Miketz, Chanukkah and the Power of the Contrary

Each year as we light our menorahs and focus on Parshat Miketz, the parallel between Pharaoh's dreams and the content of Al HaNisim grabs my attention.  

In our Parsha, Pharoah has a disturbing dream.  Two sets of cows, seven strong, fat cows and seven thin, gaunt ones appear on the scene. And, we are told, 

וַתֹּאכַ֣לְנָה הַפָּר֗וֹת רָע֤וֹת הַמַּרְאֶה֙ וְדַקֹּ֣ת הַבָּשָׂ֔ר אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַפָּר֔וֹת יְפֹ֥ת הַמַּרְאֶ֖ה וְהַבְּרִיאֹ֑ת 

and the ugly gaunt cows ate up the seven handsome sturdy cows. (Gen. 41:4)

His second dream is similar as seven healthy ears of grain are eaten up by seven thin scorched ones.וַתִּבְלַ֙עְנָה֙ הַשִּׁבֳּלִ֣ים הַדַּקּ֔וֹת אֵ֚ת שֶׁ֣בַע הַֽשִּׁבֳּלִ֔ים הַבְּרִיא֖וֹת וְהַמְּלֵא֑וֹת (Gen. 41:7) 

While Yosef teaches Pharoah that his dreams are cautionary images, the Al HaNisim echoes a similar literary theme. In this tefilah, we are told that the unexpected dynamic wins the day –  the minority, the apparently weak, end up defeating the powerful foe. It reads:

 מָסַֽרְתָּ גִבּוֹרִים בְּיַד חַלָּשִׁים וְרַבִּים בְּיַד מְעַטִּים

You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, many into the hands of the few Purim, the other rabbinically decreed chag, also reflects this theme:  

וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִשְׁלְט֧וּ הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים הֵ֖מָּה בְּשֹׂנְאֵיהֶֽם׃

(The very day on which the enemies of the Jews had expected to get them in their power) the opposite happened, and the Jews got their enemies in their power. (Esther 9:1)

Most often we expect that nature will take its course. The fittest will survive, the natural flow will emerge, the weak will exit the stage and predictability will win the day. This is exactly why Chanukkah and Purim are so miraculous and also why Pharoah’s dream was so disturbing. 

This year, I have been thinking a lot about a word that echoes this idea–the word is אַדְרַבָּה–which means, contrary, or opposite. It comes to push against the expected momentum and flip reality on its head.

Tragically אַדְרַבָּה has taken on a new meaning for me this fall. 

On Nov. 10, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Yossi Hershkovitz, 44, was killed in battle in northern Gaza. Rav Yossi, as he was affectionately called, was an educator, principal and a person of incredible midot and passion for the Jewish people and Medinat Yisrael.  

Rav Yossi served as the principal of the ORT Pelech High School for boys in Jerusalem and lived in the West Bank settlement of Gva’ot, in Gush Etzion.

Rav Yossi also served for a number of years on shlichut in the US where he was my son’s teacher in middle school. Rav Yossi took countless students under his wings and, with care and love, helped to shape their passion for Torah.

Rav Yossi’s father, during the shiva, spoke about how his son embodied the need to be humble and to judge all other Jews favorably no matter their level of observance or affiliation. He spoke about a famous tefila called the Aderabba and encouraged everyone to say it regularly.  

This prayer was written by R Elimelech Of Lizhensk, (born 1717—died 1787), one of the founders of Ḥasidism. It reads:

 תצילנו מין קינאת איש מרעהו שלא יעלה קנאת אדם עלינו ולא קנאתי‏נו על אחרים.

אַדְרַבָּה, תֵּן בְּלִבֵּנוּ   שֶׁנִרְאֶה כָּל אֶחָד  מַעֲלַת  חֲבֵרֵינוּ

וְלֹא חֶסְרוֹנָם

וְשֶׁנְדַבֵּר כָּל אֶחָד אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ

בַּדֶרֶךְ הַיָשָׁר

וְהָרָצוּי לְפָנֶיךָ.

וְאַל יַעֲלֶה בְּלִבֵּנוּ, שׁוּם שִּׂנְאָה

מֵאֶחָד עַל חֲבֵרוֹ חָלִילָה

וּתְחַזֵק אוֹתָנוּ בְּאַהֲבָה אֵלֶיךָ

כַּאֲשֶׁר, גָּלוּי וְיָדוּעַ, לְפָנֶיךָ.

שֶׁיְּהֵא הַכֹּל, נַחַת רוּחַ אֵלֶיךָ.

אָמֵן - כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.

God, save us from our tendency to have envy of others and save us from their envy. On the contrary,​ grant in our hearts that each of us recognizes the fullness of our brethren,​ and not their deficienc​ies.

And that every one of us speaks with their fellow in the straight and desired way before You.

And may there not arise in our hearts any hatred between one of us and their fellow, ever.

And strengthe​n us in our love for You, as it is revealed and known to You.

May everythin​g be pleasing unto Your spirit.

Amen - may it be Your will.

Making the world a better place often requires us to ask God for the strength to internalize the message of וְנַהֲפ֣וֹךְ ה֔וּא –the message of  אַדְרַבָּה, to be contrary to the trends of nature and of society and look at our personal and public lives with light and positivity.  

Embracing the world of aderabba will perpetuate the legacy of Rav Yossi who recognized the holiness in others and focused their energies to spread love, light and unity among our people even in the darkest of times. 

Wishing everyone a Shabbat shalom and a Chanukkah of positivity, peace and light.