The weekly reading for the week of 2 Tevet, 5764 - December 27, 2003 Parashah: Mikeitz Genesis 41:1 to 44:17; Maftir: Numbers 7:54-8:4; Haftarah: 1 Kings 3:15 to 4:1 is replaced by Haftarat Shabbat Chanukah: 1 Kings 7:40-50; Brit Chadashah: Acts 19:23-41



Chanukah Day 8 - Happy Chanukah!

The Bagel: Visions. Pharaoh saw ordinary things doing unusual things. Cows and wheat normally do not eat themselves. The sickly consumed the healthy and well. Ordinary dreams are often bizarre, but this dream of Pharaoh's portended something evil that troubled him. It was serious enough for him to order the resources of Egypt to gain an understanding of its meaning. This parashat Mikeitz continues with the key to that vision, Joseph. What was impossible for the great power of Egypt to decipher was done instantly by one who had a divine connection. Both the dream of Pharaoh and its interpretation was by the hand of G-d. In the book of Proverbs G-d is said to rule over the heart of a king (Proverbs 21:1). It is not surprising to find G-d ruling in the affairs of Egypt.

The reading concludes with the imprisionment of Benjamin over the stolen "divining cup" of Joseph. Joseph says about the cup: "What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me practices divination (Gen 44:15 Tanakh JPS)?" But there was no divination or divine vision by Joseph. He knew who to select among the brothers, because he was one of those brothers. He knew who was Jacob's favored son after Joseph was missing. He also planted the cup in Benjamin's sack so as to find cause for imprisonment. But in the minds of Joseph's brothers it must've seemed uncanny that of all people Benjamin should be the guilty person, especially after the explicit instructions by Jacob to make sure that no harm happened to Benjamin. Or that they were taken for spies as though their guilt over selling Joseph was catching up to them. Perhaps these brothers knew something, by the rumors circulating in Egypt, of this legendary Egyptian seen as the "wisest man in Egypt" who got his knowledge from things like divining cups. No, it was not the cup, yet it felt to them like a vision at work.

In the Maftir reading the Menorah is said to be made from a vision (Numbers 8:4). The vision that Moses saw on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 25:40), which included a tavnit or plan, a blueprint of the menorah. The vision served to be reminder of heavenly realities as well, of G-d's throne and of His temple. The heavenly menorah found its counterpart on earth with the light emanating from the menorah in the tabernacle.

This chanukah's version for the Haftarah reading has Hiram completing the construction of the temple. The menorah was a part of that construction. There were many menorahs in Solomon's temple as if to emphasize the role of light. This plans for the temple were already rooted in the vision back at Mt. Sinai, for the temple became the successor to the tabernacle.

In the reading of the Brit Chadashah there are the troubles that false visions bring. The idol worshipers of Ephesus were blinded by the false vision connected with the goddess Artemis (called Diana in Latin). Not only was the city under its spell, but when truth arrived in the form of G-d's messenger Paul the city didn't listen and became irrational towards Paul and the Jews of the city. It took the intervention of the city magistrate to prevent crimes against Paul and the Jews.

There was the orderliness of the Roman authorities who could've intervened if there was not cooperation with that magistrate. The city became reasonable again when there was sufficient authority to counter the influence of the false vision. The city didn't respond to G-d's offer of grace (chesed) that could've set the people free. Instead a riot ensued that threw the city into confusion. Were it not for the power of the government the city would've done committe terrible atrocities by killing Paul, by persecuting some of the believers in the budding community of believers in Yeshua as the Messiah, and by mistreating members of the Jewish community in Ephesus. False visions always affect the household of faith and the Jewish community in dangerous ways. Both groups suffer, but G-d overruled in Ephesus as He did in Egypt.

It is only when we receive a true vision of G-d and of Yeshua that is found in the Holy Scriptures that we gain the deliverance from sin and the troubles of sin and receive everlasting life. The Scriptures became the greater and more sufficient successor to a form of a vision. It is the unseen vision of G-d and this is why a faithful reading of Scripture is so vital to a victorious godly life. We make the connection back to G-d in our encounter of Him the Scriptures.

Cream Cheese: G-d's visison is spelled B-i-b-l-e.


The weekly reading for the week of 2 Tevet, 5764 - December 27, 2003 Parashah: Mikeitz Genesis 41:1 to 44:17; Maftir: Numbers 7:54-8:4; Haftarah: 1 Kings 3:15 to 4:1 is replaced by Haftarat Shabbat Chanukah: 1 Kings 7:40-50; Brit Chadashah: Acts 19:23-41