Parashsa Mikeitz
SAN DIEGO — If you don’t believe this is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” take it up with Jewish composers, Eddie Pola and George Wyle (born Bernard Weissman), who wrote the words and music to that hit song in 1963. For many, it’s hard to see just what’s so wonderful about this time of the year. For Joseph, as we read in this week’s parasha, what may have looked like the worst time, would be quite a turnabout. We are reminded of this each year during Chanukah through Mikeitz. The worst time we face, may just be the most wonderful time.
Joseph suffered with more hardships than most people we know. From intense sibling rivalry, being sold into slavery, to a master’s wife who repeatedly tried to seduce him, to being sentenced to prison for libel for 12 years, to becoming the second most influential person next to King Pharoah, Joseph cleaved to his belief and trust in Hashem. He recognized later that there was indeed a purpose to his anguish. He saw that what was a wicked time actually forecasted a most wonderful time, directing him and his family to a better place.
This “most wonderful time of the year,” is the darkest time of the year with the shortest daylight. COVID has darkened it even more for us all. During this darkness, we light candles and recite Hallel to overcome our darkness, to be reminded of, and to express our gratitude for, Hashem’s help when a handful of our people overcame the Seleucid-Greek kingdom who tried to compel us to idolatry. We light candles to be reminded of the victory of belief and faith.
The miracle of the oil is a foundation for why candle lighting, an act of “pirsuma d’nisa” (publicizing the miracle), is one of the two major commandments of Chanukah, with reciting Hallel as the other. Through lighting candles, we are able to display our hope, trust, and faith in Hashem and in His role in our lives. When they lit the menorah in the Temple, they did so from a belief, a hope, that the future is not preordained, that the future can truly be altered.
But sometimes it is difficult to celebrate with light, given the seemingly dark times that surround each of us. From hate, violence, rising anti-Semitism and bigotry, to declining faith and religious observance among many, “pirsuma d’nisa” may be a particular challenge. Perhaps during COVID this year especially, we are being asked to understand true miracles. Perhaps what the real miracle is in our lives is our ability to understand and see what Hashem means by va y’hi ohr, “let there be light.” That even when it’s the worst, we can find the best. We can see during the darkness and fulfill our duty to bring light.
Rabbi Isaiah ben Avraham Ha-Levi Horowitz (1568-1630), known as the Shlah after the title of one of his major works Shnei Luchos Ha-Bris, was a renowned halachist, kabbalist and communal leader. He teaches us that the 36 candles we use for our “pirsuma d’nisra” during the eight nights of Chanukah correspond to the 36 hours that we communed with Hashem in the Garden of Eden. When we light the Chanukah lights, reserved for a holy purpose and no other, we have the opportunity to connect with creation, with all who came before us.
Joseph spoke out of the role of Hashem. When he interpreted Pharoah’s dreams, he spoke of the power of dream interpretation not being his, but rather it being a gift from Hashem. This theme, Hashem’s dominance and authority, Joseph shared during each conversation he had with Pharoah. Pharoah says on this to his courtiers, “’Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the spirit of God?’ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has made this known to you, there is none so discerning and wise as you'” (Genesis 41:38-39). Joseph shared what many wise doctors understand, namely that healing is not from them but comes through them, from Hashem.
This powerful parasha teaches us that it is He who brings us our abilities and capacities, that we have the capacity through our faith to have a better tomorrow, that if we look, we’ll see the order in our lives and with hope, darkness does not triumph over light.
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com