Mikketz
After years in prison, Joseph is brought to Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. He tells Pharaoh that seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine, and how to deal with this, and Pharaoh appoints him viceroy of Egypt. Joseph's brothers come to Egypt to buy food, don't recognise Joseph, and are accused of treachery and imprisoned. When Joseph forces them to bring his youngest brother, Benjamin, to Egypt, Joseph plants his silver cup in his sack, leading to a final confrontation.
Mikketz - Adam Taub
Adam Taub teaches and develops programmes at the London School of Jewish Studies.
The parshah of Miketz always coincides with Hanukkah and the themes of the sidrah and the festival are closely linked.
The song "Maoz Tzur" celebrates the times when G-d redeemed the Jewish people from oppression. Each great empire in turn - Egypt, Babylon, Persia and Greece - collapsed while the Jewish people survived. And yet, when we read the story of the Macabees' rebellion, it is clear that Hanukkah does not primarily commemorate the end of an external persecution of the Jewish People but rather an internal struggle.
Many Jews adopted Greek customs and mores. These hellenizers sought to turn Jerusalem into a Greek polis, complete with a gymnasium and pagan temples which were an abhorrence to those Jews who held fast to the tradition of their ancestors. The Hasmoneans led the rebellion that opposed not only the Syrian overlords but also their eager supporters among the Jews. At issue was the very identity of the Jewish people.
Jewish identity is also the central issue in the story of Joseph. Joseph rises to the pinnacle of power as Pharaoh's vizier but he never denies that he is a Jew. At every opportunity he declares that his gift for interpreting dreams comes from G-d. He balances a dedication to his country with a commitment to his family and the traditions of his ancestors.
When Joseph determines that his brothers are truly repentant, he brings them and their families to Egypt, introduces them to Pharaoh and settles them on the best lands. He is never ashamed of his origins; he retains his identity with pride.
The message of both Hanukkah and the story of Joseph is that Jewish survival relies neither on military might nor political expertise. It depends on the inner strength that comes from faith.