One of the motifs of the past few parshiot, including this week’s Parshat Mikeitz, is the recurring theme of dreams – first we hear about Yosef’s own dreams, then the dreams of the two officers in the jail, and finally Pharaoh’s dreams that only Yosef can interpret. In understanding how these dreams were actualized, we learn a poignant message about the partnership between Hashem and mankind in this world.
At first glance, it would seem that the dreams we hear about were prophetic in nature - that they were visions that were destined to be fulfilled. It seems Yosef believes this is true, as he says to Pharaoh: what God is about to do He has shown Pharaoh (42:28). And yet, just several verses after Yosef tells Pharaoh that the years of famine are imminently coming and are going to be so devastating to the point that the years of plenty will be forgotten, he proceeds to offer instruction as to prevent the completely ruinous effects of the famine that his dream foreshadowed.
How do we reconcile this seemingly contradictory behavior of Yosef – that on the one hand he believed the interpretation of the dream to be a vision of what will inevitably come, while at the same time he offers advice to change some aspect of this vision? It seems then that the vision of the seven years of plenty followed by years of famine were destined to come true; however, the way, or the degree to which the dreams would come true depended on human action. Yosef understood that Pharaoh had potential to mitigate the harsh consequences of the famine could be mitigated through human action.
A similar analysis of Yosef’s dreams will lead us to the same conclusion – that while Hashem has a Divine plan that is unchanging, there is a degree to which man controls his experiences. When the brothers come to Yosef in Egypt and bow down to him, the Torah writes:
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them (Gen. 42:9)
According to the Ramban’s interpretation of the above verse, Yosef realized that his dream had not yet come true, as only 10 brothers bowed down to him whereas his vision had all 11 brothers bowing down. For this reason he sent his brothers back to retrieve the last brother in order that his vision be complete. Based on this interaction, Rabbi Reuven Spolter points out that it is evident that Yosef does, in fact, play a hand in making his own dreams into reality and how and when it does. In some way the vision he had of the future is what motivated Yosef, as it gave him the foresight to act as he did.
The lesson we learn from the analysis of these dreams is fundamental to the Jewish concept: Divine Providence in this world does not preclude man from having some degree of control over his own life choices and experiences. The way in which the interpretations of the dreams came true demonstrates the partnership between God and man, which is an essential, perhaps even a defining principle of the Jewish faith.
Rabbi David Aaron writes that this is the profound lesson we learn from the Chanukah story, as well. While the ancient Greeks maintained that laws of nature are the ultimate force that keeps the world going, the most fundamental Jewish belief is that there is a Divine, supernatural force that lies behind the natural world we live in. Accordingly, the Greeks believed that the natural world was created already in a state of perfection. In contrast, the Jews believe that God created the world, still runs the world, and gives man the opportunity to be His partner in perfecting the world.
Chazal tell us that the Greeks decreed the death penalty for 3 Jewish customs. Rabbi Aaron elucidates how each one of these demonstrates the Greek rejection of the Jewish belief of both Divine providence and human agency in this world. At the time, a decree was made against Shabbas – which is essentially the commemoration of creation of the world as well as the celebration of mankind’s role in continuing to create this world. This duality is reflected in the word we recite in the Kiddush every Shabbat:
Ki vo shabat mikol m'lachto asher barah Elohim la-asot
He abstained from all His work that God created to do (Gen. 2:2).
On Shabbas we remember that Hashem created man, and that he created us in order to do – in order to become His partner in continuing to create the world.
The second decree was against the practice of the Brit Mila. The act of brit mila is the Jewish mark on the Jewish male that man has not only the ability but also the obligation to perfect himself during the course of his lifetime. This stood as a direct challenge to the Greek’s belief that man was created in perfect form.
The third decree was made against Kiddush HaChodesh - the sanctification of the new month in which witnesses declare that there is new moon and thereby sanctify the new month. Rabbi Kelemen points out that this custom is indicative of the Jewish belief that God created the world and its natural laws, but places at least some degree of control in the hands of mankind.
The Chashmonaim understood this profound truth and they accepted this responsibility to become partners with Hashem. Rabbi Akiva Tatz notes that although the Greek attack against the Jews was primarily spiritual in nature, the Chasmonaim took matters into their own hands by fighting back militarily. Evidently, the small group of pious individuals knew the prophecies of the Torah that the Jewish spark is everlasting, that the Jewish nation is eternal – and yet they did not allow the promise prevent them from acting – instead they used the hopeful visions to inspire them to act for the sake of making the visions into a reality and sustaining the Jewish spark and essentially the Jewish people.
As we celebrate the holiday of Chanukah and as we read this week’s parsha, let us be reminded that what has kept the Jewish flame flickering throughout the ages is the unwavering faith in Hashem partnered with man’s actions towards preserving Jewish values and Torah ideals in this world. May our own dreams and individual aspirations motivate us and give us the courage to at to make our dreams into reality, just as Yosef did. May the visions of a future in which Jewish truths are accepted worldwide give us courage to defend ourselves and to continue to spread the light of Torah, as the Chashmonaim did. May we remember always that man has the ability and the obligation to work towards perfecting ourselves and in so doing, bringing the world one step closer to the prophetic dream of perfection that we trust will become a reality in its time!
And yes, Mazal Tov to Yosef and Arielle for the best Chanukah present we could have hoped for!!!
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach, Taly
