This Shabbat falls on the second day of Hanukkah and according to our liturgical tradition, in addition to reading the Torah portion of the week, Vayeshev (the beginning of the story of Joseph) we also read Numbers 7:18-23 for maftir and the Prophet Zechariah for the Haftorah. Zechariah was a prophet of the Jewish return to the land of Israel after 40 years of Babylonian exile. He lived through the reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty in Judah and imagined the final redemption of all humanity at the end of days. Exile and return, loss and fulfillment, are recurring themes in Jewish life. We are going through a difficult period right now. In Israel people are still identifying the victims of the October 7th attack and burying them; they continue to bury soldiers who have given their lives to defend Israel; and they continue to work for the release of the hostage taken into captivity by the terrorists. We here in the US are facing the harsh reality of anti-semitism that has been tolerated and allowed to metastasize into the body politic on the left and the right. It feels like a dark time. In the arc of Jewish history this is nothing new. Yet, good is coming out of these troubles. Jews are reconnecting to Israel and to Jewish community. Many more people are coming to services, here at our synagogue and across the country. We feel the need for community and connection and we are acting on it. Last Sunday, our community Hanukkah fair was a joyous event filled with members, new folks, and young families. The need for connection was palpable as was the strength we drew from one another. In that sense Zechariah’s words ring particularly true this year, “This is the word of GOD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit — said GOD of Hosts.” Never underestimate the power of the Jewish people or the strength of Jewish community. It is always there for us to draw on to sustain us, in times of trouble and in times of joy. Remember too the words of the Alter Rebbe, “A little light drives out a great amount of darkness.” This Hanukkah let the lights glow in your window.
Vayeshev, Genesis 37:1-40:23; Numbers 7:18-23, Parashat Hashavua for Shabbat Hanukkah, December 9, 2023
December 7, 2023 by Dean Kertesz • Drashot
This Shabbat falls on the second day of Hanukkah and according to our liturgical tradition, in addition to reading the Torah portion of the week, Vayeshev (the beginning of the story of Joseph) we also read Numbers 7:18-23 for maftir and the Prophet Zechariah for the Haftorah. Zechariah was a prophet of the Jewish return to the land of Israel after 40 years of Babylonian exile. He lived through the reestablishment of Jewish sovereignty in Judah and imagined the final redemption of all humanity at the end of days. Exile and return, loss and fulfillment, are recurring themes in Jewish life. We are going through a difficult period right now. In Israel people are still identifying the victims of the October 7th attack and burying them; they continue to bury soldiers who have given their lives to defend Israel; and they continue to work for the release of the hostage taken into captivity by the terrorists. We here in the US are facing the harsh reality of anti-semitism that has been tolerated and allowed to metastasize into the body politic on the left and the right. It feels like a dark time. In the arc of Jewish history this is nothing new. Yet, good is coming out of these troubles. Jews are reconnecting to Israel and to Jewish community. Many more people are coming to services, here at our synagogue and across the country. We feel the need for community and connection and we are acting on it. Last Sunday, our community Hanukkah fair was a joyous event filled with members, new folks, and young families. The need for connection was palpable as was the strength we drew from one another. In that sense Zechariah’s words ring particularly true this year, “This is the word of GOD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit — said GOD of Hosts.” Never underestimate the power of the Jewish people or the strength of Jewish community. It is always there for us to draw on to sustain us, in times of trouble and in times of joy. Remember too the words of the Alter Rebbe, “A little light drives out a great amount of darkness.” This Hanukkah let the lights glow in your window.