Parshas Mikeitz
Shabbos Chanukah
1. At the beginning of Parshas Mikeitz, and likewise in the preceding sidrah, Vayeishev, the Torah tells of dreams: Pharaoh's dream (in Parshas Mikeitz), and Yosef's dream, together with the dreams of the chief butler and the chief baker (in Parshas Vayeishev). All these dreams were causes that brought about the exile of Egypt — the root of all the exiles1. Since all matters come about by Divine Providence, it is understood that the effect — exile — has a connection to, and resembles, the cause — a dream.
2. The connection of exile to a dream is explained in various places, and also in Torah Or2: a dream comes from the power of imagination (koach hamedameh), which joins two opposites together, even to the point of "פילא בקופא דמחטא" ("an elephant through the eye of a needle"), provided only that the person had thought about it beforehand3.
So too in the time of exile: it seems to a person that he loves G‑d, and nevertheless he loves his own body — although the two can never exist at the same time — to the point that (as is explained elsewhere4) he can wallow in lusts and even transgress the Will of G‑d.
Nevertheless, the Alter Rebbe concludes there in Torah Or, one should not think that since after prayer a person can act contrary to what he felt during prayer, this proves that his prayer, together with his Torah and mitzvos, amounts to nothing — this is not so. The root of a dream is in a very lofty place, and it shines specifically in the time of exile (see there at length).
3. The explanation of this in terms of man's inner service is as follows:
In every Jew the G‑dly soul is always whole; the Torah and mitzvos that a Jew performs "are eternal — לעולם ועד ("forever and ever")"5. By contrast, the improper things he does are no more than temporary (for every Jew will ultimately do teshuvah); consequently, even now they are not a "דבר של קיימא" ("a lasting thing"), and are like "נהרות המכזבין"6 ("failing rivers" — rivers that dry up).
Therefore the evil cannot, G‑d forbid, outweigh the good, since it is not a lasting thing, whereas the good is always whole.
And in this respect the time of exile has an advantage over the time when the Beis HaMikdash stood: in the time of the Beis HaMikdash the "inner" powers (the innermost powers) of the soul shone7, and these have a limitation; that is why an impure person may not enter the Mikdash. But in the time of exile the encompassing (makif) powers of the soul shine, and in these there are no limitations, as it is written: "השוכן אתם בתוך טומאתם" ("Who dwells with them in the midst of their impurity")8.
4. The practical directive from this is:
One should not be like those who err and think that the only possible path is to proceed with an orderly service, from easier to harder, and that as long as one has not completed the first steps one cannot begin to think about the higher steps. That would be correct if all matters with him were orderly. But since "היינו כחולמים" ("we were like dreamers"), one can — and one must — do every task in the service of G‑d that comes to hand, following the directive of our Sages8: "חטוף ואכול חטוף ואשתי" ("grab and eat, grab and drink").
And even one who is in such a state that about him it is said9, "אי אפשר... להתחיל לעבוד ה' בלי שיעשה תשובה על העבר תחלה" ("it is impossible ... to begin serving G‑d without first doing teshuvah for the past"), the Alter Rebbe nevertheless rules in Tanya10 — the inner dimension of Torah — and in the Shulchan Aruch11 — the revealed dimension of Torah — that he too should learn Torah and fulfill mitzvos. Although for the meantime he adds strength etc., he is nevertheless assured "שלא ידח ממנו נדח" ("that no one banished will remain banished from Him"), and then his Torah and mitzvos too will return with him.
5. All this applies not only to the revealed part of Torah, but also to pnimiyus haTorah (the inner dimension of Torah) and its customs and practices, following the directive of our Sages: "grab and eat" (— the revealed part of Torah, which is likened to bread12), "grab and drink" (— pnimiyus haTorah, which is likened to water13).
Although generations ago one could not begin to learn pnimiyus haTorah until one had first gone through many, many preparations, in the present generations, however, "מצוה לגלות זאת החכמה" ("it is a mitzvah to reveal this wisdom")14. And especially after the revelation of the teachings of Chassidus through the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe and their successors, it has become like all the parts of Torah — and every Jew is obligated to learn all the parts of Torah15.
