When Yosef was rotting away in prison, the wife of Potiphar came to him and said, “If you will do what I’m asking you just one time, I will get you out of prison. Otherwise, you will rot here forever.”
What did Yosef tell her? “Do you know who I am? I am one of the twelve tribes, and we are so holy. If G-d wants to get me out of prison, He has to do it in a better way than this.” And then Yosef looked up to heaven and prayed, “Ribono Shel Olam, thank You so much for this little ray of hope. But Master of the World, if you want me to be free, isn’t there a better way?”
Yosef could have become free like this, but that was not the point.
Reb Tzadok HaKohen connects the story of Yosef to Chanukah by saying.
They didn’t have to find the “pure oil.” They didn’t have to wait for new “pure oil” either. The halachah is that “טומאה הותרה בציבור” — in the Beit HaMikdash, you can burn impure oil also. But in essence - this is not what we really want. It is not what Yosef wanted.
Essentially - this is not what G-d wants.
I can find ways to make everything work, but this is not the way G-d wants it to be. It’s got to be so much deeper. It has to be holy. What does holy mean? When it comes to doing something permissible, you can get away with so much. When it comes to something holy, it’s got to be so much deeper than just finding a way to make it work.
This is what the light of Chanukah is all about, this is what the light of the tzaddik is all about.
So I want to bless you that the lights of the Chanukah Menorah should be pure and let’s pray together with praise and gratitude to Hashem for the great miracle we have witnessed - the release and safe return of the living hostages. With hearts full of thanks, we acknowledge His endless kindness and mercy, and we pray that those who have returned home find healing, strength, and peace after all they have endured.
We also continue to pray for the release of the one remaining hostage body and Divine Protection over our courageous IDF soldiers, police officers, medical teams, firefighters, ZAKA members, security forces, and every individual who stands in defense of our people - in Israel and throughout the world.
May all who are in need, be blessed with healing, yeshuot, shidduchim, children, and parnassah tova, and may we be blessed to have just continuous joy and to only go from one simcha through to the next, the most awesome, gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful, happy, healthy, amazing, relaxed, spiritual, sweet Shabbat and Happy Chanukah.
NO MITZVOT IN THIS PARSHA
NUMBER OF PESUKIM: 112
NUMBER OF WORDS: 1558
NUMBER OF LETTERS: 5972
HAFTORA:
Amos 2:6-3:8
Shabbat Mevarchim Chodesh Tevet
Rosh Chodesh - Shabbat & Sunday, Dec. 20 & 21, 2025.
Chanukah starts after sundown, Sunday, December 14 (after nightfall), and lasts for eight days thru Monday, December 22.
