Torah Portion Miketz (Genesis 41:1-44:17)
A common greeting for Chanukah is “Chag Urim Sameach,”
meaning happy holiday of lights. The Haftarah that we read on the first Shabbat
of Chanukah is Zechariah 2:14-4:7. It contains mention of Zechariah’s vision of
the menorah and its lamps or branches that stood and will stand again in the
rebuilt Temple. As we are all well
aware, light is a pervasive theme of Chanukah, in fact of most traditions that
occur around the time of the winter solstice.
Light banishes the long night’s darkness during the winter months. Light
spreads hope and openness and transparency. One looks into a flame and becomes
mesmerized by the beauty and paradox of a constant light that is ever changing.
I experience a sense of awe, possibility and hope every time
I kindle the Chanukah candles and gaze at their flames. There is something about
fire. It is powerful and dangerous, yet also cleansing and mesmerizing. The
light of the smallest candle can fill a space so much larger than itself. It
tells us to take courage, to peer into the darkness, into the cracks and
corners of our world and our lives. It illuminates the possibilities of our
lives. It reminds me that if the flame of one little candle can breathe such
potential, imagine the impact that each of us can make.
One person can make a difference. Witness the legacy of
Joseph in the four Torah portions, including this week’s Miketz , that tell his
story. He goes from being a bratty younger brother who is sold to
slavers, is imprisoned in Egypt, becoming its second highest leader, saving the
country from famine and finally, forgives his brothers for trying to kill him. If
one person can do all of that, just imagine the difference that many people
standing as one can make!
The Haftarah, meanwhilie, contains a prophecy about
rebuilding the Temple. The prophecy that will be fulfilled in large part due to
the pragmatic pluralism practiced by Cyrus the Great over the areas that he
governed. Cyrus’ position was to respect and allow the traditions of the people
of his empire. It helped keep the peace and ensured that taxes would be
received. In many ways this attitude is a model of governing for our world today.
Zechariah contains the famous words Lo b’Chayil v’lo b’koach, ki im b’ruchi amar Adonai Tzva’ot “Not by
might, nor by power, but by My Spirit – said the Lord of Hosts.” (4:6)
This verse contains a powerful message both for Chanukah and
for our world today. We recognize this timelessness and timeliness nightly in the second blessing over the Chanukah candles: bayamim
ha-hem -- in those days, bazman hazeh
– in this time. It takes more than armies and war and physical strength
to make change and to live a good life. It requires faith – in God, in a higher
power, in the goodness and possibility of mankind. When I see the words “but by My Spirit” it
tells me that I must nourish a personal godliness while recognizing that the
godliness I see in others may be very different from my own. It requires the moral strength of having
one’s own belief while at the same time holding space and respect for others
without feeling threatened.
That is what Chanukah represents to me, that Judaism is a
constant light that is ever-changing. The faith we hold, the traditions that
imbue our lives with meaning, those same traditions that we often fight
against, the sense that being a Jew means something – to me this is the answer
to the Sages question in the Talmud, Mai Hanukkah? What is Hanukkah?
1. What does the concept of “light” mean to you?
2. Chanukah was a time of conflict not only against an
oppressive ruler but it also was a civil war dealing with religious practices
and ideas and the reality of assimilation. Who were the real winners of the
Chanukah story?
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