Vayigash

The title word of the parsha is clearly significant. "He approached." An interesting cognate of Vayigash is Goshen. The Nun suffix conveys a conseptualization. So what does a place called approach mean?

The connotation of this Vayigash is confrontation. There is a request, a plea and a confrontation. The prelude of Goshen is the battle between the sheep men and the cattle men. Somehow, this suburb is a confrontation to mainstream Egypt.

Miketz is always read on Chanukah. The talmud mentions the story of Joseph's sale in the midst of the Chanukah story in messecheth Shabbath.

Then, on Chanukah we read the gifts of the various princes of the tribes to at the inauguration of the tabernacle. Twelve identical gifts followed by the lighting of the menorah, the work of the Cohen.

Miketz is really about who would ultimately be included in Bnei Yisroel. This is evident from the beginning. The ten who go down to Egypt describe themselves as brothers, not as 6 brothers and 4 slaves. The reunifiaction with Joseph then cements the clan.


The 12 identical gifts also demonstrate the equality of the tribes.

There is also a message of leadership in each of these passages. Joseph is clearly the leader of his brothers and the Cohen (forebearer of the Hashmoneim) is not included among those bringing gifts to the temple because of his leadership role. Thus, the need to recognize the leader is reinforced by Miketz and the Chanukah readings.

A few words about Chanukah:
Antiochus forbids the practice of normative Judaism so the Jews got to gether and made up Chanukah. They made up a new set of practices that were demonstarative of their unity and independence.

Chanukah in America (and I presume Europe) is a foil to X-mas. Chanukah has always been intended to be a celebration that contrasts with the ambient culture. Now it becomes X-asized, but I think that it still serves the function