Spirituality
TORAH PORTION
Just One Person
Can Impact Destiny
First Day of Chanukah, Parshat
Vayeshev: Genesis 37:1-40:23,
Numbers 7:1-171 Zechariah 2:14-4:7.
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62
December 10 • 2009
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ne of my favorite people in
always so carefully handled and stored
the whole Torah is found in
in hermetically sealed flasks, was
Vayeshev, the parshah for
strewn about the grounds. Most of the
this Shabbat. In Vayeshev, we will read people had given up looking for oil and
the story of Joseph and his broth-
had resigned themselves to waiting the
ers. We'll read of Joseph's dreams, his
eight days it would take to make new oil.
brothers' jealousy toward
One guy, however, would
him, his misadventures in
not give up the search.
Egypt with Potifar's wife
While the others wandered
and his time in prison with
about woefully, he perse-
the butcher and the baker.
vered, eventually calling out
There are many memo-
excitedly, "I found it!"
rable characters in this par-
Although his fellows were
shah, yet the one I like the
initially hopeful, when they
best is typically forgotten.
saw the size of the tiny cruse
He appears early on in the
of oil, their faces fell. What
Torah portion and is never
was the point, they figured,
Rabbi Rachel
given a name.
in kindling such a small
Sh ere
When Joseph, on his
amount? It couldn't possibly
Specia I to the
father's command, heads
last the eight necessary days
Jewis h News
out to find his brothers, he
until new oil could be made.
encounters a stranger in a
But our guy would not give
field. This nameless man, or ish, as he up. He argued, "This is what we have
is called in Hebrew, asks Joseph, "Mah and let's do the best we can with it:'
t'vakesh?What are you looking for?"
His message — that what we
And Joseph answers, "I am looking for already have, even when it doesn't
my brothers." This man, whose rela-
seem like enough, might actu-
tionship to Joseph and his brothers is
ally be enough — is, in my opinion,
never explained, tells Joseph that his
Chanukah's most salient message.
brothers went to a place called Dotan.
Like the anonymous ish in this
This anonymous ish is the sole reason week's Torah portion, we likewise find
Joseph is able to locate his brothers.
in the Chanukah story an unnamed,
When Joseph finds his brothers, they
uncelebrated character that changes
throw him in a pit and the rest, as they the course of Jewish history. Everyday,
say, is history.
anonymous men and women make
Yes, this most forgettable ish in the
courageous and compassionate choic-
book of Genesis is the catalyst for our
es that, although perhaps not in their
people's ultimate redemption in the
own time, eventually and ultimately
book of Exodus. This man could never change the world. [1
have known what an important role
he would play in Jewish history. From
Rachel Shere is a rabbi at Adat Shalom
his perspective, he was merely giving
Synagogue in Farmington Hills.
directions to a fellow traveler. It is no
coincidence that we read about this
anonymous ish during the festival of
Conversations
Chanukah.
Can you think of a time that
Almost 2,200 years ago, after the
someone, whose name you don't
famed Maccabees won the war and
even remember, made a signifi-
were allowed to enter the beloved
cant impact on your life? Do you
Temple in Jerusalem, they found may-
think it is always immediately
hem. Remains of pig sacrifices, cult
possible to see the effects of the
prostitution and pagan worship were
mitzvot that we do? What mitz-
everywhere.
vot might you do that only show
The pure oil of the Temple Menorah,
their results after your lifetime?