MIKEITZ- Chanuka ideas

Happy Chanuka!!!                                                                    בס"ד

PARSHA IN REVIEW:

Here is something fun to do:

Print out the parsha review.  You can make one or a few copies.  Cut each line into strips.  Mix them up and give it to your kids and guests to see if they could figure out the correct order. You can leave some chumashim on the table to help them out.  We did this last week and the kids were into it!  

•  Pharoh dreams that seven fat cows are swallowed by seven lean cows.

• Pharoh has another dream, that seven healthy ears of grain are swallowed by seven skinny stalks of grain.

• Pharoh's butler remembers Yosef.

• Yosef is taken out of jail and appears before the king. 
• Yosef interprets the dreams.

• There will be seven years of plentiful food in the land, followed by seven years of famine.

• Yosef suggests to Pharoh to store the excess grains of the plentiful years, so there will be enough to eat during the famine. 
• Yosef becomes viceroy over Egypt.

• Yosef marries Osnat (Potifar's daughter) and they have two sons: Menashe and Ephraim. 
• The famine begins....

• Yaakov (Yosef's father) sent his ten sons down to Egypt to buy food.

• He keeps his youngest son, Binyamin, with him, since he is afraid for his safety.
• Yosef recognizes his brothers immediately, however they do not recognize him.

• The brothers entered the city from 10 different entrances and Yosef calls them spies.

• They are placed in jail for three days.

• The brothers are let free, but Shimon is kept in prison until the brothers return to Canaan and bring Binyamin, the youngest brother back.

• Yosef instructs his servants to place money and food into his brothers sacks, without their knowledge.

•  The brothers return to Canaan and retell the story of what happened.

• Yaakov refuses to let Binyamin go, but Yehuda promises to be responsible for his brother.

• Yaakov reluctantly lets them go and sends a gift to the Viceroy.

• Yosef invites all his brothers to a feast.

• Yosef is full of emotions when he sees all his brothers.

• Yosef asks about their father.

• Before the brothers leave Yosef orders Menashe to fill their sacks with grain.

• Yosef orders Menashe to place his wine goblet in Binyamin's sack.

• The Egyptian soldiers stop the brothers from leaving, accusing them from stealing the goblet.

• The brothers deny the accusations.

• The goblet is found in Binyamin's sack.

• Yosef allowes the brothers to leave, but forces Binyamin to stay.

• Yehuda begs to let him take Binyamin's place.....

• What will Yosef decide?????  Tune in next week, as the saga continues....................

 PARSHA PUZZLE:

It’s Dovid’s Bar Mitzvah, there is so much to do,

The party is on Chanukah night number two.

His family is coming in from the United States,

To hear him read the Torah on Parshat Mikeitz.

He will lain at the kotel, on Thursday this week,

His father and mother would like him to speak.

He was thinking of how he could combine Chanuka,

With his name and the stories in this week’s parsha.

There must be hidden messages he was hoping to find,

A nice dvar torah that is one of a kind.

Dovid, Yosef and Yehuda Hamacabi,

Are all famous people in our history.

All of these tzadikkim believed in Hashem,

And knew that their greatness did not come from them.

They stood up for what they believed in, though they were few,

That is a good lesson for every single Jew.

We know that non pure oil in the Bet Hamikdash was forbidden,

And the Nes of Chanuka was that something was hidden,

So Dovid wants you to figure out this clue,

What is Hidden in the parsha and on Chanuka too?

Happy B-day Dovid! :-)

PLAYING WITH THE PARSHA:

Since this week is both Chanuka and Mikeitz, here is a little fun activity you can do for both.  Prepare a small gavia filled with candy and hide it somewhere near someone.  You can put it in your father’s jacket pocket and put his jacket over his chair.  During the meal, claim that you lost something precious and you cannot find it.  Have everyone look for it.  Then it will be discovered and you could relate it to the parsha and Chanuka.  Enjoy the treats at the end!

 Here are some fun Chanuka and parsha games to play:

• Pictured is a board game of Candles and Svivonim, played like Chutes and Ladders.  Everyone has to answer a parsha or Chanuka question before they take a turn.  We played it with a dreidel and therefore each letter represented a number. Nun-1, Gimmel-2, Hey-3 Pey-4.  Yes we have a Pey on our dreidel!  :-). 
• Pin the Shamash on the Menorah 
• Play the dreidel game with chocolate chips instead of coins. In this game- Each person puts 2 chocolate chips in the pot.  Everyone takes a turn to spin.

