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Chassidut on the Torah |
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The week of Mikeitz and Chanuka, 5762 Overview Miketz (Genesis 41:1-44:17) opens with two
dreams of Pharaoh. In the first, seven lean cows swallow seven fat cows; and in the second,
seven thin stalks of grain swallowing seven fat stalks. No one could interpret
the dream, but finally the butler recalled Yosef who was summoned from the
dungeon and made presentable. He interpreted that both dreams foretold of seven
years of agricultural plenty that would be followed by seven years of famine.
Yosef suggested that Pharaoh seek an administrator to supervise food storage
food during the years of plenty to preserve for the famine. Realizing that the
wisest man for the task was Yosef himself, Pharaoh appointed him viceroy, named
him Tzafnat Paneach, and married him to Osnat with whom he had two sons,
Menashe and Efraim. Yosef built storage cities during the years of plenty. The
years of famine eventually arrive all over the world drawing people to Egypt to
purchase stored food. So too, Yaacov’s sons came to Egypt, excluding Benyamin.
Yosef recognized his brothers though they didn’t recognize him. He pretended to
be angry and accused them of spying the land to attack it. To prove their
innocence, Yosef told them they must bring their youngest brother, Benyamin, to
Egypt and kept Shimon hostage until their return. Yosef wept when overhearing
his brothers conclude that the episode was punishment for having sold Yosef
years before. Upon relaying to Yaacov what happened, he was grieved, but
reluctantly allowed his sons, this time including Benyamin, to return to Egypt
when their food supply depleted. This time, they bring a gift for Yosef. After
seeing that Benyamin also arrived, Yosef asked that a meal be prepared for
himself to eat with his brothers. Upon
meeting them,
Yosef asked about his father, and hid his tears when meeting Benyamin. After
the meal, Yosef instructed that his brothers’ packs be filled with food, and in
Benyamin’s money and Yosef’s ‘magic’ chalice should be replaced in his pack.
After the brothers left the city, Yosef’s men pursued them to catch Benyamin
with his ‘theft’. The brothers were brought back before Yosef who declared that
Benyamin must remain in Egypt as his slave as punishment for stealing. Insights The observance of nearly all the holidays, including Shabbos, is centered around festive meals. The only exception is Chanukah, where by Rabbinical decree, the lighting of the candles is not only the primary celebration, it is the only celebration. This serves to focus our attention on the miracle of the oil staying lit for 8 days, and not on the military victory over the Greeks. The reason for this is that the Greeks purpose was not to kill us but to make us forget our Judaism and accept their philosophies (see the “al hanisim” prayer [“on the miracles”] that is added in the amidah and in after meals). What is the difference between the two celebrations? The basis of a man-made philosophy is that it rejects those ideas that work against human intellect--for instance, the existence of G-d, His unity, supremacy and eternalness. Anything that can not be understood by the intellect is out. Therefore the Greeks denied G-d’s providence and the Torah commandments, asking, ‘What does the Creator care if we eat meat with milk, or not?’ Judaism teaches that G-d is higher than any level of wisdom and knowledge; no thought can contain the Almighty at all, even the most lofty. Even more, the whole purpose of our ability to think is to understand that our intellect is limited, and to work at strengthening our faith. The miracle of Chanukah is G-dly wisdom overpowering human intellect. This is the message of the Chanukah candles. Just as the number of candles increase night-by-night, more light dispels darkness, goodness excels over evil, so too, we are empowered to use our intellect on its highest level. Additionally, just as the Chanuka candles shine outwards to be seen by others, our lives should also be like these candles: ‘shining’ and influencing others by our positive example, Both this parsha, Miketz, and last week’s parsha, Vayeishev, are about dreams: those of Yosef, Pharaoh’s ministers, and Pharaoh himself, all of which were instrumental in bringing Jacob’s children to Egypt and initiating the Egyptian exile. This first exile of the Jewish people is the root of all the other exiles that must precede the coming of the Mashiach. What is the connection between a dream and exile? While we often dream about events currently happening in our lives, the unique aspect of a dream is our power of imagination, that in a dream we can connect two opposites, the impossible is real; the intellect is a mere shadow. When we wake from sleep, the intellect takes control. Exile is the same. To us it appears that we love G-d, while, in fact, our actions prove we are in love with ourselves. We can even become so sunk in material quagmire, heaven help us, so as to defy G-d’s will. As in dreams, during the exile the love of G-d can co-exist with the contradictory reality of our materialistic motives. How do we remove ourselves from this dream, this exile? The answer is to wake up from the dream, to see the truth. This is made possible by constantly realizing that there is a G-d in the world who cares how we act. We have to set our priorities straight. Time lost from our own spiritual growth is often lost, period. Also, our children, their future and our relationship with them is more important than most of what takes priority in our lives. Know that the exile is a dream that will soon end. This is the difference between the dreams of Yosef, who represents holiness, and Pharaoh, who represents klipah, the ‘shell’ which covers and hides holiness. Yosef’s dream begins, ‘Behold! We were sheaving sheaves,’ emphasizing everyone’s work. Pharaoh’s dreams were only composed of the images of cows and corn. This illustrates that in holiness there is no free lunch; everything is earned with effort. On the other hand, with klipah, there is no need for work, struggle or effort; it is all easy, free. Holiness is eternal and unchanging, while klipah is always changing and diminishing. The reason is that klipah is not an independent existence. It only exists to test us, to deter us from overcoming a challenge, from revealing an inner strength. When one succeeds in overcoming an obstacle, in conquering the klipah, the klipah no longer has a purpose and therefore ceases to exist. Shabbat Shalom, Shaul |
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Ascent of Safed
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