Dear Friends;
This year’s Parshiyot Mikeitz vort is being sponsored by Moshe and Lauren Pitzele of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated for their son Yosef Shalom’s twelfth birthday on 25 Kislev and for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages and their return home home without experiencing any further harm, as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Pitzele family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Skype: mark.burt3
***************************************
This year, Shabbos Parshat Mikeitz falls out, as it often does, during Chanukah. Our Parshat Mikeitz falls out on the third day of Chanukah.
In last week’s Parshat Vayeishev, we learn about seven miracles which occurred to Yosef. His brothers threw Yosef into a bor (pit) seething with snakes and scorpions — and (1) the miracle of his emerging unscathed. This author has written in the past venturing that there were at least seven subsequent miracles that played a role in Yosef’s life and in his becoming Viceroy, including (2) who he was sold to and the sweet-smelling aromatic gum that was carried in their caravan, (3) his ensuing journey to Mitzrayim and conditions of his slavery — as overseer of all in Pontiphar’s household, (4) his imprisonment on false charges, where he became second to the jailer, after being saved from death by the testimony of Potiphar’s adopted daughter (Osnat bat Dina), (5) as Torah relates in our Parshat Mikeitz, his being remembered, albeit after two years, by Pharaoh’s wine cupbearer for his translation of a dream resulting in (6) Yosef’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams and resultant ascendancy to the position of Viceroy, second only to Pharaoh. Later, when all of the women threw down their Jewelry before Yosef in the hopes of being chosen, (7) he was won over by Osnat, with her metal foil engraved by Yaakov testifying to her holiness. And finally, like the flask of oil found by the Macabees in the Beit HaMikdash which by natural means would maybe burn one day, but burned 8 days; the final miracle (8) would seem to be the fortune amassed by Yosef as Viceroy which would later be found by the Jews during the plague (mako) of darkness and which would be carted out of Mitzrayim during the Yetziyat Mitzrayim.
Our Parshat HaShavua begins near the end of Parshat Vayeishev with Yosef imprisoned. Below is an excerpt from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s Parsha Summary in his sefer “Unlocking the Torah Text” (Sefer Breish’t, Parshat Vayeishev, page 202):
While in prison, Yosef gains the confidence of the chief officer and is placed in charge of the other prisoners.
Pharaoh’s butler [wine cupbearer] and baker are placed in prison by the king, and Yosef interprets their dreams. Based on the dreams, Yosef informs the butler that in three days he will be released and [informs] the baker that in three days he will be executed. Yosef’s predictions prove accurate.
Yosef asks the butler to remember him. The butler, however, quickly forgets Yosef.
We now segue to the beginning of our Parshat Mikeitz with another excerpt from Rabbi Goldin’s Parsha Summary (ibid, pages 225, 227):
Yosef languishes in Egyptian prison for two years. At the end of that period, Pharaoh dreams of seven lean cows consuming seven healthy cows and seven thin ears of grain consuming seven robust ears.
Deeply troubled by his visions, Pharaoh turns to his advisors but receives no satisfactory interpretation. (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Breish’t, Perek 41, posuk 8)
The butler, remembering Yosef and his ability to interpret dreams, mentions him to Pharaoh. At the king’s command, Yosef is hurried from the dungeon [given a shave and a haircut and taken] to the palace where Pharaoh recounts his dreams. (Rabbi Goldin citing Sefer Breish’t, Perek 41, posukim 11-24)
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, in his Sefer, “Growth Through Torah” notes that after Yosef interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, Torah records (page 114) :
“Now let Pharaoh look for a man who has understanding and is wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty.” (Rabbi Pliskin rendering to English Sefer Breish’t, Perek 41, posukim 33 – 34)
Rabbi Pliskin asks why Yosef gave Pharaoh advice as to the solution to the problem expressed in the interpretation of his (Pharaoh’s) dream and brings an explanation from the Dubner Maggid which seems, to this author, poignant in our times (ibid, page 114) :
The Dubner Maggid explained that Yosef was afraid that if he would just give an interpretation of the dream, the regular advisors of Pharaoh would belittle his interpretation. They might feel envious of this young prisoner and ridicule what he had to say. Therefore Yosef added to his interpretation the suggestion that Pharaoh appoint an advisor to be in charge of the entire operation of gathering food. Also, many officers would be needed to implement the plans. Upon hearing the need for new important positions, the advisors to Pharaoh would each think that they would be chosen. They would therefore encourage Pharaoh to accept Yosef’s interpretation as being accurate. This is what we see in posuk 37, that all of the servants of Pharaoh actually agreed with Yosef’s interpretation and it became accepted as truth. (Rabbi Pliskin citing Ohel Yaakov)
This strategy of Yosef’s will prove invaluable at times. When you want other people to accept an idea of yours for a project, include ways for them to gain from your plans. Not only will this remove potential opposition, but they will become advocates for your proposal.
Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, in his sefer “Torah Gems,” also cites the Dubner Maggid in Ohel Yaakov in rendering to English Sefer Breish’t, Perek 41, perek 39 with commentary (page 297) :
“And Pharaoh said to Yosef, ‘As G’d has showed you all of this. there is none as discerning and wise as you are.'”
Pharaoh said to Yosef, “I’ve heard about you, that you hear a dream to interpret it.” In other words, he had heard that Yosef was very wise. Yosef answered, “It is not from me” — it is not my wisdom, for “G’d will give Pharaoh an answer in peace.” Pharaoh then told him [Yosef], “Even if what you say is true, that G’d’s spirit is what allowed you to interpret my dream, since ‘G’d has showed you all this,’ you and no one else, there is none as wise as you.'”
However, it would seem to this author that suggesting ideas, projects and implementing plans where possible positions open up for numbers of “experts,” appealing to each individual’s ego, personal enrichment and status-seeking can be problematic. Unless the project is efficiently and thoroughly planned out, the results could be a bloated, entrenched bureaucracy and much waste.
Further, looking back at the onset of the War of Simchat Torah, some thirteen and a half months ago, and the warnings of the border observers of Hamas’ preparations for their invasion and the resultant mass massacre of Jews at the concert and in their homes in the towns bordering Gaza, as well as the taking of hundreds of hostages, these observers were not able to suggest strategy to high military command — such is just not done by low-level ranked observers. Thus, unlike Yosef whose plans to implement food gathering during years of plenty were accepted by Pharaoh’s advisors, and thus by Pharaoh himself; the accurate warnings of the border observers prior to 7 October, seemingly by Divine spirit and inspiration, were demeaned, intimidated and threatened with court martial trials by a high command so full of themselves as to believe in the falsely projected conceptions of Hamas’ and other terrorists’ plans. Thus the military high command was totally unprepared for Hamas’ infiltrations over land and through tunnels.
May it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of their high command, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, their terrorist buddies and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds, that the Chayalim return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages. And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them, that the thrice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes and the oft-destroyed Yeshiva buildings in Homesh be rebuilt, as well as the buildings of Yishuv Elchanan, all at total government expense. May our Chayalim return from battle unharmed — physically, mentally and spiritually and may all of the remaining hostages brutally taken by the wild beasts of Hamas be liberated and brought home to their families. Baruch Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard is now in his fourth year at home in Eretz Yisrael and continues in a new chapter in his life. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. And may we soon and finally see the total end to the Communist Chinese Wuhan Lab corona virus pandemic and all like viruses and variants. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
———————————————————
Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
*********************************************************