It is very rare for Parshat Vayeishev to be the sole Parsha read during the holiday of Chanukah – the next such occurrence will be in 17 years (5801). As a result of this uncommon phenomenon, we generally see connections made between Parshat Miketz and Chanukah, but rarely any for Vayeishev. We now need to find a connection between the Parsha’s main story – the sale of Yosef – and the holiday.
The bracha we recite in our tefillot of Yom Kippur ends with:
כִּי אַתָּה סָלְחָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּמָחֳלָן לְשִׁבְטֵי יְשֻׁרוּן בְּכָל דּוֹר וָדוֹר אֵין וּמִ בַּלְעָדֶ יך מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ אֶלָּא אָתָּה: לָנוּ מֶלֶך
For You are the Pardoner of Yisrael, and the Forgiver of the tribes of Yeshurun in every generation, and beside You, we have no king who forgives and pardons, only You!
The Meshech Chochma asks why we include the title of ו ּ מ ָ ח ֳ ל ָ ן ל ְ שׁ ִ ב ְ ט ֵ י י ְ שׁ ֻ ר ו ּ ן in a day and age where we do not know what tribe we’re from nor the identities of the twelve tribes. He answers, there are two original sources for all our sins. Cheit HaEigel – the sin of the golden calf – is the root of all sins between man and G-d, and Mechirat Yosef – the sale of Yosef – is the root for all sins between man and fellow man. All the sins then mentioned in Ashamnu Bagadnu and Al Cheit originate from these two sins, and therefore, we refer to their sources as we ask for forgiveness.
The sale of Yosef was to an אֹרְחַת יִשְׁמְעֵאלִים – a caravan of Yishmaelim. The Megaleh Amukot provides insight that helps us connect this story to Chanukah. It is found in Parshat Mikeitz (16) and in the last of 252 explanations for the words נָּא אֶעְבְּ רָ ה in Parshat Va’etchanan. The name of Yosef carries the same numerical value (156) as יָוָן מֶ לֶך – king of Yavan. It is also the same value as וֹן צִי. Chazal say that everything Yosef experienced and suffered through in Egypt, Tzion experienced in the times of the Yevanim. The time was a dark one, alluded to in the second Pasuk of Bereshit, as explained by the Midrash:
, זֶה גָּלוּת יָוָן, שׁ ֶהֶחֱשִׁיכָה עֵינֵיהֶם שׁ ֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּגְזֵרוֹתֵיהֶן, שׁ ֶהָיְתָה וְחשׁ ֶך אוֹמֶרֶת לָהֶם, כִּתְבוּ עַל קֶרֶן הַשּׁ וֹר שׁ ֶאֵין לָכֶם חֵלֶק בֵּא-ל ֹהֵ י יִ שְׂ רָ אֵ ל.
“And darkness”– this is the Greek kingdom, which darkened Israel’s eyes with their edicts, as they used to say to them: ‘Write on the horn of a bull that you have no portion in the God of Israel.’
Am Yisrael were forced by the Yevanim to make this proclamation on the horn of a bull. Why specifically on a bull? Because Yosef is symbolized by the bull, as we read in his bracha from Moshe Rabbeinu: בְּכוֹר שׁ וֹרוֹ. The Yevanim were looking to awaken the sin of Mechirat Yosef.
The final letters of the וַיְ הִ י מִ קֵּ ץ שׁ ְ נָתַ יִ ם יָמִ ים added together result in a numerical value of 180, the same value as the words גָּלוּת יָוָן – the exile of Yavan, which lasted 180 years. In the story we’ll read next week, each of the nine brothers who descended to Egypt were given 20 pieces of currency, the same amount they received from the Yishmaelim in exchange for their brother. Nine brothers multiplied by 20 also results in a total of 180. The exile of Yavan was to atone for the sale of Yosef, and for that reason, during that exile they were forced to write on the horn of a bull symbolizing Yosef.
The Beit Yosef famously asks – and many discuss this question in Parshat Miketz because the words Beit Yosef appear numerous times – why we celebrate eight nights of Chanukah when the miracle was only seven days (since there was indeed enough oil for the first day). I looked for a connection to the number eight in our Parsha, and perhaps one that also connects to the Beit Yosef’s question. Baruch Hashem, I found one to focus on. Not the eight per se, but מ ֵ ע ֵ י ן שׁ ְ מ ו ֹ נ ֶ ה – a kind of eight. Not in the nigleh (revealed) but in the nistar (concealed).
