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This Shabbat, we celebrate the second Shabbat of Chanukah, something that occurs infrequently. This is also the last day of Chanukah and the Shabbat that features the Torah reading of Miketz that refers to the "end" of the two-year period Joseph had to languish in prison before he was freed and subsequently rose to the position of Viceroy of Egypt.

The Ba'al Shem Tov taught us that there are no coincidences. Certainly the fact that the "end" of Chanukah is also the day that our Parshah focuses on the theme of "end" in relation to Joseph's stay in prison is fortuitous.

To better appreciate the connection between Joseph and the Festival of Chanukah it is important to examine the very name Joseph. He was so named because, upon his birth, his mother prayed that G-d would give her another son (Yosef Hashem Li Ben Acher, "May G-d increase for me another son.").

Upon deeper analysis of the original Hebrew text, the word Joseph in Hebrew suggests three points:

The first is the idea of increasing; not staying in one place.

The second idea is that the one's increase must be a procreative one, i.e., one must create a process that has the potential to give birth to something new, ad infinitum.

The third idea conveyed by the Hebrew original (which can be rendered alternatively as: "May G-d add another to me that he may be a son.") is that Joseph represents the capacity to transform "another", i.e., an outsider, into a child, the consummate insider.

This, in essence, is what Chanukah is all about. We add on new light every night. We cannot be content with our original level of light.

But the true definition of adding on is that it carries within it the potential for further growth that will never cease. Indeed, the Midrash states that the light of the Menorah will always be around. Nachmanides, after questioning that the light of the Menorah in the temple indeed ceased (temporarily) when the Temple was destroyed, explains that the Midrash refers to the light of Chanukah.

But, the idea of increase represented by the name Joseph is such that it can even take the people and energies that are "outside" and convert them into "insiders."

Previously, we have discussed the idea that Chanukah light can eliminate the spirit of rebelliousness that exists in the marketplace. What we are discussing now goes even beyond that. Not only do we eliminate rebels and their rebelliousness, but, moreover, Chanukah light enables us to take these extremely distant "outside" influences ("marketplace") and transform them into "insiders-the "other" becomes a child.

This aspect of Chanukah comes to fruition specifically on the last and eighth day of Chanukah. Kabalistically, eight is the number of transcendence, and it represents the infinite power of the G-dly light that shines on Chanukah that never ends and that can even transform the darkness into light.

We can now appreciate the connection between the last day of Chanukah with the weekly parsha that is called "miketz-the end." This portion discusses how Joseph was finally freed. He was now able to utilize his G-d given spiritual power to increase his light. And as a result, by his prophetic vision and skill at dream interpretation, Joseph converted the impending catastrophe of seven years of famine into life for all of Egypt and other parts of the world, and paved the way for the reunion with his brothers and his father Jacob.

The name "miketz-the end" is also an allusion to the Biblical concept of the "end of days," or the Messianic Era.

At that time, we will see the realization of the Joseph ideal of continual growth and increase of G-dly light to the point that even the negative forces of our world will be converted into good. Of course, there are certain forms and aspects of evil that are not salvageable. They will cease to exist. But all other aspects of evil will undergo complete transformation in the "end of days."


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	Free On Last This Shabbat, we celebrate the second Shabbat of Chanukah, something that occurs infrequently. This is also the last day of Chanukah and the Shabbat that features the Torah reading of Miketz that refers to the "end" of the two-year period Joseph had to languish in prison before he was freed and subsequently rose to the position of Viceroy of Egypt. The Ba'al Shem Tov taught us that there are no coincidences. Certainly the fact that the "end" of Chanukah is also the day that our Parshah focuses on the theme of "end" in relation to Joseph's stay in prison is fortuitous. To better appreciate the connection between Joseph and the Festival of Chanukah it is important to examine the very name Joseph. He was so named because, upon his birth, his mother prayed that G-d would give her another son (Yosef Hashem Li Ben Acher, "May G-d increase for me another son."). Upon deeper analysis of the original Hebrew text, the word Joseph in Hebrew suggests three points: The first is the idea of increasing; not staying in one place. The second idea is that the one's increase must be a procreative one, i.e., one must create a process that has the potential to give birth to something new, ad infinitum. The third idea conveyed by the Hebrew original (which can be rendered alternatively as: "May G-d add another to me that he may be a son.") is that Joseph represents the capacity to transform "another", i.e., an outsider, into a child, the consummate insider. This, in essence, is what Chanukah is all about. We add on new light every night. We cannot be content with our original level of light. But the true definition of adding on is that it carries within it the potential for further growth that will never cease. Indeed, the Midrash states that the light of the Menorah will always be around. Nachmanides, after questioning that the light of the Menorah in the temple indeed ceased (temporarily) when the Temple was destroyed, explains that the Midrash refers to the light of Chanukah. But, the idea of increase represented by the name Joseph is such that it can even take the people and energies that are "outside" and convert them into "insiders." Previously, we have discussed the idea that Chanukah light can eliminate the spirit of rebelliousness that exists in the marketplace. What we are discussing now goes even beyond that. Not only do we eliminate rebels and their rebelliousness, but, moreover, Chanukah light enables us to take these extremely distant "outside" influences ("marketplace") and transform them into "insiders-the "other" becomes a child. This aspect of Chanukah comes to fruition specifically on the last and eighth day of Chanukah. Kabalistically, eight is the number of transcendence, and it represents the infinite power of the G-dly light that shines on Chanukah that never ends and that can even transform the darkness into light. We can now appreciate the connection between the last day of Chanukah with the weekly parsha that is called "miketz-the end." This portion discusses how Joseph was finally freed. He was now able to utilize his G-d given spiritual power to increase his light. And as a result, by his prophetic vision and skill at dream interpretation, Joseph converted the impending catastrophe of seven years of famine into life for all of Egypt and other parts of the world, and paved the way for the reunion with his brothers and his father Jacob. The name "miketz-the end" is also an allusion to the Biblical concept of the "end of days," or the Messianic Era. At that time, we will see the realization of the Joseph ideal of continual growth and increase of G-dly light to the point that even the negative forces of our world will be converted into good. Of course, there are certain forms and aspects of evil that are not salvageable. They will cease to exist. But all other aspects of evil will undergo complete transformation in the "end of days."










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