6. And through the conduct of "grab and eat, grab and drink" — not taking into account one's own state, whether one is ready for it or not, but continually increasing in Torah and mitzvos (which resembles the matter of a dream, as mentioned above) —
— through this very increase in the light of Torah and mitzvos, one removes the sleep of exile and brings the true light of the Redemption, "הוי' יהי' לך לאור עולם" ("G‑d will be for you an everlasting light")16, just as one sees that when it becomes light, one wakes up from sleep.
7. And this is the lesson of the fact that dreams were a cause of the exile of Egypt and of the Exodus from Egypt.
The exile of Egypt was the harshest exile; that is why all the exiles are called "Mitzrayim"17. Nevertheless, it was precisely through this exile that they came to "ואחרי כן יצאו ברכוש גדול" ("and afterwards they will go out with great wealth")18.
So too in the present exile: although the entire service during the time of exile is a matter of a dream, nevertheless — on the contrary — precisely because it is in the manner of a dream, one can leap up to a higher level, in a manner of leaping over, and increase the light of Torah and mitzvos, which removes the sleep of exile and brings to "כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות" ("As in the days of your going out of the land of Egypt, I will show him wonders")19, with the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, speedily in our days.
(From the sichos of Chag HaGeulah, 19 Kislev, 5717)
8. The idea mentioned above — that precisely through exile a greater elevation comes about — is also alluded to in this week's sidrah, in the reason why Ephraim was given that name: "כי הפרני אלקים בארץ עניי" ("For G‑d has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction"). Precisely through the land of "affliction" (poverty) came the "made me fruitful" (increased me) — an added light in Yosef.
Yosef's own virtue was very lofty. As explained in Toras Chaim20 and in various places, the reason why Yosef was punished for making vessels in nature, even though Yaakov also did so20*, is this: Yaakov was within the order of hishtalshelus (the chain of descent), so he feared "שמא יגרום החטא" ("lest sin cause [harm]")21, and therefore he needed to make vessels in nature. But Yosef, a supreme tzaddik, by virtue of his level did not need to fear anything and did not need to resort to nature.
Likewise it is stated there — on the verse "ויכר יוסף את אחיו והם לא הכירהו" ("And Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him") — the reason why the tribes, and likewise the Avos, were shepherds, set apart from the world: so that the world would not disturb them.
But Yosef was on such a level that he could be in the world, a ruler in Egypt, so that "בלעדיך לא ירים איש גו'" ("without you no man shall lift up etc."), which — since a verse does not depart from its plain meaning — means that every Egyptian who wanted to put on a garment had to ask Yosef. And although Yosef was occupied with this, at that very time he stood in utter cleaving to G‑dliness.
After all this, through what did he come to "made me fruitful"? Precisely through "the land of my affliction."
9. The above-mentioned story of Yosef is a directive to all Jews: the descent of the soul into the body in this world in general, and in the time of exile in particular, is not, G‑d forbid, for the sake of suffering; rather, it contains a special virtue.
The purpose22 of the chain of descent of the worlds is not for the sake of the higher worlds, since for them it is a descent from the light of His blessed countenance; rather, the purpose is specifically in this lowest world, for it is in this world that the power of the Essence is found.
And within this world itself — before the exile of Egypt the Torah could not be received; only through the iron furnace of the exile of Egypt did they become vessels for receiving the Torah. As our Sages expound23: why did the Jewish people receive the Torah? Because "למצרים ירדתם" ("you went down to Egypt") etc.
10. And this is also what is written24: "ואנכי תרגלתי לאפרים" ("And I taught Ephraim to walk"):
Regarding Mattan Torah it is stated25 that had there been six hundred thousand less one — (had that one been missing) — the Torah would not, G‑d forbid, have been given even to Moshe. This is alluded to in the verse26 "שש מאות אלף רגלי העם אשר אנכי בקרבו" ("Six hundred thousand on foot are the people in whose midst I am"): because all six hundred thousand were there, including the "raglim" (the feet) — and primarily the feet (as is explained elsewhere, the virtue of the foot is kabbalas ol, the acceptance of the yoke of Heaven) — the Torah, which begins with "Anochi" ("I"), was given, so that the "Anochi" was drawn down to Moshe.
