בס”ד
Parashat Miketz In this week’s Torah reading we find the dream of Pharaoh about the cows and the stalks. In a previous reading (Vayeshev) we find the dreams of Yosef. Is there a relationship? What can we learn out of it? What’s the connection to Chanukah? Based on Likutei Sichot vol. 3, p. 819
In this week’s Torah reading, we read about Pharaoh’s dreams. In his first dream, he saw seven fat cows coming out of the Nile River. They stood there grazing. Then, seven thin cows came out of the same river. They stood next to the seven fat cows and eventually swallowed them. Strangely, even after eating the fat cows, the thin cows still looked as if they hadn’t eaten anything. This was the first part of his dream.
In the second part, Pharaoh dreamed of seven full, beautiful ears of grain. Then seven thin, ugly ears of grain grew and consumed the seven full ears. The pattern in both dreams is the same: the good, abundant, and full is followed by the thin, ugly, and destructive. Pharaoh woke up, confused about the meaning of the dreams. He summoned many sages to interpret them, but none succeeded until Joseph was called, and he explained the dreams. This story is well-known and can be read directly in the Torah.
In the previous Torah portion, we encounter Joseph’s dreams. He also had dreams, but they were of a very different nature. In his first dream, he saw himself and his brothers working in the field, gathering bundles of grain. The bundles of his brothers bowed down to his own bundle. In his second dream, Joseph saw the sun, the moon, and the stars. He himself was like a star, and the other stars, along with the sun and the moon, bowed to him.
When we compare Joseph’s dreams with Pharaoh’s dreams, we can identify a significant distinction that provides insight into the concepts of kedusha (holiness, connection to G-d) and klipa (impurity, separation from God).
The Difference Between Kedusha and Klipa
- Work and Effort
In Joseph’s dreams, we see action and work. He and his brothers are gathering grain, symbolizing working on oneself, one’s family, and the world. A key principle of holiness is to strive and grow. As it is written, “Man is born to toil.”
In Pharaoh’s dreams, however, there is no work. The cows and ears of grain simply appear, and the thin cows or ears consume the fat ones. Everything happens passively; nothing is created or built. This passivity is a defining characteristic of klipa, representing disconnection from divine purpose. - Direction: Upward or Downward
Joseph’s dreams move from below to above. First, he dreams of grain on the ground, and then he dreams of heavenly bodies – the sun, moon, and stars. This reflects the upward motion of kedusha: always striving for growth, elevation, and higher purpose.
Pharaoh’s dreams, in contrast, move in the opposite direction: from cows (the animal kingdom) to grain (the plant kingdom). This symbolizes the downward motion of klipa: descent and decline.
Connection to Chanukah
There is a well-known teaching from the Shlah HaKadosh (the “Shnei Luchot HaBrit”), who lived in the 17th century. He writes that each weekly Torah portion is connected to the time of year in which it is read. This week coincides with Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, when we commemorate the miracles G-d performed during the time of the Second Temple.
Chanukah teaches us a profound lesson about growth and holiness. The practice is to light an additional candle each night: one on the first night, two on the second, and so on until all eight candles are lit. Even if you did everything perfectly on the first night by lighting one candle, the next day you must do more. Holiness always requires progression: step by step, day by day.
This principle is reflected in the dreams of Joseph and Pharaoh. Joseph’s dreams go upward, emphasizing effort and work, while Pharaoh’s dreams move downward and are entirely passive. Chanukah reminds us to always strive for more light, more growth, and greater holiness.
Parshat Talk from Rabbi Tuvia Serber
The above is a representation of the spoken text converted to written text.
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