From dreamer to tzaddik

Torah study

RABBI DAVID GELFAND
Miketz/Genesis 41:1-44:17

"And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it. Now I have heard it said of you that for you to hear a dream is to tell its meaning.' Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, 'Not I! God will see to Pharaoh's welfare.' " (Genesis 41:15-16) "And Pharaoh said to his courtiers, 'Could we find another like him, a man in whom is the spirit of God?' " (Genesis 41:38)

As we celebrate Hanukkah and prepare to read Miketz, we are presented with a confluence of concepts to consider - the presence of divine power through miracles and the power of the individual to rise up to do the right thing. We look at Joseph's immaturity as a youngster and a Jewish child's glee over Hanukkah today and realize that both the holiday and Joseph's story are not child's play; rather, they offer lessons with serious meanings.

Joseph's story demonstrates the human capacity to transition from egocentric selfishness to the development of moral character. In his books "Joseph In Egypt" and "Joseph the Provider," Thomas Mann traces the evolution of Joseph from egotism to humanitarianism. How do people come to realize their potential and overcome self-centeredness, thus becoming mature enough to act on their convictions?

The phrase "ruach Elohim" (spirit of God) appears only twice in Genesis. The spirit of God first appears to hover over the face of the waters in the opening verses of Torah as the power that helps create life. In Miketz, Pharaoh uses the phrase to describe a person imbued with divine understanding. In the latter situation, Joseph, humbled by life experience, realizes that he is not the source of power, but that he has been empowered.

Ruach Elohim is a gift from God - it is a power that provides the strength to do things not only for one's self, but also for a greater good.

Mature people seek to realize their dreams for the sake of others. This is true of dreamers from the founders of our nation, committed to religious freedom like the Maccabees of long ago, to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his speech at the Lincoln Memorial; from those who fled the pogroms to seek haven in new lands to Theodore Herzl, who said, "Im tirzu, eiyn zo agadah," "If you will it, it is no dream."

Through the challenges of life, we are called upon to mature. As Joseph did, so did the Maccabees, as they faced the realities of their days. Like Judah Maccabee, "the Hammer," let us forge our dreams and our hopes into acts of righteousness as we strive, as did Joseph, not only to be dreamers, but also to become tzaddikim, righteous individuals.

"Not I!" - Joseph again gives honor to God and at the same time makes it clear that he is not a professional soothsayer. (The Torah: A Modern Commentary, edited by Gunther W. Plaut)

1. How can we allow ruach Elohim to be a motivating force in our lives to create blessings for ourselves, for our loved ones, and for our world?
   
   
2. As we light the Hanukkah lights, consider who were the tzaddikim who have motivated you to create light against the darkness and to realize your dreams.