Overview of the Weekly Reading: Miketz
To be read on 2
Tevet 5764 (Dec.
27) Eight Day of Chanukah
Miketz
is the 10th Reading out of 12 in Genesis and
10th overall, and 4th out of 54 in overall
length.
Torah:
41:1-44:17,
Numbers 7:54-89; Haftorah: I Kings 7:40-50 (Chanukah)
Pirkei
Avot: not till after Passover
Miketz 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.
FROM THE MASTERS
OF KABBALA (K:10-64/Miketz
)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:10-64/Miketz
)
People
express humility by bowing to the source of their sustenance ("the
king"), symbolically nullifying their own essence to the one who can
sustain them. Another form from the root of the word "avrech" is "beracha",
meaning "blessing" or "pool". Here the concept is that bowing nullifies
the worshiper making it possible to receive blessing from the "pool"
of blessing above. Bowing causes the abundance to flow from the pool
to the worshipper.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the Shelah,
Shney Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
(S:109-64/Miketz
)
All
the details that the Torah reports here about Joseph and his brothers
allude to matters of the future, to Messianic times. Joseph's fate,
i.e. the wanderings and upheavals he experienced during his lifetime,
foreshadowed the experiences of the Jewish nation in the future.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V:10-64/Miketz)
"Then
Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out
of the dungeon." (41:14)
As our Sages note, Joseph was freed from
prison on Rosh Hashana. Similarly, every Jew possesses an aspect
of "Joseph the righteous," an inner core that can never
be sullied or tarnished. Unfortunately, for most of the year this
essence is "imprisoned" within the body's corporeal nature.
But on Rosh Hashana, when a Jew accepts the yoke of G-d's kingship,
his inner essence is liberated and revealed.
(Der Torah Kval) (from L'Chaim #597)
"He sought to weep, and he entered his room and he wept
there...and he restrained himself." (43:30-31)
The soul "weeps" because it does not want to be imprisoned
in a body; it abhors its fleshly confinement and longs to be reunited
with G-d. Nonetheless, it "restrains" itself and overcomes
its inclination, recognizing that G-d wants the body and soul to
work in tandem to observe His mitzvot.
(Ohr HaTorah) (from L'Chaim #548)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription,
click here)
(W:10-64/Miketz )
Sometimes a person may have a certain insight that leads him to start
searching for the truth, get closer to the spirit-maybe even look
into Judaism. Usually it comes from a revelation that he is tired
of all of the falseness that faces him everywhere and yearns to go
out from the confusion and get to bedrock-the things that do not shake
every time some new item shouts from the headlines. And what is the
easiest solution? To run to the desert, to somewhere where all of
the drags on life cannot find him. It seems that only by breaking
away from daily responsibilities will he be able to serve G-d without
all of the distractions. This is the reason why our ancestors and
the tribes chose to be shepherds far from demands of society. In nature
surrounded by the flock it is easy to stay centered on the spiritual
world of holiness and purity.
In this week's Torah Reading, the descent of Yosef's brothers to
Egypt is described. The verse describes the meeting "Yosef recognized
his brothers but they did not recognize him" (42/8). This verse,
like every verse of the Torah, can be understood in both obvious and
subtle ways.
The LubavitcherRebbe provided an interesting insight. For the tribes
it was inconceivable that the man before them, totally immersed in
the governing of Egypt could be their brother. It was impossible that
a person could stay connected to the spiritual truth while being so
committed to details of the physical world. He could not be their
brother. He must be an Egyptian.
They were unable to perceive that Yosef was at a higher level than
they. Even though all the responsibilities of rulership rested on
him, and he totally invested himself in it, he was still Yosef the
tzaddik, a Jew attached to his Creator. This was something new
in the Jewish experience. He was able to be connected to G-d, not
only in a situation of meditation and escape, but also while involved
with the world. This is the reason that the brothers did not recognize
him. They did not recognize this new level of spirituality in action.
This level that Yosef attained reveals the purpose of creation. G-d
made the world was to inject into it the light of holiness. If a person
hides himself, even though he is creating the best environment for
himself to serve G-d, he is nevertheless not sanctifying the world
or connecting it with holiness. Instead, he is strengthening the position
that the world and G d are separate and contradictory.
When a Jew is involved in the world yet does not compromise his spiritual
values one iota, he imbues the physical with divine light. By doing
business honestly while at the same time keeping Shabbos and his set
times for Torah study, he is living proof that it is possible to serve
the community faithfully and honestly, as the Torah requires. Were
each action of every Jew done in this way, infusing G-d into the world,
this would be total fulfillment of the purpose of the world. No one
says it is easy. Still, the Jewish people are connected to Yosef (Psalms
80/2), and can draw strength from him to succeed. We must not be controlled
by the world that surrounds us but rather persist in our spiritual
mission: to enlighten the world with the light of Torah and its commandments.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul Leiter
(for a free weekly email subscription,
click here)
For all our insights for this parsha:
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year
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