PARSHAT MIKEITZ on Those Who Insist on Insulating Thing
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בס״ד Torah Of Shepherds and The sheep they tended to didn't boggling, but Joseph achieved it. Statesmen give them a hard time on And it was in this spirit that he Weekly religious issues. That Joseph raised his Is isolationism the only way to could remain a devoted son children, Ephraim and Menashe. December 12-19, 2020 live as faithful Jews, or can we of Jacob, faithful to his father's That's why Joseph is an 27 Kislev- 4 Tevet, 5781 scale the ghetto walls and still way of life while working in the important role model for our remain devout? This is, of hub of the mightiest superpower generation. Most of us find Torah reading: course, an ongoing debate among on earth was totally beyond their ourselves in a socially integrated Mikeitz: Genesis 41:1 - 44:17 comprehension. They could not Haftarah: Kings I 3:15 - 4:1 different schools of thought in society. We mix in many our community. Some look down fathom or recognize such a different circles. We live in a PARSHAT MIKEITZ on those who insist on insulating thing. Indeed, later we will read wall-less, even wireless themselves as being too how Jacob himself is deeply community. Will we maintain We have Jewish tentative, too insecure in their gratified to learn that the son he our Jewishness with dignity and Calendars. If you own Jewish identity. Otherwise, had given up for dead was not integrity despite the challenges would like one, why should they fear the outside only alive but that he was my thrust upon us by a wide open please send us a world? Whereas those who have son, i.e. faithful to Jacob's society? This is the question that letter and we will opted to shelter themselves traditions. Joseph answers. It may not be send you one, or inside the ghetto would argue There is no question that it is easy but it can be done. that engaging a hedonistic, ask the easier to be Jewish among your So whether we are head honchos Calendars morally corrupt society is Rabbi/Chaplain to own. Without a shadow of a in the corporate hierarchy or nothing less than spiritual contact us. doubt, it is much tougher and far diplomats in high office, let the suicide. more testing to practice your viceroy of Egypt, Joseph the Do you have family And then there are those who faith as a minority. Nobody faithful son of Jacob the Jew, on the outside took the risk and lived to tell the enjoys sticking out like a sore inspire us by his example. tale. thumb. So sequestering yourself struggling? By Rabbi Yossi Goldman Our Parshah recounts the in your own little comfort zone Please contact or makes perfect sense. Unless, of The Miracle of the have them contact dramatic episode of Joseph and his brothers. The young boy sold course, you believe that you have our office to learn First Night into slavery has since catapulted a responsibility to the world more about our to prominence and is now around you. When you believe Certain facts are taken for family programs. viceroy of Egypt. The brothers that G-d expects nothing less granted. At times, however, a You and they are come down from you than to change the little thought raises real questions world, then simply treading Family Programs Family not alone, we are from Canaan seeking sustenance regarding the logic behind these here to help. during a famine. They encounter water is not enough. Then you concepts which are simply have no option but to go out and the viceroy face to face but do accepted at face value. For take on the world, engage it and example: Chanukah is eight days not realize that it is their own We offer free Grape long lost brother. make it a more G-dly place. long because the oil which would Juice and Matzoh "And Joseph recognized his All Jacob's sons were righteous naturally have fueled for you to be able to brothers but they did not men. But Joseph was the the menorah for only one day make the blessings recognize him" (Genesis greatest. He is known miraculously lasted for eight. every Shabbos. 