Near the end of Slihot every night, the evocative piyut “Mi She’Ana” (“He Who Answered”) is recited. It recounts Biblical personalities whom God answered and helped in their times of crisis or distress, and turns to God to answer us as well.
Yosef was thrown into jail for a crime he did not commit. Instead of forfeiting his life there, he rose up in the ranks and attended high-profile detainees –some of Pharaoh’s high officials. He interpreted their dreams, eventually was hauled out to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and became second-in-command to Pharaoh. Yosef was in the deepest depths, but God raised him out of the pit and catapulted him into a much better situation. He had asked the Wine-bearer to remember him when he would leave prison. The Wine- bearer forgot him, but God caused the Wine-bearer to remember Yosef at the crucial moment that would enable him to be of utmost help to Pharoah and the rest of the land.
At times it seems that the world- or even God- has forgotten us. At times we feel we have hit-rock bottom, in a rut or a pit which we cannot climb out of. But there is always hope. Sometimes we may feel that we are not being heard, but perhaps the time is not yet ripe. Patience, faith, hope, and perseverance are key.