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Summary of The Weekly Torah Reading:
Parshas Miketz
Note: The Shabbos
Torah Reading is divided into 7 sections. Each section is called an
Aliya [literally: Go up] since for each Aliya, one person "goes up" to
make a bracha [blessing] on the Torah Reading.
1st Aliya: The year is 2229 and Yoseph has been in prison for 12
years. Pharaoh has two similar dreams and demands their interpretation.
The wine steward remembers Yoseph and his gift for dream interpretation,
and Yoseph is rushed into Pharaoh's presence.
2nd Aliya: Yoseph interprets Pharaoh' dream and suggests to him how
to best administrate the seven years of plenty and the seven years of
famine. (The extent of Yoseph's brilliance will first be revealed in
next week's Parsha.)
3rd Aliya: Yoseph is appointed viceroy over Egypt, and puts into
effect the plan that he had outlined to Pharaoh. He marries the daughter
of Potiphar (the daughter of Dina) and has two sons, Menashe and
Ephrayim.
4th Aliya: The seven years of famine begin, and the only food
available is in Mitzrayim. Yoseph, unrecognized by his brothers,
recognizes them when they come to buy food. He accuses them of treachery
and imprisons them for three days.
5th Aliya: Yoseph demands that Binyamin be brought to Egypt and
keeps Shimon as a hostage. The brothers relate their adventure to Yakov
who refuses to send Binyamin. The increasing famine forces Yakov to
concede to Yehuda's guarantee that Binyamin will be safe, and the
brothers return to Egypt.
6th Aliya: The brothers are reunited with Shimon and invited to eat
at the table of Yoseph. All appears to be forgiven and Yoseph sees
Binyamin for the first time in 22 years.
7th Aliya: Yoseph hatches his final plot against his brothers. His
famed chalice is planted in the Binyamin's saddlebag forcing the
brothers to return to Mitzrayim and a confrontation with Yoseph. The
year is 2238.
Summary of The Haftorah:
Haftorah Chanukah
Zechariah 2:14
This week's Haftorah relates to the theme of Shabbos Chanukah.
At the end of the Babylonian exile, 9 years before the story of
Purim (3390-371 b.c.e), 40,000 Jews, lead by Zerubavel and Yehoshua the
Kohen Gadol, returned to Israel. They began to rebuild the Bais
Hamikdash, but Cyrus withdrew his permission and the construction was
halted. Following the story of Purim and a prophecy from Chagay, the
rebuilding resumed 18 years later (3408-353).
This week's Haftorah is the prophecy of Zechariah which preceded the
inauguration of the second Bais Hamikdash. It describes the status of
the Kohen Gadol and the people as seemingly unfit to carry out the
service. Hashem (G-d) relates to Zechariah that in fact, Yehoshua and
the nation are ready to resume full service in the Bais Hamikdash. The
prophecy includes a vision of the Menorah with a continuous supply of
olive oil, reminiscent of the miracle of Chanukah. |
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