By Allegra Newmark
This week’s Torah portion is Miketz: Genesis 41:1 – 44:17
In this week’s Torah portion, Miketz, Joseph is let out of prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. In Pharaoh’s first dream, there are seven fat cows swallowed up by seven skinny cows. In the second dream, Pharaoh dreams about seven healthy ears of wheat that get swallowed up by seven unhealthy ears of wheat. Pharaoh started to wonder what was going on, so as any “wise” ruler would do, he went straight to asking magicians. As it says in Genesis 41:8:
“Pharaoh’s spirit was agitated, and he sent for all the magician-priests of Egypt, and all its sages; and Pharaoh told them his dreams”
Nobody was able to decode Pharaoh’s dream until the chief cupbearer told him about this young Jewish man who had decoded the cupbearer’s dream during his time in jail.
“Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was rushed from the dungeon. He had his hair cut and changed his clothes, and he appeared before Pharaoh.” (Genesis 41:14)
I find it interesting that Pharaoh searched for answers anywhere he could about his dreams, something you and I might just ignore. But he really believed that these dreams meant something and so he was intent on finding answers. Something I relate to in this parsha is the idea of searching for answers. I will often find myself asking questions to dive deeper or understand more. I believe asking questions shows you are present and curious and are willing to say, “I don’t know.” Questions can sometimes be thought of as embarrassing or admitting you need help, but I believe asking questions proves just the opposite: it proves that you are willing to put yourself out there and learn. Asking questions actually shows a positive attitude because it shows that you have confidence that you can grow and learn.
This relates to Joseph as well. One thing Joseph takes from his experiences of being sold into slavery and then jailed in Egypt is that everything happens for a reason. Joseph has a very positive outlook on the fact that his brothers sold him into slavery. He says that they should not feel bad that they sold him, and that it all happened for a good reason. As he tells them in next week’s parsha “Now, do not be distressed or reproach yourselves because you sold me hither; it was to save life that God sent me ahead of you.” (Genesis 45:5)
Sometimes I think that the idea that everything happens for a reason is too cheesy, but other times I need that concept in the back of my head to push me through the day. The idea that everything happens for a reason reminds me that you can’t just give up and not try. It is important to work hard and persevere so you can be the best you can.
Having a positive attitude relates to Chanukah, too. The actual story of Chanukah was very brutal — the Greeks came to the Temple and trashed it. But some positive outcomes did emerge from this, namely, the entire Chanukah holiday. The holiday of Chanukah is important not just because of gifts (but that is part of it) but also because we celebrate the miracle of the oil that was only supposed to last one night, and it ended up lasting eight whole days. Nowadays, Chanukah is a time of happiness and celebration.
And so, from Chanukah and Joseph’s story we remember that nothing is going to be perfect, but nothing is also fully bad. Moving forward, I hope you are inspired to not just think about the hard parts of life but to also think about the little things that make you smile.
Allegra Newmark is a seventh-grade student at Krieger Schechter Day School.
