So here we were last week in Parashat Mikeitz. Joseph remains in the prison, in the bor, the pit. He has hit bottom. His situation is hopeless. He has trusted the Sar Ha-Mashkim, the butler, to recommend him to Pharaoh, that he might be released from his oppressive and unjust imprisonment. But what happens? The word "va-yishka-hehu" (Genesis 40:23) concludes last Parashat Vayeishev: the ungrateful butler has forgotten him. For this entire week we inhabit the space between the two parashot, living in this tension:
The whole history of the Jewish people hangs in the balance. Without Joseph as a power in Egypt, perhaps Jacob's family will not come to Egypt where they will become a great nation. Nor would they leave in the Exodus, receive the Torah and go on to the Promised Land, and more. Perhaps I would not be writing this note, and you would not be reading it.
Then come Pharaoh's dreams which none of his wise men can interpret. Shall the butler take the chance of reminding Pharoah of the transgressions for which he was originally sent to prison? He does come forward, saying "Et hata-i ani mazkir ha-yom," (I make mention of my sins today) (Genesis 41:9) and goes on to tell Pharaoh about the young Hebrew that he met in the prison who knows how to interpret dreams and who may know how to interpret Pharoah's dreams too.
As they say, the rest is history. Joseph is rushed to Pharaoh's presence, interprets the dreams and becomes the instrument of Israel's redemption. The five words of the butler are the "cruse of oil" that lasts for eight days, maybe the most crucial words ever spoken by anyone in all Jewish history. And he's not even Jewish!
Five words that change history: Et hata-ai ani mazkir ha-yom. Why does the butler step forward now? He takes a great risk. Why? There is a deep mystery here. Does he really want to help Pharaoh? Does he feel guilty about forgetting Joseph? What if it doesn't work out? Then certainly he might be in real trouble again!
We will never know the reason for his stepping forward at that time and saying those words, but one thing we know: without them we are stuck in the pit, perhaps forever. It's not the only factor, of course. Much could have gone wrong even after the Sar ha-mashkim spoke out, just as the Maccabees could have lost their struggle. Maybe salvation could have come from elsewhere. Maybe, maybe not. But without them, in both cases, where are we? Without the Sar Ha-Mashkim, without Hanukkah, without the Maccabees, there might be no Judaism, no Jewish people. Five little words!
In the legend of Hana and seven sons, (another true myth whether it happened or not!) the mother is the hero who stands firm, disregarding personal suffering. Both stories are intergenerational. Each person can be the hero who finds a way to the small cruse of oil and steps up to light the light.
Five little words in Parashat Miketz which is almost always the Parashat Ha-Shavuah of the Shabbat of Hanukkah. The butler who risks, the Maccabees who undertake the impossible, are both instances of the cruse of oil that seems at first to have no staying power but which lasts and lights a flame that grows larger and larger.
We also looked into the relationship between Joseph, his appointed wife Asenat, and how their lives paralleled each other to the point of their coming together. We also saw a parallel with Asenat’s history and a possible foreshadowing of Moses coming into the picture in Exodus. The Torah contains so many intricate story lines that cross over each other and layer is such a way as to provide seemingly endless opportunities for interpretation.
This Shabbat we will look to resolve the story of Joseph and his brothers. Just as Joseph put his brothers through some tests of loyalty, so did King Solomon in the related Haftarah from First Kings 3:15-4:2 and in Zacharyiah2:14 – 4:7 when Joshua was tested by the dubious accusations of a namely Accuser this past week. We had a lot to cover this past Shabbat.
Parashat Vayigash is taken from Genesis 44:18 – 47:27. The Haftarah for this Shabbat is Ezekiel 37:15 – 28.
Cantor Eichaker
No comments:
Post a Comment