From Pharaoh to the Maccabees: How Great Rulers Became Supporting Acts

"At the end of two years, Pharaoh dreamed… and Pharaoh awoke and dreamed again… and in the morning his spirit was troubled."

The Torah describes Pharaoh, the most powerful man on earth at the time, who was regarded as a god by the entire Egyptian empire. His power was immense, boundless. With a mere gesture, he could order the death of all newborns in Egypt or any other mad decree of his choosing.

But two years passed, and "Pharaoh dreamed." He did nothing noteworthy, contributed nothing to humanity. Likely, he killed many during those years, but for the sake of mankind, he achieved nothing. He dreamt dreams and even when granted that dream, he went back to sleep. As he returned to his slumber, the dreams came to him again, perhaps to awaken him. But no, he awaited morning, and by morning, he seemed fairly bored, "and his spirit was troubled," no more. Out of sheer boredom, he summoned Joseph, and the rest is history.

The previous parashah opens with the words "Jacob settled in the land where his father had sojourned, the land of Canaan. These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph…" Jacob dwelt in the land where his father Isaac was born, just the second generation. What significance could Jacob's brief sojourn in his homeland hold? He sought peace, but the turmoil of Joseph engulfed him. Just actions of a shepherd unknown to the world.

Yet, the Torah tells us, what transpired with that unknown shepherd, who merely sought peace in the land of his fathers, was far more significant than Pharaoh's acts, who sat on a royal throne occupied by his forebears for a thousand years. Fact: it was Jacob's progeny that awoke Pharaoh from his dreams and led him to action; "These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph." While Pharaoh dreamt, the key to the mighty king’s dream lay in the mind of a shepherd confined in prison.

Pharaoh entered history as a mere tool in the hands of Jacob's seed, to the extent that the Torah doesn't even mention Pharaoh's personal name (like the prophets do: "Pharaoh Necho," "Pharaoh Shishak"). His significance lies only in fulfilling Joseph's dreams, later carrying out the decree "And they will enslave and torment them," and finally hardening his heart, for it to be fulfilled "and afterward they will leave with great wealth."

Without "Jacob settled," etc., we would know nothing about Pharaoh, history would have forgotten him. His tomb might have been uncovered by archaeologists, but in human consciousness, he'd leave no mark. Only in the consciousness of Israel and all nations that embraced the Torah of Israel is Pharaoh remembered as a mere instrument for fulfilling what was destined for the forefathers.

This comparison teaches us the power inherent in an individual's acts. Outside observers would believe history was written in Pharaoh's palaces, viewing the shepherds' actions in Canaan as insignificant. But we, the descendants of Abraham, know that sometimes history is crafted by the lone individual, across the world from everyone else, with the full meaning of their actions understood only in times to come.

Parashat Miketz is always read during Chanukah, and these days symbolize that message most of all. In Jerusalem at that time, great commanders of Antiochus ruled: Nicanor, Lysias, and the Hellenized leaders of the city: Jason, Menelaus, Alcimus. An observer might be confident these names would be etched into history for their grand achievements. Yet those remembered in history were Mattityahu and his sons, anonymous men hiding in caves. The famous names are recalled only as tools in the hands of the Hasmoneans. Mattityahu and his sons succeeded in adding a holiday to the Jewish calendar, established until then only by prophets. This demonstrates the power of one person acting in Hashem's name, even against the entire world.