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MIKETZ
Bereshit/Genesis
41:1-44:17
1 Kings 3:15:4:1
1
Corinthians2:1-5
Shabbat Hanukkah
Also add Zechariah 2:14
for Hanukkah
Stories today begin in ways
such as: Once Upon A Time, In A Land Far Away, etc. Events in Scripture
often begin with words such as: In those days when the King sat on his
throne (Esther 1:2), In the third year of the reign of the King (Esther
1:3), etc.
In the
story of Esther and Mordecai, in the Book of Esther, the events tell of
how G-d physically rescued His people from the evil Haman. During
Chanukah we recall the story of the Maccabees and how G-d saved the people
from a spiritual death.
At this
season we remember the age-old story of the Maccabees who fought
valiantly. With G-d’s hand, they succeeded in saving the Jewish people
from spiritual destruction when the evil Syrian-Greek King Antiochus IV
wanted to destroy them. He made a decree that any Jewish religious
observance in the land would result in death to those participating. He
even carried off objects from the temple. G-d’s house was turned into a
house of worship to the Greek god Zeus and a pig was slaughtered on the
holy altar.
Despite this time of
darkness, a small group of men under the direction of Mattathias and his
son Judah Maccabee, waged a war that eventually not only brought freedom
to the Jewish people, but also brought forth the light that will forever
illuminate the cause of righteousness and freedom in the heart of the
Jewish people and the hearts of the entire world.
This portion begins in
Beresheet 41:1 “It happened at the end of two years.” Joseph felt
abandoned, forgotten by his family and his G-d. He had lost all hope.
Many feel as if they have
been cut off and have been placed under the cruel edict of darkness in
their lives. Some may feel it was placed upon them by some cruel evil
people who would rule and dictate to them what their lot in life should
be. Or they may feel that G-d has abandoned them when they have ventured
far from home.
Joseph was not only far from
home, but cast into prison. As G-d redeemed him and set him on the
throne, G-d will bring you from your “prison.” You have been set free and
now have become a new creation (2Cor 5:17).
During this season of
Chanukah, when G-d brought back the warm radiant light of the Menorah into
His house and set His people free, we must be mindful that we have been
set free from sin and bondage. Let your light shine forth for all to see,
that they too can be set free from their “prison.”
Shavua Tov
Rabbi Z.
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