After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, when out of the Nile there came up seven cows, handsome and sturdy, and they grazed in the reed grass. But presently, seven other cows came up from the Nile close behind them, ugly and gaunt, and stood beside the cows on the bank of the Nile; and the ugly gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome sturdy cows. And Pharaoh awoke… it was a dream! Breysheet/Genesis 41:1-4
As the Joseph narrative unfolds, our focus turns to Pharaoh’s palace where the monarch is plagued by unsettling dreams. Confronted by the king’s distress, the cupbearer reveals that during his incarceration by Pharaoh he benefited from the dream solving ability of another prisoner, Joseph. The Torah tells us that for two years the cupbearer had pushed Joseph from his thoughts, ignoring his ongoing incarceration. In this moment of crisis, the cupbearer risks reawakening Pharaoh’s wrath but steps forward in the face of an ominous future.
We all know Joseph’s success in interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, suggesting a strategy to meet the looming crisis, and his being tasked in its implementation by Pharaoh. Joseph’s singular skills and insights result in Egypt’s, and the regions survival. It is no surprise that Joseph, the hero of this narrative cycle, emerges triumphant fulfilling the dreams of his youth. The lynchpin of this section of the story, however, is the unnamed cupbearer who stands at a crossroads and choose between being safe by doing nothing or risk everything by doing the right thing.
As this week’s Torah portion regularly intersects the celebration of Hannukah, I feel there is a similar truth with how we think about the heroes of the Hannukah story. Most of the focus is on the epic actions of the Maccabees in their confrontation with the Seleucid Greeks. Less known and less heralded are individuals who engaged in acts of personal bravery to affirm their identity as Jews. First, there is the unnamed old man who refuses to bow, both literally and figuratively, when confronted with the choice of accepting pagan practices or remaining steadfast in his Jewish identity. Even more powerful is the story of Hannah and her seven sons, who reject all attempts to subvert, by pressure or contrivance, their Jewish identity, and bravely faced the consequences of their commitment.
Again, it is ordinary individuals who act bravely in the face of fear and aggression. As we learn more about the horrific terror attack on Bondi Beach, we have examples of personal heroism and acts of self-sacrifice. Alex Kleytman, 87, a Holocaust survivor died while shielding his wife Larisa from the gunmen’s bullets. Then there is Ahmed al Ahmed, the Syrian-born, father of two, who courageously pounced on and disarmed one of the two shooters, thereby saving an untold number of lives. In a message from his hospital bed as he recovered from injuries sustained in his action, Ahmed said, “Stand with each other, all human beings.”
As we continue to celebrate Hannukah, we are bidden to remember and be inspired by the ordinary people who choose to stand up in the face of fear, act bravely in moments of peril, and change the trajectory of tragedy. In lighting our Menorot on Hannukah, Cha”zal, our ancient, blessed sages, taught that each light is to be lit in such a way that each is distinctly visible, that the impact of each light, of each flame, must be recognizable. So too, must we see the light and impact of every hero, ancient and contemporary, and then reflect our own unique light into the world.
Shabbat Shalom and Char Hannukah Sameyyach –
Rabbi David M. Eligberg
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