Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Shlomo Zargari
Shalom, Paroh is in a state of confusion. He has a strange dream and can’t understand the meaning of it. Paroh’s advisers and sorcerers aren’t helpful. There’s this Hebrew kid sitting in the dungeon, maybe he can help. They bring him in and he listens to the dream and interprets it. Wow, great thanks, you can go home now… But wait, he has advice… Paroh should appoint someone to oversee the operation of preserving food for the years of famine.
The obvious question is, who asked for his advice? Paroh just wanted to understand the dream and didn’t ask for advice!
Says HaRav HIâ€DA, this was also part of the dream. If all that needed to be told was that there will be a famine after the years of abundance, why show the skinny cows standing next to the fleshy ones? This was to show Paroh that at the time of abundance he must prepare for the famine, and to understand that it’s imminent. So it wasn’t advice, it was the interpretation! This is how you’ll survive.
The lessons of Torah are forever; one must always think ahead and be ready. He should have sustenance for the way, and a cover for rainy days. We are in the midst of Hanuka. What facilitated the jar of olive oil? That jar was put away for when it would be of use in the future!!
In truth, life is about this. The Torah is providing for our future. The holidays give us the spiritual fuel we need until the next one. Each Shabbat will carry us to the next one. Each prayer will charge us with energy until the next. All we learn in our younger years will provide the wisdom of our later years.
With this outlook we can make better use of Shabbat, tefilot, hagim and all the opportunities we are given. We can experience them with joy and happiness, knowing that the next will add to the present!!
Shabbat Shalom and Hanuka Sameyah….. until the next charge!