The Rokeach says, there are 112 pesukim in our Parsha, resulting in the siman of יַבּ ֹק. Somewhat amazingly, of these 112 pesukim, all but eight begin with the letter vav, and these eight are k’neged Brit Milah which is performed on the eighth day. Vav is like “vay” or “oy vey” – an expression of distress and pain. Each step of Yosef’s descent to Egypt, and each incident there detailed in our Parsha elicits such an expression. Another location where we find this phenomenon is Megillat Ruth, where all 85 pesukim begin with the letter vav except for eight. Ruth entered the nation that is defined by Brit Milah, and thus the eight exceptional pesukim once again symbolize that mitzvah.
What does vav symbolize? In short, Rashi comments on the following pasuk of Parshat Bechukotai:
וְזָכַרְתִּי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי יַעֲקוֹב וְאַף אֶת־בְּרִיתִי יִצְחָק וְאַף אֶת־בְּרִיתִי אַבְרָהָם אֶ זְכּ ֹר וְהָאָ רֶ ץ אֶ זְכּ ֹר׃
Then will I remember My covenant with Yaacov; I will remember also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham; and I will remember the land.
There are five instances in Tanach where the name Yaacov is spelled shalem – with a vav (יַעֲקוֹב). Similarly, there are five times where the name Eliyahu is written chaser – without the vav (אֵ לִיָּהוּ). Why is it the vav which is added and removed? Rashi says, this intimates that Yaacov took one letter of Eliyahu’s name as collateral in a pledge that at a future time Eliyahu would come and proclaim the arrival of Mashiach and the redemption of Yaacov’s children. The Maharal says (Gur Aryeh), the nature of such a pledge is found in Mishlei (6:1):
בְּ נִ י אִ ם־עָ רַ בְ תָּ לְ רֵ עֶ ך תָּ קַ עְ תָּ לַזָּר כַּ פּ ֶ יך׃
My son, if you have stood security for your friend; if you have put forth your hand in pledge for a stranger.
Tekiat kaf, as described in the pasuk, is performed with the hand, which contains five fingers. Furthermore, the Gemara says that of the איברים רמ"ח – 248 organs, 30 components are found in the hand. The Maharal thus says, it took five times vav (6) to reach this total of 30.
What else does the vav hint at? It symbolizes truth, and the arrival of Mashiach to transform the world from its current state of sheker (falsehood) to one of emet. We don’t need to explain this too deeply because, Im Yirtzeh Hashem, he’ll be here very soon and will explain it himself. For us now, we just need to know the connection. In our parsha, we find the birth of Peretz, marking the beginning of Mashiach’s lineage, and in Megillat Ruth, we find the continuation of that lineage, ending with the birth of David HaMelech. Where we find Mashiach, we find the letter vav. This explains why our Parsha and Megillat Ruth consist exclusively of Pesukim beginning with the letter vav, except for eight verses in each symbolizing Brit Milah and allowing us to segue to the eight days of Chanukah.
Where is the number eight found in Chanukah? The first, and most popular, answer is the eight days in which one sealed jug of oil miraculously burned. But as the Beit Yosef suggests, and Orchot Chaim writes, the miracle was only seven days, as the first day of oil burning was fully expected. The eight days of Chanukah are because we were saved from a gezeira (decree) that forbade Brit Milah, and we could once again perform the mitzvah. Building on this idea, the Bnei Yissaschar says, in name of the Chida, this is why eight days of Chanukah were established. Namely, to be reminded of the three mitzvot the Yevanim issued decrees against: Brit Milah, Shabbat, and Rosh Chodesh. During Chanukah we experience all three of these mitzvot: Shabbat (or two Shabbatot), Rosh Chodesh Tevet, and a boy born on the first day of Chanukah will have his Brit Milah on the eighth day.
We wish each other “Chanukah Sameach” even though these are not days of mishteh v’simcha. Unlike the days of Purim, which are indeed days of celebration and feasting, the days of Chanukah are ones of hallel v’hodaa – praise and gratitude. We say Chag Sameach due to the joy of getting those three mitzvot back. According to the Ibn Ezra says, even without this element of joy the greeting is still appropriate. In his commentary on וּבְ יו ֹם שִׂ מְ חַ תְ כֶ ם (Bamidbar 10:10), he says, when you return from the land of your enemies, or you defeat the enemy who attacks you, you establish a day of rejoicing. The two examples he then provides are the days of Purim and Chanukah.
