 | | During the festival of Chanukah we recite the special prayer Al HaNisim, or On the Miracles in both the Amidah and Birkat HaMazon, which recalls the miraculous victory of a small band of Jewish freedom-fighters over the Syrian-Greeks, saying "You delivered the strong into the hands of the weak" (Al HaNisim Prayer). In his Kedushat Levi, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev takes issue with these words and asks, "Were not the [Maccabees] great and mighty warriors?" (Drushim l'Chanukah: Masarta). Surely, they were! How then can we call them weak? Rabbi Levi Yitzchak answers his own question by saying that the word "weak" should not be understood as referring to a lack of physical strength. Rather, it means that the Maccabees "were so righteous that they did not attribute their victory to their own strength. Instead, they [understood] it as God's doing. [Thus] the word 'weak' means 'humble,' because they recognized that their own strength did not secure their miraculous triumph, but only with God's help did they achieve it" (Ibid.).
We see an example of the kind of righteous humility demonstrated by Maccabees in this week's parsha. Parshat Mikeitz begins by describing Pharaoh's two disturbing dreams, the meanings of which elude him and his royal diviners. In a desperate search for answers, the king's chief steward recalls Yosef's uncanny ability to interpret dreams from the time he spent with him in prison, and without a moment's hesitation, Yosef, now a lowly Jewish prisoner, is brought before the most powerful man in the world.
"I dreamt a dream," Pharaoh declares to Yosef, "but there is no one who could interpret it, and I heard it said of you that you hear a dream [and are able to] interpret it" (Bereshit 41:15). Now, based on the description of Yosef from last week's parsha, we might expect that Yosef - the youthful, brazen and arrogant “master of dreams" would be thrilled that at long last his gifts and abilities are finally being recognized, and by the king of Egypt no less! However, Yosef does not attribute his prophetic abilities to his own talent as he did in last week's parsha, as it says, "Hear, if you please, this dream which I have dreamt," (Ibid. 37:7). Instead, Yosef responds to Pharaoh by saying, "That is beyond me; God will respond to Pharaoh's welfare" (Ibid. 41:16).
According to Rav Hirsch, Yosef's words demonstrate a great deal of righteous humility. On the one hand, Yosef knew that he could interpret Pharaoh's dream accurately, but on the other hand, he did not feel "worthy enough to be able to admit to such tribute" (Commentary on Bereshit 41:16). In demonstrating a remarkable measure of humility - placing God at the center of his prophetic gift - not only did Pharaoh recognize Yosef for the wonder that he was, but what's more, Yosef could see God working in his life for himself.
This Shabbat-Chanukah, let us follow the example of righteous humility set for us by the Maccabees and Yosef. Let us embrace the strengths, the skills and talents we posses, while at the same time acknowledging that God is the ultimate source of all. In this way we, like the Maccabees and Yosef, will be able to glorify God's Name in His world.
Shabbat Shalom, Chodesh Tov and Chag Urim Sameach!
-Rabbi Dan
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