• Nun- nothing, 
• Gimmel, you get the whole pot, 
• Hey- you get half the pot, 
• Pey- you put one in.

                    Have fun and be creative!!!!!

SHABBAT IMABBA:

Here is a great way for my father and I to learn a little bit of Parsha each week, even though we live far from each other. ( I like the play on words of Abba in the word Shabbat and Imabba meaning "with Abba" and Ima Abba written together!  Thanks Abba and Ima :-)!

Most years, Shabbat Chanuka and Parshat Miketz coincide. We can find hints in the parsha that connect Miketz to Chanuka.

 Pharoh dreams that seven fat cows are swallowed by seven skinny ones.  In the story of Chanuka the Jews are smaller in quantity and the Greek army is  stronger and larger.  Yet the Jews win.  In both cases, it is the weaker who win the stronger.

We can learn a nice lesson here.  It is not always the quantity that is important, it is the quality.  When we do good deeds, help a friend, teach our children, we should always strive to do the best we can.  Quality time is very precious.

Just like on Chanuka we light one candle and add another each night, so too, every day we should strive to do more.   

Another hint in the parsha for Chanuka, is written in the first pasuk:  "Vayehi Miketz shnatayim yamimim:
The acronym for shnatayim stand for: Smoll Ner Tadlik Yamin Mezuza.
Light the candle on the left side and on the right is the mezuza.  Be surrounded by mitzvot and by good things. 

Have a wonderful Chanuka filled with happiness and light and quality time!!

 PARSHA CAKE:

 This week's Parsha tells us the story of the seven fat cows and seven skinny cows.

The end of the parsha talks about Binyamin and the goblet that was found.

Here is what you will need:

• Any cake recipe that you like.

(please share with us your favorite and we will post it in future Parshiot!)

• bundt shaped pan
• plastic goblet
• frosting with blue food coloring added (you can just whip up a whip and add a few drops of blue food coloring..)
• 7 bars of Elite Chocolate with cow pictures on them. (your kids will love you for all that chocolate ;-)
• Candies, jelly beans, etc... to fill the goblet.

•  Bake the cake in a bundt shaped pan.  
• When cool, frost it with blue frosting (to resemble the river).
• Cut the bigger cows from the chocolate.  (this is not so easy... some might break....).
• Cut the smaller cows and place all around the cake
• Place the wine goblet in the middle and fill with candies.
• I had candies with swirl shapes and it sort of reminded me of dreams so I added it on.

So here you can have your cake and eat it too!

Answer to parsha puzzle: (The small sealed jar of oil was hidden and the Goblet was hidden in Binyamin’s sack)

           
               Have a wonderful Shabbat and Chanuka!  
                                            Ruchie

VAYEISHEV-Cute Parsha desserts

PARSHA IN REVIEW: 

pretzels and licorice!  Yum!

                      

• Yaakov loves Yosef more than all the other brothers and makes him a special embroidered coat.

• Yosef's brothers are jealous.

• Yosef dreams that 11 bundles of sheaves are bowing down to his bundle.                        
•  Yosef dreams that the sun, moon and eleven stars  are bowing down to him. 
• Yaakov sends Yosef to look for his brothers. 
• When the brothers see Yosef in the distance they say here comes the dreamer.                       

• The brothers plot to kill him.

• Reuven, the eldest, suggests to throw him into a pit.

•  Reuven plans on returning later to remove Yosef from the pit.

• Yehuda suggests to sell Yosef to the Yishmaelim.

• The brothers do not know how to tell their father.

• They slaughter a goat and dip Yosef's coat into the blood. 

• Yosef is sold to Potifar.

•  The story of Yehuda and Tamar.

•  Yosef becomes Potifar's personal assistant.

•  Potifar's wife tries to get Yosef to pay attention to her.

•  Since Yosef refuses, Potifar's wife puts him in jail.

• The butler's dream.

• The baker's dream.....    

What will happen next?  Stay tuned until next week to find out.........

PARSHA PUZZLE: 

Yosef was the favorite,
or so the brothers thought,

It bothered all the brothers 
and they all felt so distraught.