Continuing with the Bnei Yissaschar’s idea, the reason the Yevanim opposed these three mitzvot in particular is that they all connect to the concept of בָּ נִ ים ֙ – children of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. A non-Jew who observes Shabbat is subject to death because the mitzvah was given only to Bnei Yisrael. As we recite in Shabbat Mincha: וְיֵדְ עוּ יַכִּירוּ בָּנֶיך – it is a mitzvah exclusive to the children of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The concept of Brit Milah is self-explanatory, as those who observe Brit Milah are referred to as banim. Lastly, with regards to Rosh Chodesh, a mashal is told of a king who wishes to give his young son a special gift – a fine watch – but the son is too young to handle it with the right care. A watch was once a luxury item, unlike today where everyone walks around with one on their wrist and two devices that not only tell time but tell it out loud in any voice you’d like to hear. The king waits until his son is of a certain age, with the right level of responsibility, and then finally gives him the gift. The same is true of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who gave His first gift, that of Rosh Chodesh, to His children as soon they were ready to not only tell time but control it. These three mitzvot were gifts returned to us on Chanukah so we could once again be banim to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and as a result, we recite in Al Hanisim: וְאַ חַר־כֵּן בָּֽאוּ בָנֶֽיך – Afterwards, Your sons entered.
Another idea as to the number eight and Chanukah is found throughout the writings of the Maharal. Seven is teva – nature, whereas eight is me’al ha’teva – above nature. Brit Milah, on the eighth day, is above nature. The readiness to circumcise one’s child and enter him into a covenant with G-d, is above nature. A jug of oil was found with the seal of the Kohen Gadol, as a jug sealed by a regular Kohen Hediyot would simply be teva – within nature. The Kohen Gadol, however, is above nature. He is the only one permitted to enter the Kodesh Kodashim and the only one who wore eight articles of clothing. שׁ ֶ ב ַ ע ל ְ מ ַ טּ ָ האַחַת לְמַעְלָה וְ – On Yom Kippur, the Kohen Gadol sprinkles blood one time upward and seven times downward. The seven times downward represents teva, and the one time upwards signifies me’al ha’teva. The seven times represents the seven names attributed to the Yetzer Hara, whereas the one time upward represents the singular name of the Yetzer Tov (leading the Kohen Gadol to plead before Hakadosh Baruch Hu on Yom Kippur that Bnei Yisrael deserve His mercy as they have the deck stacked against them on an uneven playing field).
The candles of Chanukah were lit after a small group of Chashmonaim went me’al ha’teva and successfully fought against masses of well-armed Yevanim. The battle and victory were above nature, and therefore they received something above nature as a result. Rabbeinu Bachya says, many items in the Mishkan and Beit Hamikdash were in a count of eight, along with many attributes of the korbanot which were also associated with the number eight.
The Maharal continues his idea. The miracle of being able to light candles in the Beit Hamikdash is the koach (strength) given to Bnei Yisrael to be shmini – above nature. The day would stand parallel to the first day of Creation, the day where light was created to counter the existing darkness. There is a machloket as to when that day was – whether the 25th of Adar (with the Sixth day being the first of Nisan) or the 25th of Elul (with the Sixth day being the first of Tishrei). Based on this idea, the Rokeach says, we light a total of 36 candles on Chanukah. Unlike the first six days of Creation, we are not told וַיְהִ י־עֶרֶ ב וַיְהִ י־בֹקֶ ר יוֹם שׁ ְּ בִ יעִ י. There was no nighttime and daytime following the sixth day. The light remained bright until the end of Shabbat. These 36 hours saw the Or HaGanuz – the Hidden Light shine into the world, after which it was hidden away by Hakadosh Baruch Hu. 36 hours, 36 candles. There is nothing more me’al ha’teva than light – it is differentiated from all else. The Maharal says, the day the Mishkan’s construction was completed (the 25th of Kislev) was k’neged וַיְהִ י־אוֹר, and it was given eight days of light as a result. The source of light was the Beit Mikdash, in the Kodesh Kodashim, where the Kohen Gadol was present – all me’al ha’teva. The Torah at the center is the source of all light. Hence, the designated shir of the Torah is Tehillim 119, comprising a sequence of verses, with eight corresponding to each letter of the aleph-bet. Me’al ha’teva.
The Maharal adds, we’re told בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ. The Midrash says (Vayikra Rabbah), בְּ זֹאת points to Brit Milah, where it says בְּ זֹאת בְּ רִ יתִ י. It requires something above nature to enter the Kodesh Kodashim: Torah and Brit Milah. Only with them could Aharon enter. Therefore, the pach shemen found had to have the Kohen Gadol’s seal and not that of a Kohen Hediyot. It had to be above nature to spark eight days of Chanukah.
