This Week’s Torah Portion: Mikeitz – Hanukkah – מִקֵּץ – חֲנֻכָּה (Genesis 41:1−44:17)
Hanukkah or Shabbat? What is a bigger Mitzvah? What should come first? What do I do if I can only celebrate one of the two? What Jewish values are more important?
Seems obvious; after all, we have Shabbat every week, and we celebrate it all the time, and Hanukkah only once a year.
And Hanukkah is the second most popular Jewish holiday in the world, right after Passover.
Shabbat candles, which stand for domestic peace, take priority over Hanukkah candles that proclaim a Divine-human military victory. The private realm of the home takes precedence over the public realm of politics and religion.
Parsha Mikeitz – Hanukkah – מִקֵּץ – חֲנֻכָּה Torah Summary:
Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s two dreams and predicts seven years of prosperity followed by seven years of famine. (41:1-32)
Pharaoh places Joseph in charge of food collection and distribution. (41:37-49)
Joseph marries Asenath, and they have two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. (41:50-52)
When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy food during the famine, Joseph accuses them of spying. He holds Simeon hostage while the rest of the brothers return to Canaan to retrieve Benjamin for him. (42:3-42:38)
The brothers return to Egypt with Benjamin and for more food. Joseph continues the test, this time falsely accusing Benjamin of stealing and declaring that Benjamin must remain his slave. (43:1-44:17) Mikeitz – Hanukkah – מִקֵּץ – חֲנֻכָּה
Hanukkah or Shabbat? What is a bigger Mitzvah? What should come first? What do I do if I can only celebrate one of the two? What Jewish values are more important?
Seems obvious; after all, we have Shabbat every week, and we celebrate it all the time, and Hanukkah only once a year.
And Hanukkah is the second most popular Jewish holiday in the world, right after Passover.
Shabbat candles, which stand for domestic peace, take priority over Hanukkah candles that proclaim a Divine-human military victory. The private realm of the home takes precedence over the public realm of politics and religion.