Weekly Torah Gatherings – Sun 12/11

Joseph — (is) life but a dream . . .
Joseph and Chanukah: the search for light in a world of darkness

The story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a tale that follows the journey of a dreamer. Joseph is the son of Jacob and one of twelve brothers. He is given a coat of many colors by his father, which is symbolic of his favor and an object of his brothers’ jealousy.

Too much light: perhaps then, darkness . . . .

ג  וְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אָהַב אֶת-יוֹסֵף מִכָּל-בָּנָיו–כִּי-בֶן-זְקֻנִים הוּא, לוֹ; וְעָשָׂה לוֹ, כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים.	Genesis 37: 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colours.
ד  וַיִּרְאוּ אֶחָיו, כִּי-אֹתוֹ אָהַב אֲבִיהֶם מִכָּל-אֶחָיו–וַיִּשְׂנְאוּ, אֹתוֹ; וְלֹא יָכְלוּ, דַּבְּרוֹ לְשָׁלֹם.	4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
ה  וַיַּחֲלֹם יוֹסֵף חֲלוֹם, וַיַּגֵּד לְאֶחָיו; וַיּוֹסִפוּ עוֹד, שְׂנֹא אֹתוֹ.	5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet the more.

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‘Lineup in the lineage’ . . . Judean birth order (also) apparently had a meaning — in many places . . .

DNA and the shattering of old paradigms . . . ?

Darkness, Dedication (Chanukah) and light — a rebellion of a priesthood against a priesthood — wait — what! . . . no miracle?

Here below is a vieo of a pretty close rendition of the true story surrounding Chanukah — it is certainly worth the view . . . That being said — who is the intended audience?

https://unpacked.education/video/hanukkah-hellenization-and-hasmoneans/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=insideued-22-1w&utm_campaign=ued-reengagement
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And just when we thought we knew everything (about our ancestry)

Where did you say you were from?

Ashkenazi Jews Have Become More Genetically Similar Over Time

A depiction of a synagogue in Erfurt, Germany, in the 14th century. “In the middle of the German-speaking lands, this was the place to be at the time,” said the curator of Erfurt’s Old Synagogue Museum.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/30/science/ashkenazi-jews-genetic-history.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Here, below, (from NYT) 2002 — is a slightly different perspective — yet, not a contradictory perspective . . .

https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/14/science/in-dna-new-clues-to-jewish-roots.html?searchResultPosition=5