After learning about the number eight and the three decrees of the Yevanim that fall under the banner of Sameach, I’d like to focus on a few of the gezeirot. The Rokeach dives into them in his commentary on Al Hanisim and there is a deeper piece on this topic found in Ne'imot Yomeiru (Chanukah, p.213). With it, I’d like to learn a new yesod for Chanukah, especially significant for the difficult period we’re in.
The Yevanim issued five decrees that carried a penalty of karet – spiritual excision – and five that did not. Included in the latter group were decrees forbidding the lighting of the Menorah in the Beith Hamikdash, elimination of the Korban Tamid, and abolition of the holiday of Succot. What did they want from these three items? Clearly, Succot is tied to Chanukah, and we talked about this at length a few years ago. The Ba’al HaTurim writes, in Parshat Pinchas, immediately after Succot we find text about shemen zayit. Additionally, Hallel Shalem is recited throughout the entirety of both holidays. But it is not only a case of matching eight days with eight days that is in play. Sefer HaMakabim says (2:10):
וְיָחוֹגּוּ חָג לָהּ' שְׁמוֹנַת יָמִים כִּימֵי חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת, וְיִזְכְּרוּ אֶת הַיָמִים מִקֹּדֶם בְּחַגְגָּם אֶת חַג הַסֻּכּוֹת בְּהָרִים וּבִמְעָרוֹת, וְיִתְעוּ בִּישִׁימוֹן כִּבְהֵמוֹת שָׂדֶה. וְיִקְּחוּ עַרְבֵי נַחַל וְכַפּוֹת תְּמָרִים וְיָשִׁירוּ שִׁ יר שׁ ֶבַח וְהוֹדָיָה לָה', אֲשׁ ֶר נָתַן לָהֶם עוֹז וּתְשׁ וּעָה לְטַהֵר אֶת בֵּית מִקְדְּשׁ וֹ. ַעֲבִירוּ קוֹל בְּכָל עָרֵי יְהוּדָה לָחֹג אֶת הֶחָג הַזֶּה מִדֵּי שׁ ָנָה בְּשׁ ָנָה.
And they celebrated the Festival to the Lord for eight days, like the festival of Sukkot, and they remembered the previous days when they celebrated of the festival of Sukkot in the mountains and in the caves, and they went out in the desolation/wilderness, like wild beasts. And they took the willows of the brook and the branches of palm trees, and they sang a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, who gave them courage and salvation to purify the temple of his holiness. And they sent a voice in all the cities of Judah to celebrate this festival every year.
If you see someone bring their lulav and aravot to shul on Chanukah, don’t stare, and don’t treat them as if they’re strange. The Chashmonaim did the same! What lies behind this interesting custom? A lot, but not for this shiur. We’ll instead focus on the three decrees and from there draw an amazing parallel between the two holidays.
Sefer HaMakabim says the Yevanim had an advisor helping them determine how to best expose and attack Am Yisrael in a way that would maximize the damage. Apparently, BDS was around a lot longer than we thought. Their consultant was a former insider, a meshumad – apostate, by the name of Titni ben Pachat. What did he advise the Yevanim? His first guidance was to abolish the Korban Tamid. As long as AM Yisrael sacrificed the Tamid of morning and afternoon, they wouldn’t fall. As a result, the Yevanim abolished the Korbanot. Next, he said, there’s one ritual that if not performed would lead to their annihilation. That ritual was the lighting of the ner tamid in the Beit HaMikdash. A supporting pasuk from Kohelet was brought by Titni ben Pachat (11:2):
תֶּן־חֵלֶק לְשִׁבְעָה וְגַם לִשְׁמוֹנָה כִּי לֹא תֵדַע מַה־יעַל־הָ אָ רֶ ץ׃
Distribute portions to seven or even to eight, for you cannot know what misfortune may occur on earth.
Anyone with a portion of lighting the seven candles is connected to Succot and is unbeatable. If they have both, they are invincible. This was the guidance given to the Yevanim, and they abolished the lighting of the Menorah by defiling all the oil in the Beit Hamikdash. Only a small jug was available, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu said, “You thought you could uproot the seven candles and eight days of holiday? I will bring upon you eight additional days and seven Chashmonaim who will destroy you and wipe your presence from this world.”
I’d like to now focus on the connection between these three decrees. Titni ben Pachat was no dummy. He knew what protected Bnei Yisrael from its enemies: Korbanot, candles, and Succot. The Mishna (Ta’anit 4:6) says, five calamitous things occurred to our forefathers on the 17th of Tammuz, and five other disasters on the 9th of Av. Within the former, the first item listed is the first one that occurred – the breaking of the luchot. The next item listed is the abolishment of the Tamid, followed by the breaching of the city walls. The reason for this order is that as soon as the Tamid was ceased, the city was vulnerable and its walls breachable. The Korban Tamid, in the morning and afternoon, had the power to hold up the city! Titni said to abolish the Tamid in order to eliminate the city’s protection, an act that was repeated in another period (Bava Kama 82a) when Korbanot were tampered with (and pigs inserting into the mix) to weaken Am Yisrael’s defenses.
