Shabbat Miketz/Rosh Hodesh/Hanukkah 5782
Before getting to the Torah reading, I can’t forget to share my warm wishes for a joyous and light-filled Hanukkah. This season’s new hit Hanukkah song comes from the Israeli pop duo, Static and Ben-El. It’s as over-the-top as you could ever want, and a sign of Jewish pride from the land where Hanukkah is celebrated with unbridled joy. You won’t want to miss this!
Last week’s Torah portion ended on a cliffhanger. Despite his plea to his fellow prisoner to be remembered to Pharaoh, the concluding verse of Parshat Vayeshev said that the wine-steward did not remember Yosef, but indeed forgot him. Our narrative jumps directly to Pharaoh’s dreams, a hint that Yosef’s God-given talent for interpreting dreams will soon come in handy. Sure enough, the butler’s memory is triggered, and thus begins Yosef’s meteoric rise to Egypt’s second-most-powerful man. That position has dire consequences for his brothers, whose arrival in Egypt in search of food is duly manipulated by Yosef.
My goal in offering the weekly musical scavenger hunt is to entice people to read the Torah portion carefully, as well as to have some fun with music. Even if you don’t care for the video clips, it’s worthwhile to read the parshah anyway! For those who want to play along, why did I think of these songs?
Answers will be revealed after Shabbat ma’ariv and havdalah, which begins this week at 5:05 PM. Remember that during the winter months we are having minhah at 12:30 PM, after morning services and kiddush.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom, Hodesh Tov, Hag Urim Sameah, and happy listening,
Rabbi David Wise
Candle lighting: 4:09 PM
Torah Reading: Genesis 41:1-44:17
Second Scroll: Numbers 28:9-15
Maftir: Numbers 7:42-47
Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14-4:7
