Parashat Miketz
Tevet 4, 5784 / December 15-16, 2023
Torah: Genesis 41:1 - 44:17
Haftarah: 1 Kings 3:15 - 4:1
--------------------------------------------------------
This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for all who have been wounded in the terrorist attacks and in fighting against the terrorists, as well as innocent non-combatants caught in the crossfire.
This d'var torah is offered in memory of all the victims of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah. Y’hi zikhronam liv’rakhah – May their memories be a blessing. And may the memory of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah and all their supporters be forever erased.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lunch and Learn meets Mondays at 12:30 PM on Zoom and Facebook Live. On Monday, December 18, we'll be at BT Shabbat 119b, page 194 of Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) Volume 1 – "...אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב שמואל משמיה דרב" - "R. Juda, the son of R. Samuel, in the name of Rab, said ....”
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out our wonderful community, and get lots of info about our various programs and becoming a Member at: https://bnaihayim.org/
----------------------------------------------------------------
Rabbi Van Leeuwen has a blog which you should read at:
Dr. Steve Pearlman writes up the "Midrashim of the Week", which you should read at:
------------------------------------------------------
Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT
"Now let Pharaoh seek out a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt ." Gen. 41:33
.jpg)
Joseph Interprets the Dream of Pharaoh (Jean-Adrien Guignet)
Rabbi Shalom Schwadron asks this question: Why was a "discerning and wise man" needed to oversee the collection of provisions during the seven years of plenty?
He suggests that gathering and saving food during a time of abundance in preparation for a famine in the future requires true wisdom and understanding, because it is against human nature. He quotes the Talmud (BT Tamid 32a): "Who is wise? One who has foresight." What is more, Joseph had to convince Pharaoh and the entire Egyptian nation to share in this foresight, which required even further wisdom on his part.
In our own lives, we often look back at missed opportunities. For example, when our children are young, we have many chances for teaching them about our heritage. There are Shabbat and Holy Day observances, religious school education, and what the educators call "teaching moments" which can arise at any time. Once they are gone, they are gone forever. It's true that Shabbat comes every week, and the festivals come annually, but _this_ Shabbat and _this_ religious school class will never come again.
As we and our children grow older, the missed opportunities begin to pile up. Work, school, activities and the like begin to take over, and the religious and spiritual education begins to take a back seat. At some point, we look back and tell ourselves that we know too little and that it is too late to get the education we lack. We begin to wonder why our children know so little, and do not practice the religion of our ancestors.
Of course, it's never too late to learn! Nevertheless, we need to bank learning and practice now, for the famine of opportunity which we know will come. The difference between us and Joseph is that he knew exactly when the famine would begin. We are not that wise. But we are wise enough to know that there is no time like the present to begin to add to our stores of knowledge and observance. In doing so, we avoid spiritual starvation in the lean years to come.
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B’nai Hayim/Congregation Beth Meier
הַלּוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם ?אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
--------------------------------------------
Cyber Torah list management (no salesman will call!):
To subscribe to Cyber Torah, and receive Cyber Torah every week in your mailbox, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Subscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
Send requests for dedications of Cyber Torah in honor of a simchah, in memory of a loved one or for a refuah shleimah to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
To unsubscribe from Cyber Torah, send an e-mail with the subject heading “Unsubscribe Cyber Torah” to: ravflom@sbcglobal.net
