Parashat Miketz and Zot Chanukah: The Power of Light

A Gutten Erev Tov, and a lichtigen Zot Chanukah.

As we light the final candle of Chanukah tonight, I’d like to share a few short, heartfelt thoughts as inspiration going into Shabbat and Parashat Miketz. May these words be a zechut for the neshama of Friedel bat Shraga, Mrs. Fishler, whose yahrzeit falls this Shabbos.

I was told that she was a woman who gave her heart to everyone—always ready to help, to give, to uplift. She even took it upon herself to send out over 200 weekly Shabbos messages to cheer up those who were lonely. That’s the kind of light we try to emulate during Chanukah. May her memory be a blessing and her legacy of kindness continue through us.

Why Is the Final Day Called Zot Chanukah?

The eighth day of Chanukah is known as Zot Chanukah, and many wonder—why this name?

The answer lies in the Torah reading: on this day, we read the final verses of Parashat Naso and the beginning of Parashat Beha’alotcha, which includes the phrase:

“Zot Chanukat HaMizbeach” — This was the dedication of the altar.

The Baal Shem Tov and the previous Bobover Rebbe both taught that this day carries the full intensity of Chanukah’s light. It’s not just the conclusion; it’s the culmination.

In Hallel, we sing:

"Me’eis Hashem hayetah zot; hi niflat beinenu."“From Hashem this came; it is wondrous in our eyes.”

Zot is the day of niflaot—wonders. But we have to ask for them.

Hashem is willing to send us miracles, but He desires our tefillah. Zot Chanukah is a time to open our hearts and ask—for yeshuot, for clarity, for inner peace, for light.

The Eight Divine Qualities in the Morning Tefillah

Each day of Chanukah corresponds to one of eight attributes of Hashem that we mention in the blessing Yotzer Or before Kriyat Shema.

Let’s look at the eighth, connected to Zot Chanukah:

Adon HaNiflaot — Master of Wonders.

This is the moment to daven for miracles. And not just “big” miracles. Every one of us needs small wonders—quiet salvations, the strength to get through a hard moment, the comfort of clarity. Zot Chanukah is a gateway to those.

Yosef HaTzaddik’s Greatness: The Power of Saying "Biladai"

In Parashat Miketz, Yosef is suddenly brought before Pharaoh. He could have tried to impress, to flatter, to gain favor.

But what does he say?

“Biladai, Elokim ya’aneh et shalom Pharaoh.”“It is not through me; Hashem will answer Pharaoh’s peace.”

Yosef’s greatness was in his humility and emunah. He gave credit entirely to Hashem.

The Midrash asks: what gave Yosef the merit to become ruler over Egypt?

It answers: because he guarded his eyes.In the most depraved environment, Yosef refused to look. He practiced shmirat einayim—and in return, Hashem gave him the power to rule.

“Ha’oseir einav… yishlot.”“He who controls his eyes will merit dominion.”

This is a powerful message for us. In a world flooded with images and distractions, what we choose to look at defines who we become. Even as children, images can stay with us for life. It takes strength to avoid the unnecessary—and tremendous reward.

The Greeks: Darkening the Jewish Vision

The Midrash says the Greeks sought to darken the eyes of Am Yisrael.

They understood psychological manipulation. Just as marketers repeat an image until we believe it, so too, the Greeks bombarded our people with impurity and foreign ideals.

They outlawed Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh, and Brit Milah:

• Shabbat: We light candles and bring in light.

• Rosh Chodesh: We look up at the moon, sensing renewal.

• Brit Milah: It’s a physical sign of our covenant—visible, proud, Jewish.

Each of these mitzvot involves vision—how we see time, space, identity. The Greeks knew: control what a person sees, and you control how they think.

That’s why we say in Tefillah every day:

“V’techezenah eineinu b’shuvcha l’Tzion b’rachamim”“Let our eyes behold Your return to Zion with mercy.”

Let our vision be purified again.

The Brothers' Teshuvah: Owning the Past to Heal the Future

One of the most moving moments in Parashat Miketz is when the brothers, imprisoned in Egypt, begin to speak among themselves:

“Aval asheimim anachnu…”“But we are guilty…”

They recall Yosef’s cries, their silence, and their sin—22 years later, as if it were yesterday.

This is the essence of teshuvah.True teshuvah isn’t about forgetting the past—it’s about facing it honestly, taking responsibility, and making amends. The brothers could have buried it, but they brought it to the surface. That’s what moved the story forward. That’s what moved Yosef.

A Final Story: The Integrity of Return

I’ll end with a story I heard this week:

A man traveled up north to close a business deal. He had $10,000 with him, sitting in the hotel lobby ready to finalize it. Suddenly, the building was evacuated due to a suspicious package.

In the chaos, he left the envelope with the money on the table.

Hours later, after the all-clear, he returned—heart pounding. Would the money still be there?

To his amazement, the envelope was untouched. He later found out that a fellow Jew had seen it, picked it up, and returned it directly to him.

The man said: “I remembered the story in the Gemara of Alexander the Great visiting Eretz Yisrael, where he saw a society of honesty and truth. This was the same.”

We often think miracles are only supernatural. But the real miracles are sometimes the simple moments of integrity in an otherwise chaotic world.

In Closing: Zot, and Beyond

Zot Chanukah is not an ending—it’s a beginning.

It’s the day we take everything we’ve internalized—the light, the purity, the clarity, the courage—and carry it forward into the rest of the year.

Let us guard our vision. Let us choose what to look at with holiness. Let us reflect, return, and reach higher. And may Hashem, Adon HaNiflaot, bless us with miracles—big and small.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Chanukah Sameach.