It is not frequent
when we get to experience a once in a lifetime event. Yet this week, for Jews
throughout the United States, and American Jews throughout the world, they will
celebrate Thanksgiving and the first day of Chanukah on the same day. This unique event has been dubbed Thanksgivukuh.
Certainly there are all kinds of cute ways to combine these two Holidays. In
terms combining foods, I have seen recipes for Cranberry Latkes. For those who really want to boost their
cholesterol count, I am sure there a numerous recipes for frying the
Thanksgiving turkey. I am sure they have
even designed a turkey with its tail feathers shaped like a Menorah that can be
used for lighting Chanukah candles. While
our children are certainly having fun preparing for Thanksgivukah and are
fascinated how mainstream this event has become, when we sit down to celebrate
these two very distinct holidays, I am amazed how neatly they fit together. One
Holiday focuses upon God’s everyday presence and offering thanks. One holiday acknowledges God’s presence
through the miracles we have witnessed.
This week’s Parsha
is Mikeitz. This is Yosef’s coming out party. He is released from prison in
order to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. First he informs Pharaoh that God has
given him this gift, and then he successfully interprets the two dreams.
Pharaoh is so impressed, and so trusting of Yosef, that he makes Yosef his
right hand man. He becomes responsible for preparing Egypt for the famine that
will occur. When the famine struck Egypt, it also affected Canaan where Yosef’s
brothers and father lived. They go down to Egypt seeking relief. Yosef
recognizes them, but he does not reveal his identity. Rather he tests their
moral growth; he purposefully frames the youngest brother, Benjamin in order to
determine whether the brothers would finally protect one of their own. After
many years in prison, Yosef finally has the opportunity to exhibit the moral growth
of his character, and can evaluate the moral character of others. This Parsha
demonstrates the effect that his moral character has upon others.
Throughout the
Parsha, Yosef experiences numerous miracles. The wine steward remembers Yosef
and recommends him to Pharaoh in order to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Yosef
interprets the dream correctly. Yosef’s plan of manipulating the brothers and
getting them to bring all the brothers and later the father (in the next Parsha)
can also be viewed as a miracle. It’s one thing for his brother’s and his
brother’s, his brother’s descendants and Am Yisroel to read the text and see
these miracles. It is quite another thing when the Torah tells us that the
Egyptian people could also exclaim their thanks and be aware of the miracle
that they were witnessing. VaYarKeiv Oto B'MirKevet Hamishneh Asher Lo
VaYikru L’Fanav “AvReich” V’Naton Oto Al Kol Eretz Mitzrayim – He [Pharaoh] had him [Yosef] ride in his
second royal chariot and they proclaimed before him “Avrech!” Thus, he appointed him over all the land of
Egypt (Gen. 41:43). Both Pharaoh and the Egyptians not only think very
highly of Yosef but they are all keenly aware of this unique man and powerful
spirit that now resides in their midst. The people have given him the tile “Avrech”.
The Talmudic Midrash explains that AvReich is a composite of two words: Av
(father) in wisdom and rach (tender) in terms of years. Indeed several verses
later (41:46), the Torah tells us: V’Yosef
Ben Shloshim Shanah– Now Joseph was
thirty years old. The miracle from the perspective of those who were
affected by Yosef and the Thanksgiving that Yosef should be offering to God,
was the fact that such a young man, at age 30, had so much wisdom. There are
not many 30 year olds who become the second most powerful person in a national
superpower. Perhaps the miracle for Yosef was that throughout all of his ups
and downs, he was able to learn from all those experiences. Those experiences,
coupled with Yosef ability to express himself to Pharaoh suggest that within
Yosef’s soul, was a great reservoir of wisdom, so much so that even the Egyptians
recognized Yosef’s wisdom “AvReich”.
As we prepare for
Thanksgiving and Chanukah in our home, we are all keenly aware of how our
children have grown and matured from the previous year. We are both thankful
for the fact that we have witnessed their physical, intellectual emotional and
spiritual growth. We are aware of the miracle of having arrived at this moment
in time and we are able to celebrate it: Baruch
Atah Adoshem Elokeinu Melech Ha’Olam Sh’HeChiYanu, V’KiYaManu, V’Higianu LaZMaN
HaZeh. Praise be are You O Lord, Our
God, Ruler of the Universe who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us
to this season.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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