Therefore, when the verse speaks of Ephraim, whose theme is "For G‑d has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction" — that through Egypt one reaches the ultimate elevation of Mattan Torah — it says about this: "And I taught Ephraim to walk": through "tirgalti," a term related to "regel" (foot) — that is, the service of kabbalas ol — through this one reaches "Anochi mi she'Anochi" ("I, Who I am").
(From the sichah of Chag HaShavuos, 5713)
Chanukah
11. The mitzvah of Chanukah is to kindle lights. How does one produce light? One takes oil or wood and the like — that is, a physical thing — and heats it until it ceases to be physical and begins to shine throughout its entire surroundings.
The lights kindled on Chanukah derive from the lights that used to be kindled in the Beis HaMikdash. In the Beis HaMikdash lights were kindled every night. But at the time of the miracle of Chanukah there was no pure oil with which to kindle the lights, so G‑d performed a miracle and they found "פך שמן טהור חתום בחותמו של כהן גדול" ("a cruse of pure oil sealed with the seal of the Kohen Gadol") — a small jug of pure oil, sealed with the seal of the Kohen Gadol, [OCR unclear]27 — the oil, which was barely enough for one day; a miracle occurred and it burned for eight days. In commemoration of this miracle, lights are kindled on all eight days of Chanukah.
Although the lights of Chanukah derive from the lights of the Mikdash, they nevertheless differ in several respects. [The source text ends here; this Sicha continues beyond this page.]
Notes
1) Likkutei Torah of the Mahariv"l, Parshas Teitzei.
2) In Parshas Vayeishev, 28c.
3) See Berachos 55b, at the end. This is easily understood.
4) Tanya, ch. 25.
5) Parah 8:9. See also above, p. 36, note 22.
6) Sefer HaMaamarim 5709, p. 108, sec. 2.
7) For a fuller discussion, see the sichah of Acharon shel Pesach, 5718.
8) Eruvin 54a.
9) Tanya, ch. 17.
10) End of ch. 39.
11) Hilchos Talmud Torah, ch. 4, par. 3.
12) Likkutei Torah, Behar 40b; Bechukosai 48b.
13) See also Likkutei Sichos, vol. 2, p. 432.
14) Iggeres HaKodesh, sec. 26, in the name of the Arizal.
15) See the Alter Rebbe's Hilchos Talmud Torah, ch. 1, par. 4; ch. 2, par. 10.
16) Yeshayahu 60:20.
17) Midrash Rabbah, Bereishis 16:4.
18) Bereishis 15:14.
19) Michah 7:15.
20) Parshas Vayechi, maamar beginning "Ben Poras Yosef."
20*) Yosef asked the chief butler to intercede with Pharaoh to free him, and this is counted as a sin (Rashi, Bereishis 40:23), although Yaakov made efforts with Esav that he should forgive him, by sending him gifts and calling him "Adoni" ("my master").
21) Berachos 4a.
22) Tanya, ch. 36.
23) Shabbos 88b.
24) Hoshea 11:3. Likkutei Torah, Vayikra 2a; Bamidbar 80b. Maamar beginning "Lechah Dodi," 5689 (Sefer HaMaamarim Kuntreisim, vol. 1, 21a).
25) Mechilta of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (and see also the Mechilta), Yisro 19:11. Devarim Rabbah 7:8.
26) Bamidbar 11:21.
27) Rashi, Devarim [OCR unclear].
Key Lesson
Exile resembles a dream, where opposites coexist and the normal order does not apply; yet for that very reason a Jew need not climb step by step, but can "grab" every opportunity for Torah, mitzvos and the study of Chassidus. Like Yosef, whose greatest growth came "in the land of my affliction," the soul's descent and the darkness of exile hold a unique advantage, and the added light of Torah and mitzvos dispels the sleep of exile and brings the Redemption.