42:8). Rashi explains that when as Yosef HaTzadik, Joseph the Everyone knows this since their Please have your they had last seen each other the Righteous. Because it is one days in Hebrew school. But does chaplain / Rabbi brothers, being older, were thing to be righteous in the fields this make sense? If there was contact us to enroll mature and bearded while Joseph and the forests. It is another to be sufficient oil to burn for one day, then the miracle lasted only (available to all was still young and without a righteous among men; especially men and women steeped in moral seven days. Why celebrate the Grape Juice & Matzah & Juice Grape beard. Thus, it was easier for him prisons). depravity, as were the Egyptians. first day, if nothing miraculous to recognize them than vice occurred then? Hyman & Martha Rogal Center versa. The viceroy of Egypt then must 5804 Beacon Street Applying a more homiletic be roughly equivalent to the This question has long bothered Pittsburgh, PA 15217 interpretation, the Lubavitcher President of the United States, or Jewish scholars, and many, many 412-421-0111 Rebbe understands the brothers' at least the Secretary of State, answers have been suggested. Fax: 412-521-5948 lack of recognition not on the today. Imagine that the person Most of these answers www.alephne.org facial level but on the spiritual. holding such high office is a demonstrate how there was [email protected] The brothers were shepherds. It committed, practicing Jew. He is indeed some sort of miracle on successful in the fulfillment of the first day of Chanukah too. suited their spiritual lifestyle to be alone in the meadows, his governmental duties, brings Perhaps, however, it is surrounded by nature and stature to the position, while at unnecessary to establish the unchallenged by a society that the very same time living the life occurrence of any miracle on the might be hostile to their beliefs. of a devout Jew. Quite mind- first day of Chanukah in order to IN JEWISH HISTORY justify its inclusion in the holiday. Perhaps we Sunday, December 13, 2020 --- 27 Kislev, 5781 are celebrating the oil itself, which very 3rd Day of Chanukah Miracle (139 BCE) naturally fueled the menorah on that day. An On the 25th of Kislev in the year 3622 from creation, the Maccabees liberated the Holy Temple in interesting episode recounted in the Talmud Jerusalem, after defeating the vastly more numerous and powerful armies of the Syrian-Greek king Antiochus IV, who had tried to forcefully uproot the beliefs and practices of Judaism from (Taanit 25a.) will “illuminate” the matter: the people of Israel. The victorious Jews repaired, cleansed and rededicated the Temple to the The Mishnaic sage Rabbi Chanina ben service of G-d. But all the Temple's oil had been defiled by the pagan invaders; when the Jews Dosa was a renowned miracle-worker. Shortly sought to light the Temple's menorah (candelabra), they found only one small cruse of ritually after sunset one Friday evening, he noticed his pure olive oil. Miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new, pure oil could daughter sobbing. Upon asking her the reason be obtained. In commemoration, the Sages instituted the 8-day festival of Chanukah, on which for her distress, she explained that she had lights are kindled nightly to recall and publicize the miracle. mistakenly lit the Shabbat candles with vinegar Flood rains cease (2105 BCE) instead of oil. Rabbi Chanina comforted his The forty days and nights of rainfall which covered the face of earth with water in Noah's time daughter: “Do not be troubled, my dear. The ended on Kislev 27 of the year 1656 from creation (2105 BCE. The flood itself lasted a full year, One who commanded oil to burn will command as related in Genesis 6-8). vinegar to burn . .” Needless to say, the R. Chaim of Tchernovitz (1817) candles did not go out. In fact, they burned until Rabbi Chaim of Tchernovitz (1760-1817) was a disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch and of Rabbi the following night, when the havdalah candle Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov. He authored Be'er Mayim Chayim ("Well of Living Waters"), a commentary on Torah. Rabbi Chaim passed away on the 3rd day of Chanukah. (which accompanies the Saturday night 2nd liberation of R. Schneur Zalman of Liadi (1800) ceremony signaling the end of the Shabbat) was Two years after his arrest and liberation in 1798 Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (founder of kindled from their flames! Chabad, 1745-1812) was arrested a second time; again, the charges were that his teachings This story is so striking and unique because undermined the imperial authority of the Czar. His second incarceration was less severe than the Rabbi Chanina didn’t respond by saying, first; yet Chassidim mark the anniversary of his release on the third day of Chanukah “Wanna see something amazing? Watch this with farbrengens (Chassidic gatherings) and the study of his teachings. miracle!” Rather, in the eyes of this holy sage, According to other versions of the story, the liberation occurred on the fifth day of Chanukah. vinegar burning was no more spectacular than Apparently the liberation happened in two stages oil burning. The only difference between the . two was how frequently they occur.