There has been a strange sort of
energy in our home over the last few days and it has grown progressively
stronger. Each and every morning and again, each and every evening, our son has
been giving us two countdowns. One countdown is in preparation for Chanukah
which began on Tuesday night and will culminate on next Tuesday night when the
entire Chanukiya is all aglow. The
second countdown is in preparation for winter vacation. However as I listen to
this countdown, I have sensed that there
is something more to it than just the anticipation of Chanukah or the
anticipation of winter break. Hidden
within that countdown and anticipation is a sense of physical fatigue, a
spiritual weariness with the mundane the mundane, and a sense of needing a
spark. In a sense, all of our children, like the candles that get lit, burn
brightly for a brief time, eventually begin to diminish and ultimately
extinguish. Our kids are just burnt out. The countdown is a desire to have a
spark rekindle their physical and spiritual energy.
This Shabbat we read from Parsha
Mikeitz. It is also the Parsha that is always corresponds to Chanukah. Despite
the fact that there is no explicit mention of Chanukah in the Parsha, there are
several ideas, and themes that implicitly hint at the fact that Parsha Mikeitz
and Chanukah are connected. 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.
Chanukah is otherwise known as the
Chag Urim, the Festival of Lights. The Parsha begins with Yosef in the darkness
of prison, waiting and hoping that he will be released. Finally two years after he interpreted the
dream of Pharoah’s Wine Steward, word gets to Pharaoh that there is someone who
can interpret dreams. Very quickly and almost suddenly, Yosef is VaYaritzuhu
Min HaBor rushed from the dungeon (pit) changed
his clothes, shaved, and brought before Pharaoh (Gen41:14-15). A pit, or a
dungeon is usually thought of a place with very little if any light. Now Yosef
has been brought into the light. Pharoah’s
dreams are oriented around the number 7: 7 fat cows, 7 skinny cows, 7 healthy
ears of corn and 7 dried out ears of corn. Both dreams occur by the River, by
the Nile. In Egyptian culture, the Nile is the source of all life. When its
banks overflow, Egyptian agriculture is self-sustaining and plentiful. When the
Nile banks do not overflow, the Egyptian agriculture suffers. Pharoah’s dream,
and the number 7 are oriented around the physical world. None of Pharoah’s advisors,
or Magicians are able to interpret the dreams as they are unable to spiritual
conceive of the number 8, symbolic of “other worldliness”, beyond the physical
and entering the spiritual world. Yosef
makes it very clear that when he interprets dreams BilADaYi Elohim YaANeH et Shlome Paroh – That is beyond me; it is God who will respond with Pharoah’s welfare
( 41:16). Light uncovers the darkness and God creates the light. Yosef is subtly
explaining to Pharaoh that all things are attributable to God, a being and
place beyond the realm of the physical; beyond the realm of 7. Finally, in
Pharoah’s dream, the weak overcome the strong, the “unhealthy” overcome the
healthy. The story of the Chanukah is the story of the seemingly physically
weak and outnumbered Jews overcoming and ultimately defeating the seemingly
stronger physically oriented Hellenistic culture of the Assyrians.
As our children continue their
countdown and they seek to recharge their batteries one thing will be quite
evident. There will be two moments during Chanukah when I can watch my children’s
spiritual battery recharge before my eyes. First will be the night when we
light the Chanukiya and the Shabbat candles, the spiritual light of Chanukah
and Shabbat is palpable as the candle flames are reflected in my children’s
eyes. The second moment will be on the last night of Chanukah when the eight
branches and the holder are all lit. The light of these candles dancing in the
eyes of my children, the serenity upon their faces allows them to face whatever
darkness they may have to contend with when vacation concludes and school
resumes.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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