by Zelig Golden

27 Kislev 5768 | December 7, 2007

In Mikeitz, our Torah parsha for the week, Pharaoh of Egypt has a dream: seven healthy, robust cows ascend from the Nile, followed by seven emaciated cows that devour the seven healthy cows but remain emaciated; seven full, healthy ears of grain grow from one stock, and then seven dry, thin ears of grain follow, swallowing up the seven good ears of grain. (Genesis 41:2-7.) Nobody in Pharaoh’s Egypt can interpret the dream. Only Joseph the dreamer can interpret it to foretell a blessing of seven years of abundance in the land, followed by a curse of seven years of famine. (Genesis 41: 25-28.)

And what a blessing for Joseph that he is able to interpret this dream for Pharaoh! By doing so he is freed from prison, comes to power over all the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:40-43), reconnects with his wayward brothers that sold him into slavery, and saves his entire family from the famine in Canaan by relocating his father Jacob and his entire lineage to the choicest land of Goshen in Egypt. (Genesis 47: 11, 27.)

But isn’t Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams his greatest curse? Joseph first dreamt of his brothers’ sheaves bowing to his (Genesis 37:5-7), and that his entire family, represented by sun, moon, and stars, bowed to him (Genesis 37:9-10), which led to his brothers coming to hate him and sell him into slavery to the Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:28). This eventually leads to Joseph’s imprisonment in Pharaoh’s prison (Geneis 39: 20), then to Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt that brings the Jews to Egypt in the first place, eventually landing our entire nation in the hands of slavery.

So how are we to understand Joseph’s power of dream interpretation? Is it a blessing or a curse? It is both, and it is neither. Like us all, Joseph must be who he is, share his gift of dream interpretation with the world, and follow his path through the darkest of times and through the brightest of times. Joseph’s power lands his father’s entire lineage in slavery, yet it is only by going into the Mitzraim (“narrow place”) that is Egypt, that the Jewish people can later be reborn through their Exodus from Egypt to receive revelation at Mt. Sinai of Torah and our spiritual path.

This is also the message of Hanukkah. From the darkness comes the greatest light. From the greatest curse comes the greatest blessing. All we can do is walk our path, through the seasons of our lives, accepting each trial and victory in our lives. Whether it feels like a blessing or a curse, like Joseph, we must simply walk our path of Hashem.