Weekly Parashah

Parashah Miketz — Shabbat Hanukkah —

Torah: Bereishit (Genesis) 41:1 – 44:17

Haftarah Shabbat Hanukkah: Melachim Alef (1 Kings) 7:40-50

God is in control, yet we have free choice

Note: This Parshah has a special Haftarah reading due to the Festival of Hanukkah.

The book of Bereishit - Genesis - proclaims God as the Creator of the universe, the only one who can determine and sustain its course. Even though Pharaoh considers himself a god and worship the Nile as its deity, even he proclaims that only God has the power to give the knowledge of the future and that He is the only one who controls the events of the universe and of our lives. What a fitting message for the Shabbat Hanukkah. God was in control then, He was in control many centuries later at the Maccabeean revolt and He is in control today in the crises of our lives.

When the Temple was rededicated, the Maccabees family led the nation in the observance of Sukkot. According to the historical account, the Menorah was re-lit in the Temple with only enough kosher oil for one day. The miracle — the manifestation of God's will — was that it lasted seven more days, through the eight days holiday of Sukkot. God has called the Jews to observe the feast of Sukkot and He has called the Messianic believers to magnify its meaning in His Son — for all the holidays are a shadow of Messiah. But there is one aspect of the "out of season" Sukkot — Hanukkah — which is unique, the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah. Though great lights were burning on huge pedestals to completely enlighten Jerusalem on Sukkot, this feature has been lost to Sukkot but retained in Hanukkah. It was at the Feast of Sukkot that Yeshua said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12 following Yeshua is man's free choice.

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it.” John 1:4 Yeshua enlightens our lives, without Him we live our lives in dark fear and striving against one another. On the Menorah this symbolism is born out beautifully. The Shamash, or servant candle, represents the light of Messiah. When that great light touches our darkened lives, we become lights too, and Yeshua said to us, “You are the light of the world... Even so, let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

We are to share that light, letting our lives shine before all people through the good we can do in His Name.

Darkness cannot be defined by itself. Darkness is the absence of light, and, as our sages said: "A little light expels a lot of darkness." Just as we kindle the lights of Hanukkah Menorah in a progressive number from day to day, so too, we must express our righteous deeds by increasing our mitzvoth little by little. It begins at home. We can take little steps to make our home more of a godly environment by the books we read, the music we listen, the TV/movies we see, the words we use, the clothes we are wearing and the way we are spending the finances that God blessed us with. Is our home and our lifestyle reflecting the light of the Service Candle, Yeshua? Yeshua prayed to the Father concerning us: "I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one." God is faithful to keep His promise — God is in control, but our task is to remain in the world and be a light to it — that is our free choice.

And this is yet another message at Hanukkah. As we light a little candle on the first night it does not give much light, but every day we add another one and another until there is this bright light, so, too, our spiritual growth could be small in the beginning, but adding another step and another, we will find out that one day we will be indeed a great light making a difference in this world by boldly stepping out and sharing our faith.

May this Hanukkah make us reflect on how to increase and intensify our commitment to God, one step at the time, so that the world could indeed see the bright light of Yeshua calling them to salvation. This Hanukkah, let us make a point of proclaiming the Messiah to someone in our family or to a friend.

Shabbat Shalom and Hag Hanukkah Sameach! Happy Hanukkah!

Written by Katriel

Published: 01 December 2021