The weekly reading for the week of 25 Kislev, 5764 - December 20, 2003 Parashah: Vayeshev Genesis 37:1 to 40:23; Maftir: Numbers 7:1-17; Haftarah: Amos 2:6 to 3:8 is replaced by Haftarat Shabbat Chanukah: Zechariah 2:14(10) to 4:7; Brit Chadashah: Romans 11:1-24



Chanukah Day 1 - Second Candle in the evening.

The Bagel:

Eight days of giving. Chanukah is a day of giving shown by family gifts of Chanukah geld that delight the kids and by mothers who bake Sufganiyot for treats. Chanukah celebrates the eight days of giving during the time of the Macabees in which G-d gave oil on each day to keep the lights of the Menorah burning until the olive oil could be properly processed for holy service. The parashat Vayeshev reading includes several days of giving.

On the first day of giving, Jacob made a coat of many colors and gave it to Joseph. Jacob gave it to Joseph because he loved him, but this made his brothers jealous. Jacob's intentions were good, and on that same day G-d gave permission for his brothers to harbor envy, because His purpose for Joseph began to unfold.

On the second day of giving, Judah gave Tamar the pledge for her prostitute services. In the beginning Judah arranged for Tamar to marry his first-born son, but the rascal son sinned so bad that G-d took him. When Judah commanded the next son to fulfill the duty of levirate marriage* to raise up children for his deceased brother, Onan also sinned and G-d took him as well. Then Judah promised Shelach, a much younger son to fulfill that obligation. But Tamar had to wait for him to grow up. When he did Judah backed out of the promise, because he feared that this son might die from doing the levirate duty with Tamar. Thus Judah had failed to give Tamar a husband to produce offspring. So Tamar in desperation became a prostitute to gain offspring from Judah directly. On this same day out of this union of Judah and Tamar Adonay gave to Judah the child from which David descended.

On the third day of giving, Potiphar gave Joseph control of his entire household. But G-d also gave trouble for Joseph, because this management opportunity was not the final plan, but a stepping stone to higher leadership. Potiphar's wife tempted Joseph day in and day out. It finally resulted in Joseph's loss, because he refused to cooperate and give in to her overtures. She falsely accused him of attempted rape. Potiphar believed her, became enraged with jealousy and had Joseph thrown in jail.

On the Fourth day of giving, the chief jailer gave Joseph control of the affairs in the prison. On that day Adonay enrolled Joseph into the school of the criminal mind, so he could become an able administrator of not only the jail, but later all of Egypt as well.

On the Fifth day of giving, Pharaoh gave the cupbearer and the chief baker prison sentences. They wound up in Joseph's jail. Then came a day when they each had a dream, but couldn't interpret or understand those dreams. G-d gave those men their dreams and gave to Joseph the ability to interpret their dreams. Those dreams were fulfilled. The cupbearer was restored to his former post, but the chief baker was executed by order of Pharaoh. The reading ends with Joseph still in jail. Joseph had to wait to finish his education in the school of humility.

On the sixth day of giving, found in the Maftir reading, each of the tribal leaders gave offerings for the dedication of the Tabernacle. Moses had completed the consecration of the Tabernacle and now it was the leadership's turn to honor Adonay. On that day, Adonay gave the Shekinah, the Cloud of His Presence, to reside in the Tabernacle. The Voice of Presence could be heard by Moses from off the Ark of the Covenant between the Cherubim.

On the seventh day of giving, found in the Haftarah reading, Satan gave accusations against the High Priest Joshua son of Jehozadak before G-d. It was a desperate situation, because Joshua was unclean, which was signified by his unclean garments. The Temple hadn't been rebuilt. Without a place to consecrate the high priest there could be no Yom Kippur and the nation was in danger of judgement. But there was also no consecrated high priest to dedicate the Temple. It was a dilemma. G-d intervened to break the knot. An angel of G-d gave Joshua clean clothes to replace the filthy ones. But that was not enough because there needed to be a descendant of David to authorize by governance the construction. Zerubbabel was such a descendant, but was powerless as the local nations resisted the reconstruction efforts. The Persian power had authorized reconstruction in the days of Cyrus the Great, but had forgotten the decree by Joshua's day. So Adonay concluded this day by also giving Joshua a messianic promise: "I am going to bring My servant the Branch." It is He that will bring the complete deliverance and restoration.

On the eighth day of giving, found in the reading of the Brit Chadashah, Israel gave itself over to unbelief. That unbelief resulted in Israel being broken from off the olive tree. G-d gave them a spirit of stupor in Isaiah's day, that has continued to this day. But G-d also gives His Holy Spirit as a promise of faith. He gives the calling to the remnant of faith. He will save His own. G-d counters the day of unbelief with the preservation of the remnant and the future day when all Israel shall be saved: "But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring" (Romans 11:12 NIV)! That fullness will be the day of Israel's national salvation.

Cream Cheese: "On the Eighth Day of Giving, our true love gave to us...."

* Levirate marriage was an ancient custom or marriage rule amoung the people of Israel in which the widow of a deceased brother is married to one of the remaining brothers to bring forth children to receive the inheritance of the deceased brother and to perpetrate a continuing linege for that brother.


The weekly reading for the week of 25 Kislev, 5764 - December 20, 2003 Parashah: Vayeshev Genesis 37:1 to 40:23; Maftir: Numbers 7:1-17; Haftarah: Amos 2:6 to 3:8 is replaced by Haftarat Shabbat Chanukah: Zechariah 2:14(10) to 4:7; Brit Chadashah: Romans 11:1-24