ים בִּשְׁכֶ֔ם לְכָ֖ה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ הִנֵּֽנִי׃

Genesis 37:11-13

(11) So his (Joseph's) brothers were upset with (literally, jealous of) him, and his father [Jacob/Israel] kept the matter in mind.

(12) One time, when his brothers had gone to pasture their father’s flock at Shechem,(13) Israel [Jacob] said to Joseph, “Your brothers are shepherding at Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “I am ready.”

Where else do we read in Torah that someone says הִנֵּֽנִי“I am ready.”
1. Abraham when asked by God to offer up his son (Genesis 22:1) and when angel calls out to him (Genesis 22:11).
2. Esau answering his father and attending to his needs (to get food for him) (Genesis 27:1).
3. Moses at the bush (Exodus 3:4).

Given these references what do you think it means for this relatively rare answer to a request?
What might be a situation when you might respond, "I am ready" - really prepared to do what you need, want or ask of me?

בראשית ל״ז:י״ד-י״ז

(יד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ לֶךְ־נָ֨א רְאֵ֜ה אֶת־שְׁל֤וֹם אַחֶ֙יךָ֙ וְאֶת־שְׁל֣וֹם הַצֹּ֔אן וַהֲשִׁבֵ֖נִי דָּבָ֑ר וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֙הוּ֙ מֵעֵ֣מֶק חֶבְר֔וֹן וַיָּבֹ֖א שְׁכֶֽמָה׃(טו) וַיִּמְצָאֵ֣הוּ אִ֔ישׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה תֹעֶ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַיִּשְׁאָלֵ֧הוּ הָאִ֛ישׁ לֵאמֹ֖ר מַה־תְּבַקֵּֽשׁ׃(טז) וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־אַחַ֖י אָנֹכִ֣י מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ הַגִּֽידָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵיפֹ֖ה הֵ֥ם רֹעִֽים׃(יז) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ נָסְע֣וּ מִזֶּ֔ה כִּ֤י שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה דֹּתָ֑יְנָה וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ יוֹסֵף֙ אַחַ֣ר אֶחָ֔יו וַיִּמְצָאֵ֖ם בְּדֹתָֽן׃

Genesis 37:14-17

(14) And he said to him, “Go and see how your brothers are and how the flocks are faring, and bring me back word.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.

When he reached Shechem,(15) a man came upon him wandering in the fields. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”(16) He answered, “I am looking for my brothers. Could you tell me where they are shepherding?”(17) The man said, “They have gone from here, for I heard them say: Let us go to Dothan.” So Joseph followed his brothers and found them at Dothan.

1. Why does the Torah need to say that Joseph was "wandering"? What does it mean when we say that someone is "wandering" about?
2. Who is this person who provides a direction in his life?
3. Why might it matter that this person is not named?

The Case for UsRabbi Lawrence Kushner, Honey from the Rock, 1977

Each lifetime is the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
For some there are more pieces.
For others the puzzle is more difficult to assemble.

Some seem to be born with nearly a completed puzzle.
And so it goes.
Souls going this way and that
Trying to assemble the myriad parts.
But know this. No one has within themselves
All the pieces to their puzzle.

Like before the days when they used to seal
jigsaw puzzles in cellophane. Insuring that
all the pieces were there.
Everyone carries with them at least one and probably
Many pieces to someone else's puzzle.
Sometimes they know it.
Sometimes they don't.

And when you present your piece
Which is worthless to you,
To another, whether you know it or not,
Whether they know it or not,
You are a messenger from the Most High.