December 23rd: Mikketz and Chanukah
THIS WEEK IN THE TORAH
Rabbi David E. Ostrich
In the midst of last week’s description of dysfunction in the family of our ancestor Jacob/Israel, there is a rather cryptic detail. After the description of Joseph and his dreams—and his lording over his brothers in re his dreams, we read: “So his brothers were wrought up with him, but his father kept the matter in mind.” (Genesis 37.11) The Hebrew says that Jacob shamar et hadavar, that he guarded or observed the matter. A part of me cries out, “Why do you sit there thinking when you could be doing something?! You are the Patriarch. You’re the head of the family. Why are you sitting there, paralyzed and inactive when great danger awaits Joseph?!” Could it be that Jacob is ambivalent—perhaps losing his edge as a family leader?
Or could there be something deeper at play? Though the complexity of life and God’s plans should be obvious, sometimes we need reminding of all the layers that may be involved. As the Psalmist says of God, “How great are your works, O Lord, how very subtle your designs! A brutish man cannot know, and fool cannot understand…” (Psalm 92.7) The narrative seems to be speaking only of Joseph and Jacob and the family drama, but let us not forget God—Who presumably is the One sending the dreams to Joseph.
Perhaps Jacob is starting to realize that this is more than family drama—that perhaps God is effecting a multi-layered plan. Among other clues, note the next paragraph. When Joseph is sent by his father to see how the brothers and the flocks are doing, the Torah identifies the Patriarch as Israel—whereas he has been identified as Jacob in the preceding passage. Could referring to him as Israel indicate that his guarding of the matter is part of his prophetic mode? Perhaps the father does nothing in re the family conflict but proceeds with God’s plan to get Joseph down to Egypt for his important work there.
Throughout the story, God is constantly playing a role. God gives Joseph the initial dreams about his future grandeur. In the Egyptian prison, God sends dreams to Pharaoh’s butler and baker—and gives Joseph the ability to interpret them correctly. Then, in this week’s portion, God sends Pharaoh dreams and Joseph the ability to interpret them. Here is the exchange between Pharaoh and Joseph in this regard: “Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it. Now I have heard it said of you that for you to hear a dream is to tell its meaning.’ Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘Not I! God will see to Pharaoh’s welfare.’” (Genesis 41.15-16)
When Joseph explains the coming years of plenty and famine, he is clear that God is behind everything: “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same: God has told Pharaoh what He is about to do…as for Pharaoh having the same dream twice, it means that the matter has been determined by God, and that God will soon carry it out.” (Genesis 41.25-32)
To complete this message, the Torah reminds us once again in the last paragraphs of Genesis. After Jacob’s death, Joseph’s brothers come to him and throw themselves at his mercy. They are worried that, with their father now dead, their powerful brother will exact his long-awaited revenge. “But Joseph said to them, ‘Have no fear! Am I a substitute for God? Besides, although you intended me harm, God intended it for good, so as to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.” (Genesis 50.26)
In other words, whatever the brothers intend, whatever Jacob intends—from favoring Joseph and then doing nothing when the family dynamic gets ugly, whatever Potiphar and his wife intend, all of this is God’s plan to put someone in place to save Egypt and the many people who depend on Egyptian grain. “How great are your works, O Lord, how very subtle your designs! A brutish man cannot know, and fool cannot understand…” (Psalm 92.7) I guess you can count me among the brutes who does not see the subtly and complexity of God’s work in the world. It is hard to expand our vision wide enough to understand the Infinite.
Can we understand the Chanukah story in a similar depth? On the surface, it seems a straightforward Jewish struggle with the tidal wave of Hellenism that brought both material blessings and stifling cultural homogeneity. The wonders of the Greek world were open to Jews if we would just give up our devotion to the One God. The High Priestly Family was so mesmerized with Hellenism that they were unable or unwilling to defend Judaism when the Seleucid regime got violent. It fell to an out-of-power priestly family—led by Mattathias and his son Judah—to mount a rebellion against the Hellenists and expel them from the Temple and Jerusalem. Lacking enough popular support, Judah and his brothers turned to the scholar class, a group called the Pharisees who sought a separate-from-Hellenism lifestyle, one that was strictly Jewish. These Pharisees—also known as Rabbis—joined the rebellion and brought their formidable popular support. The result was that the newly installed Hasmonean (Maccabean) High Priest allowed himself to be guided by Rabbinic interpretation, and a new and improved form of Judaism became dominant. It is the form of Judaism that has persisted until today and drives our “traditional” approach to God and life and holiness.
How does God effect reform and improvement of religion? How does God encourage humans to enhance their devotion and understanding of the Divine? In times of revelation, prophets could be addressed directly, but, in post-revelation times (post 500 BCE), perhaps God had to proceed more subtly. And militant Hellenists, courageous Maccabees, and scholarly Rabbinic pietists could all have been a part of God’s plan.
It is awe-inspiring to consider the many ways that God affects us and works through us. We aspire to be angels—doing the work of God in the world, but our work may be on more levels than we realize.
On Chanukah, let us give thanks to God for the courage, persistence, and creative ingenuity that have been placed in our hearts and souls. Come, let us continue to bring God into the world.