Today's date and time:

Sermon for Miketz/Chanukah 2007
by Rabbi Geoffrey Hyman

Last week’s Sidra ended with a bitter note: "Velo zochar sar hamashkim es yossef, vayishchacheihu: And the butler did not remember Joseph – and he forgot him."

Remember the story – Joseph is in prison, the butler too has been thrown in prison and one night the butler has a peculiar dream which Joseph interprets for him, telling him he will be freed and returned to his former position as Chief Butler to Pharoah. So Joseph asks him a favour, (which I suppose anyone of us would have done in his position): "Mr Butler when you get out please put in a good word for me and get me released, as I’m innocent." So when the butler was released we read: "Velo zochar …. The butler did not remember him but forgot him."

Note the double expression, he did not remember him and forgot him. If you don’t remember, then of course it means you have forgotten, so why the repetition? Perhaps it’s telling us that it wasn’t forgetfulness but that the butler chose to forget Joseph. After all, did he really want to have to remember the mere Jew who helped him out in his hour of need - who had played a significant role when he was down and out?

But Rashi gives us something else. Says Rashi why did he forget him? Because Joseph put his faith the butler and not in G-d and so he was forgotten.

So in today’s reading, the butler suddenly remembers him. Pharaoh has two mysterious dreams and no one, not even his experts – his psychotherapists, can explain the dreams and suddenly "felt im in kop," the butler remembers Joseph and his incredible knack of understanding dreams! Suddenly he remembers.

So after Joseph explains the meaning of the dreams and Pharaoh is convinced of Joseph’s interpretation, he exclaims: "Hanimzo chozeh ish asher ruach elokim bo" - "Can you find one like this in whom there is such a spirit of G-d." And then Pharaoh appoints him over Egypt!

So let me ask you. Look at the two episodes of Joseph, the one in the prison and the one of Joseph now standing before Pharaoh. In prison he’s the nebach and now he’s the hero. Before he was the forgettable and now the unforgettable? What an amazing change! What happened from being the ochur neibish to becoming a gannser macher in the Palace?

The answer is simple! A belief in himself with his faith in G-d, confidence in himself and pride in his mission. When he pleads and humiliates himself to the butler in prison with the words: "oye remember me – I’m kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews" – when he portrays himself as the nebach then "vayishchacheihu," he is forgotten! But when he stands proudly in front of Pharaoh and oozes confidence and shows his trust and belief in G-d, that he utters “lashem hapisronim” – G-d is the interpreter of dreams – then he makes his mark and impresses Pharaoh. “Hanimzo chozeh ish asher ruach elokim bo” - “Can you find one like this in whom there is such a spirit of G-d?”

The Jew is his own worst enemy when he apologises for being Jewish; when he is embarrassed of being a Jew and plays down his Jewishness to gain acceptability - then he is trodden on. But when the Jew stands proud and confident in his identity and asserts his Jewishness, then he gains credibility in the eyes of the nations and is respected.

That too is the message of Chanukah. When the Jew, under the force of Greek culture, assimilated and was prepared to sacrifice his faith on their altar, to gain their acceptance – he became even more despised. It was Judah the Macabee and his followers, with their faith in G-d who stood proudly against the enemy and restored the confidence of the people. And when that happens, miracles happen.

That is the powerful message of Chanukah – standing up for Jewish pride.

There is no place among our people for apologists, for Jews who are ashamed of our traditions and achievements.

May we learn from the stories of Joseph and Chanukah, always to take pride in being Jewish, remaining strong in our faith in G-d and living according to the ways of the Torah. May we always act as true ambassadors of our people. Amen