During this particularly difficult period we find ourselves in, we need to strengthen our Tamid – i.e., our learning of Torah. I checked and verified that during Chanukah we do not need to re-enact לְהַשׁ ְ כִּיחָם תּ וֹרָ תֶך. We do not need to find ways to vacation and relax. We need to strengthen our learning! During these days, when Bnei Yisrael are in a difficult war, all who are not on the front lines fighting need to keep learning without any ceasefire. This applies to our Tefilla as well. We need to focus with extra intensity, including on the Seder Korbanot recited before Pesukei D’Zimra which do not start with a few quick lines and then skip ahead eight pages to Rabbi Yishmael Omer. וּנְשׁ ַלְּמָה פָרִ ים שְׂפָתֵינוּ – this is part of our Avodah and a fundamental part of our defense and protection!
The next decree proposed by Titni was the abolishment of lighting the Menorah. The koach of Torah Shebe’al Peh – the Oral Law, is in the Menorah according to the Netziv. Two vessels in the Beit Hamikdash – the Aron and the Menorah – were the source of the Written Torah and Oral Law, respectively. The latter gives us the light and power to learn and understand and tackle new subjects.
The lighting of the Menorah has another element as well. Shlomo HaMelech constructed ten Menorahs and placed five to the right and five to the left of the original Menorah constructed by Moshe Rabbeinu (Melachim I 7:48). Where did he get this idea from? Is it not an obvious case of bal tosif? He must have had a source. Rabbeinu Bachya and Da'at Zekainim say, the source of his action is in the words: תֵּ יעָשֶׂה הַמְּ נוֹרָ ה, with an extra yud – in addition to Menorah to be made for the Mishkan, there would be ten additional Menorahs to be made for the Beith Hamikdash in the future. The Ba’al HaTurim adds, אֶ ת־הַ מְּ נ ֹרָ הכֵּן עָשָׂה – ken equals 70; how did Shlomo HaMelech make 70 candles? By making ten Menorahs!
The Midrash asks why all these Menorahs were needed. The seven candles of Moshe Rabbeinu were for the destruction of the seven nations during his time. But Shlomo HaMelech needed to overcome seventy nations and therefore he required ten Menorahs! The Megaleh Amukot asks how that works and says that when seventy candles were lit in this world, seventy parallel candles were lit in the upper world, with each candle tied to the angel or minister of a nation and helping overcome that nation. הֶ עֱלָה נֵרֹתֶ יהָ אֶ ל־מוּל פּ ְ נֵי הַ מְּ נו ֹרָ ה – the upper candles helped Shlomo HaMelech overcome all seventy nations. This is why Titni ben Pachat advised the Yevanim to extinguish those candles! As long as they were being lit, the nations could not triumph over Am Yisrael.
Besiyata Dishmaya, we can now move on to Succot and connect it to Chanukah. The Gemara (Shabbat 21b) says, Beit Hillel holds we light one candle on the first night and then add an additional candle each subsequent night, in ascending count. Beit Shamai hold that we light eight candles on the first night and then decrease the count by one each night. The first is easy to understand, as we typically add to our mitzvot and build them up. How do explain the latter? Beit Shamai says it is k’neged the bulls brought as Korbanot on the holiday of Succot. And why does the number of bulls sacrificed decrease each day as the holiday progresses? The answer is simple. It reflects the nations losing their power and falling off one by one. Titni ben Pachat advised the Yevanim, “Abolish the Korbanot of Succot, as they have the same effect as the candles in diminishing the power of the nations and defeating them.”
If these ideas are correct, let’s close with a learning of the Vilna Gaon. On each day of Succot, a goat is brought as a sin offering. The wording is not consistent, however. On the first day it says וּשְׂעִיר־עִזִּים אֶחָד חַטָּאת. On the second day it says the same, but on the third day the language switches to וּשְׂעִיר חַטָּאת אֶחָד. There is no mention of עִזִּים on the third day, but it returns on the fourth day, where וּשְׂעִיר־עִזִּים אֶחָד חַטָּאת is once again found. But that language is short-lived, as from the fifth day and onward we revert to וּשְׂעִיר חַטָּאת אֶחָד. What is going on here? The Torah isn’t random, and words aren’t added or removed for formatting or stylistic reasons. There is
