DECEMBER 10, 1999 VOL 3, ISSUE 10 1 TEVET 5760
Chabad of Northern Beverly Hills, 409 Foothill Road . Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Rabbi Yosef Shusterman 310/271-9063
PARSHAT MIKETZ
In this week's portion, Mikeitz, the Torah describes how Joseph carefully amassed a great quantity of grain during Egypt's seven years of plenty, later sustaining the entire nation during its seven years of famine. This grain was stored in a very special way to make sure it did not spoil: "The food of the field, which was round about every city, he laid up within it," the Torah relates. Rashi, the great Torah commentator, explains that Joseph took some earth from each place the grain was cultivated and mixed it in together with that grain, preserving it and preventing it from rotting."The deeds of the Forefathers are a sign for their children." Joseph's actions comprise an eternal lesson for us, his grandchildren, to apply in our lives. For like our illustrious ancestor, every Jew must accumulate "sustenance" in order to satiate the spiritual "hunger" of his surroundings. How? With the very same admixture of earth that Joseph utilized. The true sustenance of every Jew is the Torah; it constitutes our very lives. The Torah is called sustenance because, like food, it penetrates one's entire being and becomes an actual part of it. The duty of the Jew is to "accumulate" this vital substance by learning as much Torah as he possibly can.
To continue the analogy, we must be careful that the Torah knowledge we accumulate does not "spoil" and decay. Our Sages have said that Torah study, if not done in the proper manner, can lead to negative consequences. In order to prevent this, a Jew needs to add some "earth" to his Torah learning. "Earth" is symbolic of humility and nullification before G-d, as it states, "May my soul be like dust to all." A truly humble person is assured that the Torah he learns will last forever. Furthermore, as we learn from Joseph, this "earth" must be from the very "dust of that place" -- the Jew's humility must come from the Torah learning itself. Not all humility is positive and productive. A Jew must never feel humbled in the face of the
outside world, which scoffs at his beliefs and his Torah lifestyle. The Jew must take pride in his Judaism and hold his head high, never "apologizing" to those he fears might be offended by the Torah's principles and teachings.
Authentic humility, attained when the Jew studies Torah with the realization that he is partaking of G-d's eternal wisdom, is the key to preserving what he has learned. Just as G-d is infinite and eternal, so too is His Torah. The greatest scholar's knowledge is but a drop in the vast ocean of G-d's immeasurable and endless wisdom. Pondering this truth will lead the Jew to true humility, yet instill an enduring pride that enables him to effectively spread Torah and Judaism to those who hunger for spiritual sustenance.
(From: L'Chaim 5755 #397, Adapted from Likutei Sichot of the Rebbe Vol. XXV)"And portions were taken from before him to them; but Binyamin's portion was greater than the portions of all of them, five times as much. And they drank and were merry with him." (43:34) QUESTION: Rashi comments: "Since the day that they had sold him they did not drink wine, nor did he (Yosef) drink wine; but on that day they did drink." Yosef recognized his brothers. Therefore, he had good reason to drink and be merry. However, since the brothers did not know who he was, why did they indulge in drinking? ANSWER: The major problem between the brothers and Yosef was jealousy. Due to their jealousy of his aspirations to rise above them, they went as far as selling him as a slave. When the brothers were invited to a meal in Yosef's house, Yosef put them to a test to see if they had overcome their negative trait. He gave Binyamin five times as many presents as he gave them, and waited to see how they would react. The brothers had already learned their lesson and showed no signs of jealousy whatsoever. When a person strives to improve his ways and overcomes his failings, he is very happy. Proud of their victory over jealousy, they permitted themselves to indulge in wine, to celebrate their improved character. (
From: Vedibarta Bam by Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky)"It came to pass at the ketz (end) of two full years.." (Miketz 41:1) This verse introduces the story how Joseph was freed from prison, the ketz (end) to his confinement. Joseph's confinement was only physical but not spiritual. Even in jail he retained and guarded his spiritual heritage, the teachings absorbed from his father, and this light overcame the darkness of prison and filled him with hope, joy and delight. The restraints of prison did not really fetter him. Those restraints, therefore, were but a temporary confinement, and immediately upon his release he rose to rule over all of Egypt. The prison-house of Joseph, "a place where the king's prisoners are bound," is an allusion to this world into which the souls of Israel - the "children of G-d" - are made to descend to become vested in finite bodies in order to observe Torah and mitzvot.
The analogy with a prison is noted especially during the time of the galut (exile). Thus we must remember Joseph and the events of his life. We must
realize that the very idea of confinement is alien to us, because Jewish life is essentially unrestricted. The present era of restraints, therefore, is undoubtedly only temporary. It is merely a step toward the ultimate goal of illuminating the world, even in its present state of lowliness and galut, with the light of Torah and mitzvot. The fulfillment of this mission will be followed immediately by the final redemption of Moshiach .(From: Insights to Geula, Chabad in Cyberspace)
CHANUKA
"For a mitzvah is a candle, and Torah, light" (Proverbs 6:23). The essence of our mission in life is to shed light, to illuminate a universe darkened by ignorance and strife. Three mitzvot reflect their quintessential function by taking the form of actual, physical light: the lamps of the menorah, which the Torah instructs to kindle each afternoon in the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple); the lights of Shabbat, kindled in every Jewish home just prior to sunset on Shabbat eve; and the Chanukah lights, kindled at nightfall each evening of the eight-day festival of Chanukah.
This time-sequence (afternoon, evening, night) corresponds to the historical time-sequence in which these lights entered our lives. First came the lights of the menorah, commanded by G-d at Sinai and written into the Torah (Exodus 30:8). The Shabbat lights came later, a rabbinical institution designed to foster harmony in the home on the holy day.
Most recent in linear time are the Chanukah lights, instituted 21 centuries ago in commemoration of the miracle of Chanukah. The progression to illuminate increasingly darker areas of time also corresponds to the spatial placement of these three lights.The menorah stood in the holiest place on earth, in the edifice that was the seat of G-d's manifest presence in the physical world.
The Shabbat candles illuminate the home, an environment that embraces both our sacred endeavors (Torah study, prayer, acts of charity, etc.) as well as our more "mundane" activities. But the home is our private sanctum; here we are in control, and the task of achieving harmony between the spiritual and material components of home life is, if not always easy, within evident reach.
Then there are the Chanukah lights. Placed in the doorway or in a window, their stated function is to illuminate the street - to reach out to the stranger, to enlighten the untamed forces that prowl the night. So goes the journey of light. A journey through time and space to ever duskier vistas, to
increasingly alien environments. A journey from midday in Jerusalem to the darkest reaches of a world awaiting redemption.
(From: Week in Review Vol VII, No14 5756,Based on an entry in the Rebbe's journal, dated "Chanukah 5740")
The campaign of the Greeks was aimed to "make them forget Your Torah and violate the decrees of Your will" (Sidur p. 59); as the Midrash (Bereishit Raba 16) puts it, (the Greeks demanded) "Write...that you have no share in the G-d of Israel." It was a war against G-d. "Let them study Torah," the Greeks implied. "Let them practice the justice-mitzvot and the `testimonial' observances. But they must not mention that the Torah is G-d's Torah and the mitzvot are the decrees of His will. Torah and mitzvot must be severed from G-dliness."
(From Rebbe's Hayom Yom Tevet 2).