Episode Details

 A Year
for a Word – Why? 

In our class
this week on Miketz, we looked at the concept of memory and forgetting (please
see that class online).  

The class
deals with the concept of memory.  

The butler
forgets to mention Yosef.  

Pharaoh
forgets the dreams meaning. 

Yosef is
released on Yom Ha-zikaron- Rosh Hashana - the day of memory.  

Yosef
connects to Pharaohs dream.  

But why
would a former slave interpreting a dream be placed in charge of the entire
country? 

His brothers
don’t recognize Joseph.  

He
recognizes them.  

He remembers
the dream.  

How does
memory zecher relate to zachar which relates to male ? And how do both relate
to Binah which relates to female ? 

And how does
any of this relate to the candles of Hanukkah. 

We ended the
class with a question: Why are Yosef and Yaakov both punished with the loss of
a year for a word? 

Let us first
see where these occur. 

This week,
the Torah begins: וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ שְׁנָתַ֣יִם יָמִ֑ים וּפַרְעֹ֣ה חֹלֵ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֖ה
עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַיְאֹֽר׃ After two years’ time, Pharaoh dreamed that he was
standing by the Nile. 

Two years
after what? 

If we return
to the last verse of last week’s parasha, we see it was two years since the Sar
HaMashkim – the butler was released. The pasuk states: וְלֹֽא־זָכַ֧ר שַֽׂר־הַמַּשְׁקִ֛ים
אֶת־יוֹסֵ֖ף וַיִּשְׁכָּחֵֽהוּ׃ {פ} Yet the chief cupbearer did not think of
Joseph; he forgot him. 

Rashi
comments: Joseph’s request to the cupbearer, “But remember me when it is well
with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh…” is
seen as a lapse in his faith. The Midrash interprets that because Joseph asked
twice—“remember me” and “make mention of me”—he was punished with two
additional years in prison, one for each plea. 

Chizkuni