The Realities of Hunger

Mikketz
Genesis 41:1-44:17

Précis: At the end (mikketz) of two years of Joseph’s imprisonment, Pharaoh dreams of cows and ears of corn. The butler who had shared Joseph’s cell now remembers him, and calls him from prison. Joseph predicts seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh is so impressed that he appoints Joseph as his chief vizier and Joseph goes about storing grain during the times of plenty. Joseph marries Asenath and they have two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. When the famine comes, Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to purchase food; Joseph has them brought in while he remains in cognito. Joseph accuses the brothers of spying, and sends them home after they leave one brother hostage and promise to return with their youngest brother, Benjamin. Upon their return, the brothers (including Benjamin) meet the still-unidentified Joseph. Joseph has their bags filled not only with grain but also with the money used to purchase the grain. He also hides a gold cup in Benjamin’s belongings. When they are “caught” by Joseph’s men, they learn that whoever stole the cup would become Joseph’s slave, while the others return to their homeland. On this cliffhanger, the parasha ends.


This parasha has a theme of hunger – sometimes explicit, at other times just beneath the surface. We see the concept of hunger in Pharaohs’ dreams, in Joseph’s release from a prison where hunger must have been experienced, to Joseph’s brothers’ trip to Egypt in search of food. There are other kinds of hunger in this week’s reading as well: Joseph hungers for reunion with his father, the brothers hunger both for the love of their father and for atonement. Jacob himself hungers for his lost wife, Rachel, and for his lost son, Joseph. We may also infer that Joseph hungers for teshuvah by his brothers.


Today, we experience many kinds of hunger. We can help those who are experiencing physical hunger by contributing to local food banks, donating to organizations like Mazon, or working ourselves to feed those in desperate need. But we also need to address the spiritual hunger – so often hidden out of a misplaced sense of pride or embarrassment – associated with the loss of gainful employment. Speaking from personal experience, the Jewish community is far from immune to the ongoing, world-wide recession. Congregations and federations are taking steps to help job seekers enhance their skills and learn about opportunities. This is an important mitzvah in which all of us can participate by supporting those with this particular kind of hunger through a kind word, or better yet, with a networking introduction.

In Israel, there is hunger for peace and hunger for security. Whether the current leadership of Israel (and the Arab world) can understand this hunger and take real steps to rectify an intolerable situation remains to be seen.


Finally, the American people have a hunger for leadership. While the recent elections were not (in my humble opinion) a mandate for another go-round of the policies which got us into trouble in the first place, it is clear that the voters are hungry for someone to explain how we can get through the difficulties we now face.


This year, we read Mikketz on the Shabbat during Hanukkah, the festival of rededication. We can be reminded that the hunger for freedom from economic insecurity and uncertainty burns within us. We need inspired leadership to satisfy this hunger and, like Joseph, lead us through the tough times we face.