Parshat Miketz – Chanukah: Spread Light!

In Parashat Miketz, Yosef ascends from the depths of despair to the heights of power. Once a lowly prisoner, he is now viceroy of Egypt. His brothers, arriving in Mitzrayim during the famine to buy food, stand before him unaware that this imposing leader is none other than their own brother. Yosef recognizes them immediately, but they don’t recognize him.

Why not? How could they not see it was Yosef — their flesh and blood — raised in the same household, close in age?

I heard an incredible insight from my father, Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlita: The Tur, Rav Yaakov ben Asher, explains that while physically the brothers could have recognized Yosef, mentally and emotionally, they simply could not. They could not even fathom that the brother they sold into slavery had risen to such unimaginable greatness. They could not reconcile their past image of Yosef with the present reality of this powerful leader.

Yosef had once dreamed of greatness — dreams his brothers had mocked and dismissed. They couldn’t recognize him now because they had never believed in his dreams to begin with.

The message is profound: We must believe in the dreams of others. We must believe in their potential. If we don’t dream for others — if we don’t believe in their ability to grow, change, and succeed — then we will fail to truly recognize them.

Rav Aryeh Levin zt”l, the tzaddik of Yerushalayim, once spoke respectfully with a secular Jew not wearing a yarmulke. Someone later asked him, “Rebbi, why were you speaking to him with such honor? He’s not religious!” Rav Aryeh responded, “To tell you the truth, I’m quite short. I couldn’t see the top of his head, so I didn’t notice whether he wore a yarmulke or not. But I did see his heart. And what I saw was a beautiful Jewish soul full of potential.”

That is how we must look at others — with eyes of love and belief.

Now, in the days of Chanukah, this theme becomes even more powerful. The halachah is to light the menorah mechutz labayit — outward-facing. Not in the corner of a hidden room, but in a place where others can see it. Why?

Because the message of the menorah is not just to light our homes, but to spread light to others. We’re not just meant to dispel our own darkness, but to bring illumination to the world around us.

A small flame can ignite thousands more. So can a spark of encouragement, a word of hope, a smile of belief. When we shine our light outward, we awaken the light within others.

This Chanukah, let’s light up the world. Let’s believe in people’s potential — even when they seem far. Let’s dream of their greatness. Let’s recognize the Yosefs among us, even before they rise.

Let’s spread the light.

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Aryeh Fingerer is a passionate Jewish speaker who connects with readers around the world through his meaningful and relatable divrei Torah. He’s dedicated to spreading positivity and strengthening our bond with Yiddishkeit through stories, insights, and timeless Torah values.
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