Miketz מִקֵּץ - At the End Of
Torah Portion: Genesis 41:1-44:17
Haftarah: Zechariah 2:14-4:7
Shabbat: Genesis 43:30–44:17
43:30 Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother, and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there. 31 He washed his face and came out. He controlled himself and said, “Serve the meal.”
32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another. 34 He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank and were merry with him.
44 He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in his sack’s mouth. 2 Put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, with his grain money.” He did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 4 When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men. When you overtake them, ask them, ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good? 5 Isn’t this that from which my lord drinks, and by which he indeed divines? You have done evil in so doing.’” 6 He overtook them, and he spoke these words to them.
7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! 8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan. How then should we steal silver or gold out of your lord’s house? 9 With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”
10 He said, “Now also let it be according to your words. He with whom it is found will be my slave, and you will be blameless.”
11 Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending at the youngest. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 13 Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
14 Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there. They fell on the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do divination?”
16 Judah said, “What will we tell my lord? What will we speak? How will we clear ourselves? Elohim has found out the iniquity of your servants. Behold, we are my lord’s slaves, both we and he also in whose hand the cup is found.”
17 He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
Today’s Meditation:
Some curious Scripture in today’s reading. Joseph has his cup of divination planted in Benjamin's sack. He plots all this to bring him back. But what is so interesting is why Joseph has possession of an object of divination? A clear sin against the Father? It's possible that he owned the cup because it was a tradition among royalty. It is not entirely clear whether he ever used it. I am guessing that he did not. He seemed to be very blessed by Hashem and a righteous man.
Nevertheless, could it be that Joseph was being a little assimilated into Egyptian pagan culture? Isn’t that what happens to us when we begin to hang out with people and go places that are not acceptable to Hashem? What is the cup of divination that you carry around? Search your heart.
Today’s Challenge:
Instead of revealing himself to his brothers right away, he carries out plans of deception. Did he need to? What would have happened if he had just exposed the truth in the beginning? Do you ever do this? Instead of being “real” with someone, you play games first? Search your conscience and see if you have been manipulating a situation that should not be. And try to confront it with the truth instead. Right away. You will be blessed.
Today’s Haftarah: Zechariah 3-4:7
3 He showed me Joshua the high priest standing before Hashem’s angel, and Satan standing at his right hand to be his adversary. 2 Hashem said to Satan, “Hashem rebuke you, Satan! Yes, Hashem who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Isn’t this a burning stick plucked out of the fire?”
3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angel. 4 He answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, “Take the filthy garments off him.” To him, he said, “Behold, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich clothing.”
5 I said, “Let them set a clean turban on his head.”
So they set a clean turban on his head, and clothed him; and Hashem’s angel was standing by. 6 Hashem’s angel protested to Joshua, saying, 7 “Hashem of Armies says: ‘If you will walk in my ways, and if you will follow my instructions, then you also shall judge my house, and shall also keep my courts, and I will give you a place of access among these who stand by. 8 Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring out my servant, the Branch. 9 For, behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes: behold, I will engrave its engraving,’ says Hashem of Armies, ‘and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 10 In that day,’ says Hashem of Armies, ‘you will invite every man his neighbor under the vine and under the fig tree.’”
4 The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. 2 He said to me, “What do you see?”
I said, “I have seen, and behold, a lamp stand all of gold, with its bowl on the top of it, and its seven lamps on it; there are seven pipes to each of the lamps, which are on the top of it; 3 and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side of it.”
4 I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, “What are these, my lord?”
5 Then the angel who talked with me answered me, “Don’t you know what these are?”
I said, “No, my lord.”
6 Then he answered and spoke to me, saying, “This is Hashem’s word to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says Hashem of Armies. 7 Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you are a plain; and He will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”
Today’s Haftarah Meditation:
Prophecy claiming G-d as “Hashem of armies”. What armies? I believe Hashem is the Commander of the angels in heaven. Is that reassuring to you? That the one we serve is the ultimate Chief. With His supreme control over the armies of heaven, there will never be defeat. This is a very comforting thought. In reality, we have nothing to worry about. Even if the world is spinning around us and sin abounds, we know the end of the story. G-d wins. He has all the victory.
Today’s Haftarah Challenge:
In chapter 4:6, we hear Hashem saying, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit.” That is how Hashem moves in the Kingdom of Heaven. By His Spirit. Have you thought about the Spirit of Hashem lately? Have you ever prayed that His Spirit fills you, surrounds you in your life? So that He could use you in mighty and wonderful ways? I encourage you to pray this prayer today and experience a life change.
