Miketz מִקֵּץ - At the End Of
Torah Portion: Genesis 41:1-44:17
Genesis 41:53–42:18
41:53 The seven years of plenty, that were in the land of Egypt, came to an end. 54 The seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.” 56 The famine was over all the surface of the earth. Joseph opened all the store houses, and sold to the Egyptians. The famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 All countries came into Egypt, to Joseph, to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all the earth.
42 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2 He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy for us from there, so that we may live, and not die.” 3 Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob didn’t send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers; for he said, “Lest perhaps harm happen to him.” 5 The sons of Israel came to buy among those who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Joseph was the governor over the land. It was he who sold to all the people of the land. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves down to him with their faces to the earth. 7 Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but acted like a stranger to them and spoke roughly with them. He said to them, “Where did you come from?”
They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
8 Joseph recognized his brothers, but they didn’t recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
Today’s Meditation:
Famine came to Canaan, to the Land. Who would think that Hashem would allow this? But He did. He also put in place a plan to save them from starvation. And He used an important G-dly descendant of Abraham, Joseph. Sometimes, He allows sad and horrible things to happen to His people. But He always has the perfect plan to turn suffering into something good. We can be guaranteed of that. He is an Elohim of mercy and grace. And we love Him. Think of the times when you almost gave up, where you suffered beyond what you thought you were capable of. But, after it was all over, you could see the handprint of Hashem over everything. It is just amazing. He never forsakes or leaves us.
Today’s Challenge:
Timing. Sometimes life is about timing. Joseph was in the right place at the right time; Hashem made it so. He was planted there to save his country, his people, and his family. And Hashem equipped Joseph to handle it all. Today’s challenge is to look at Hashem's timing in your life. Think about a time when you were at a loss, maybe even ready to give up, when Hashem appeared and did a miracle. Or He used you to perform a miracle, just as He did with Joseph. When you remember this special situation, tell Hashem how grateful you are to Him and how much you love Him. As you begin to recognize His miracles, it will encourage you to persevere in your current situation. And to be sure to watch Him move, once more.
