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Perashat Mikess 5776

Home > Rabbi's Weekly Message > Perashat Mikess 5776

Perashat Mikess 5776

Friday, December 11, 2015 Author: Rabbi Elie Abadie

In our long history in Exile, we have gotten used to escape or be exiled, find refuge and be welcomed to a new country; prosper, rise to the height of power then become reviled, enslaved and expelled or persecuted and killed. This cycle unfortunately has repeated itself many times in our long history. 

Perashat Mikess begins this cycle for the first time and sets the paradigm for the future of the Jewish people. Yoseph, exiled by his brothers, finds refuge in Egypt. Eventually he prospers, and rises to the pinnacle of power as second in command to the most powerful king of that time, in the most important nation on Earth. 

After interpreting Pharaoh’s disturbing dreams, Yoseph, freely, without being asked, advises Pharaoh on how to proceed and implement the master plan to save Egypt.  Pharaoh, recognizing the capabilities of Yoseph, declares to his servants, “could we find another like him – a man in whom is the spirit of G-d?”  Pharaoh then says to Yoseph, “Since G-d has informed you of all this, there can be no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace and by your command all my people shall be sustained; only by the throne I shall outrank you.”

Indeed, Yoseph became the Viceroy of Egypt. It was clear to all that he was the ruler of Egypt. At the age of thirty, one so young could never have risen to the highest position in such an important country if it wasn’t due to his G-d given wisdom and grace. He traveled all over Egypt, became acquainted with the populace, learned about the country, warned people about the impending famine, and commissioned the construction of royal granaries in every city. 

Yoseph dedicated the rest of his life until the age of 110 to the welfare of Egypt and its population. The sojourn of Yoseph and his family lasted 210 years in Egypt. The ensuing slavery and harsh decrees came, and eventually the redemption of our people took place with great wonders and miracles. Egypt became a destroyed nation, moribund and desolate. It took Egypt another 800 years to rebound and become a respected nation. 

This is the story of our people. From the time of Yoseph until our time, all throughout our exile, we have contributed to the countries and nations to which we have been welcomed.  From Daniel in the court of Nebukhadnezzar, the Babylonian King, to Mordekhay in the court of Ahashverosh, the Persian king, to Hasday ibn Shaprut in the court of Abdurahhman II the Caliph in Spain, to Don Isaac Abarbanel in the court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Castillia, to Benjamin Disraeli, the Prime Minister of England, to Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State to President Nixon and to Jack Lew, the present Secretary of the Treasury. Many more Jews that we know, throughout history, and many more others that we don’t know, served their countries with distinction and honor. Only that, at the end they were forgotten, their memory was erased and obliterated, and their people were persecuted, enslaved, expelled or killed. Needless to say, those countries eventually lost a tremendous asset; there was a brain drain, financial collapse and the countries went into oblivion. 

Over 2200 years ago, the mighty Greek Empire wanted to impose their culture, values, mythology and way of life on us. Despite losing many of our people to their vain and hollow culture and values, even as they profaned and defiled our most sacred Great Temple of Jerusalem, our ancestors, the Hashmonaim, fought valiantly against the mighty Greeks. G-d, “delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the arrogant into the hands of the believers”.  The Hashmonaim, restored our Temple and the Jews lived sovereign again in their land. The Greek Empire went into oblivion; even until today they have not recovered. 

We witnessed what happened and what is happening, in the continent of Europe. The European leadership has been given a second chance during our lifetime to show their appreciation to the Jewish people and to express their gratitude to the contribution of the Jewish people and, now to the State of Israel.  Yet, anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism is in the rise in Europe. Jews can no longer feel safe and Jewish institutions are on high alert. If that is not enough, the European Union has declared a boycott on Israeli products from Judea and Samaria. But, of course, the average citizen may not be able to differentiate between Tel Aviv, Haifa, Judea and Samaria and therefore, many products from other parts of Israel will be boycotted. Europe much of the time sides with the enemies of the Jews and Israel. It joins international bodies that condemn Israel and vilify the Jewish nation. Only 70 years after the worse calamity that was brought upon the Jews, the Holocaust, Europe seems to be sliding back to its age old anti-Semitism. 

This is the ‘Thank You’ that Europe is extending to Israel and the Jewish People. This is the appreciation that they express. For us, it is nothing new. We will continue to celebrate Rosh Hodesh and Hanukkah and appreciate their meaning; we will renew our commitment to our values and tradition. 

As we have survived throughout the millennia in very difficult conditions - conditions that no other nation or people endured, we will survive now and beyond; I am sure of that.  On the other hand, I cannot be so certain about Europe and the European Union. 

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