The sidra is cast against the background of a regional famine. Yossef rises literally from the depths of a prison pit to second in the Egyptian leadership and his brothers’ initial forays in reuniting with their estranged sibling. This sidra is generally read during the festival of Chanukah. Consequently the fact these events coincide belies a connection between them. What is the common thread between Yossef and the Maccabim?

A common theme between the two is how one remains true to…

The intersection of events begs discerning a common theme connecting them. The validity of the common lesson is magnified exponentially if different analyses of the events coming from diverse intellectual perspective arrive independently at essentially the same idea. This coming Shabbat stands in the shadow of Chanukah and stand in advance of the calamitous week ahead. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the 8th, 9th and 10th of Tevet commemorate the death of Ezra the Scribe, Ptolemy compelled…

“The one who lights [the Chanukah Lamps] on the first night recites three Blessings, To kindle the Lamps of Chanukah, He who performed miracles and Shehechiyanu, That [He] has kept us alive ….” (Schulchan Aruch , Orach Chaim 676:1) How do these blessings fit in the specific context of Chanukah?…