Torah portion

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SPIRIT TORAH PORTION

Everyday ‘Miracles’

At this time each year, at the holiday of Chanukah, we read Parshat Vayeshev. The rabbis for lighting the Temple lamps. It should have been sufficient for only one day; but miraculously, the oil last ed eight days. From where of old found connections did that miracle come? The between the two. rabbis understood that mir-

In this week’s por- acles come from God. tion, we learn that They weren’t comfortJoseph is sent by his able with people celefather to check on his brating Chanukah as brothers who were solely a military victory, in Shechem, where so they injected God they had gone to pasture their father’s flock. When Joseph Rabbi Amy Bigman into the story with the idea of the miracle of the oil. reached Shechem, a man approached him; Parshat Vayeshev: And so, we see God in both the Joseph story Joseph asked the man Genesis and the Chanukah if he knew where the 37:1-40:23; story. This parashah is brothers were. The Zacharia studied at the time of man told him that 2:14-4:7. Chanukah as a remindthey had left and gone er for us to look for to Dothan. God and miracles in

The rabbis looked at our daily lives. We are also Joseph’s encounter with this reminded in our daily liturgy unknown, unnamed man to look for the nisim b’khol with great interest. They yom (everyday miracles). We wondered who this man never know when a seemwas and why he was there. ingly insignificant encounter Many commentators posit might serve a holy purpose, that his sudden appearance such as a man helping Joseph in this story was no accident. along his journey, which They believe he was put eventually led to his saving there by God to help Joseph people from a famine. find his brothers and to put We never know when one into motion all of the events encounter with someone which occurred afterwards: (perhaps even a stranger!) or Joseph being cast into a pit one simple act of kindness by his brothers, sold into will change our lives; nor do slavery and winding up in we know when we do one act Pharaoh’s household, where of kindness if it will change he eventually saved the peo- the life of someone else. ple from famine. As we celebrate the ancient

During Chanukah we miracles this Chanukah, may recall the story of the we look for the miracles in Hasmonean family (also our own lives and make mirknown as the Maccabees) acles happen for the people who fight against Antiochus around us. Epiphanes’ army to reclaim the Temple, which had been conquered and dedicated to Rabbi Amy B. Bigman is rabbi at Zeus. The Talmud tells us Congregation Shaarey Zedek in East that when the Temple had Lansing. been rededicated, there was only one jar of oil available