Mikketz

Mikketz - Shlomit Naor

Shlomit Naor is Director of Ta Shma, the pluralistic Jewish Learning department of Melitz in Israel. She is currently studying for a Masters degree in Creative Writing at Ben Gurion University in Be`er Sheva. During the course of her BA studies, she learned and taught at Elul, a pluralistic Beit Midrash in Jerusalem. Shlomit has worked for more than a decade in Jewish education, searching for new creative ways to teach Jewish texts. Shlomit served for three years as a shlicha in Redbrige, London. She is passionate about Israeli poetry, Jewish learning and blogging!

Rabbinical commentators state that "the deed of the forefathers is a sign for the sons" (Ma'ase Avot Siman La Banim), meaning the deeds of the forefathers is a sign for the generations to come. This can be connected to the sons of Jacob and how they relate to their father.

The first point is that in Genesis 28 verses 11 and 12, Jacob climbs a ladder up to the sky. Some commentators see not the ladder reaching the sky, but Jacob himself seeing the angels ascending and descending on it. The parsha quotes: "And he lighted upon the place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top (Head in Hebrew) of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it." If so, the image is quite clear: Jacob's feet are on the ground, and his head in the heavens! What a wonderful metaphor for a person who feels at home in both the practical and spiritual worlds. In this case, how does Joseph bear a resemblance to his father? Jacob, standing on earth with his head up in the sky with the angels, is making a distinction between heaven and earth. That space becomes his territory. Similarly, Joseph symbolises the transition from the lowest mark, to the highest, from a pit or from prison to the highest position in Egypt and to Mashiach Ben Yoseph. He is transformed from the loved son, the desirable young man, and becomes the mean Egyptian who hides a goblet, whilst mentally torturing his brothers and his own father.

The second point relates to Jacob mourning the "death" of Joseph. We can assume Joseph felt close to his father so why doesn't he find a way to inform him that he is alive? In his commentary on the Torah, Nachmanides (Ramban) poses this question: Why didn't Joseph try to contact his father during all his time in Egypt? After all, the distance between the land of Israel and Egypt requires only six days of travelling, according to Nachmanides' calculations. Why, when he became the head of Potiphar's household -- and could easily do such a thing -- didn't Joseph send a letter to his father, informing him that he was alive and well? Certainly, once he became viceroy, the second most powerful man in Egypt, he could have done anything he wanted. All those many years of Jacob languishing, mourning for his favorite son, could have been avoided. Didn't Joseph miss his father just as much? How could he be apart from him for all those years?

There are many answers to this question. I would argue that Joseph was not certain whether or not he wanted to belong to his family after his brothers sold him. Only after realising how much his brothers care about young Benjamin and that his old father Jacob is still alive, allows him to cry a few times and to realise he would like to join his family once again. The book of Genesis focuses on individuals, families and communities, as is reflected in the Joseph story. From caring about his dreams and his family, he shows responsibility towards his nation.

On Chanukah we celebrate the festival of lights, of the small and larger miracles and that a small amount of oil was enough for eight days. The main mitzvah of Chanukah is practiced not in synagogues, as in other holidays, but amongst families and friends. This Chanukah, we pray for individuals, families and communities throughout the world.