They were very jealous,
because Yosef got it all,

They plotted against him, 
they wanted him to fall.

They despised the special coat;
they just wanted to scream,

When Yosef thought he understood, 
and told them about his dream.

First eleven sheaves 
were bowing down to one,

The next was to one star, 
11 stars, the moon and sun.

One day Yaakov sent Yosef 
into the fields of Shechem,

The brothers were caring for the sheep;
he should look out for them.

When they saw him coming,
they all began to plot,

That they will get rid of him 
and let his body rot.

One brother decided 
 that without a doubt,

He’ll come back when they’re gone 
and let Yosef come out.

Who was this brother?  
Where was Yosef thrown?

What was inside of it,
look at Rashi it’s well known.

PLAYING WITH THE PARSHA: 

This week’s parsha talks about the jealously of the brothers towards Yosef. We learn in Pirkei Avot,” Veahavta lereyacha komocha,” love your brother as you love yourself.  Here is a game called do you love your neighbor….

All the players sit in a circle except for one person who will stand and asks someone, “Do you love your neighbor?” If he/she says YES, then everyone moves one seat in any direction and the person that’s IT tries to get a seat. If he/she does, then the person left standing is IT. However if he says NO then the IT asks, “Who do you love?” The person that was chosen then answers by describing something about  other people in the circle (ex. hair color, glasses, eye color, style of clothes etc…) and those people move to any seat they can get except for their own. 

SHABBAT IMABBA:

Here is a great way for my father and I to learn a little bit of Parsha each week, even though we live far from each other. ( I like the play on words of Abba in the word Shabbat and Imabba meaning "with Abba" and Ima Abba written together!  Thanks Abba and Ima :-)!

 Here are 2 divrei Torah:

When Yosef told his brothers his dream, that their bundles of wheat bowed down to him, they replied: "HaMaloch Timloch Aleinu, Im Mashol Timshol Banu"? This question seems to be redundant. Does Yosef dare think he will rule over them?

  The Gra explains that the word Melech, which  means King,  is one who is chosen and  accepted by the people. The word Moshel means a ruler by force. 

The brothers said "HaMaloch Timloch Aleinu?" will you ever be a melech, a king over us? They all agreed that of course he would not, since they would never accept him. "Im Mashol Timshol Banu" If you do rule over us, your power will be by  force and you will be a Moshel over us.

For this, the brothers hated him even more.

The parsha starts out by saying "Vayehshev Yaakov beeretz migurey Aviv". And Yaakov settled in the land of his father's sojourning, in the Land of Ca'naan.

Why does the Torah have to tell us this?  It states previously that Yaakov came.  Why is it repeated?  The medrash Lekach tov states that all these years that Yaakov was in chutz laaretz, he was wandering in Galut.  Once he came to Eretz Yisrael, he is considered settled.  Vayeshev. 

It is time to come home- don't you think????

 

PARSHA CAKE: 

How "pit"iful that Yosef was thrown into the pit but this is such an easy and fun parsha cake.
Bake your favorite cake in a bundt shaped pan.
Wait until it cools.
I made a marble cake to give it the effect of sand and dirt.
Either bake a cookie and shape it into a person or put a figure inside.
Add gummy snakes and there you have it!
This is so cute and you will be so hospitable!

The pit was empty but there were snakes and scorpions inside.

Answer to Parsha puzzle:   (Reuven came back to get Yosef who was no longer in the pit.  There was no water in the pit but there were snakes and scorpions.)

Enjoy and have a wonderful Shabbat!!!  

Stay tuned for Chanuka!!!!

I would love to hear feedback.  Hope you are enjoying these ideas at your Shabbat table!

All the best!

Ruchie

VAYISHLACH

PARSHA IN REVIEW:   

• Yaakov returns to Canaan and sends messengers ahead, to meet his brother Esav and make peace.

• The messengers returned and announced that Esav is approaching with 400 men!

• Yaakov was afraid and divided his camp into 2.  

• Yaakov announced that if one group was taken into battle, the other should flee.

• Yaakov prepared for battle in 3 ways:  Bearing gifts, praying, preparing for war.                     

• Yaakov wrestles with an angel until dawn.

• The angel dislocates Yaakov's sciatic nerve and causes Yaakov to limp.

• Yaakov received a blessing from the Malach and his name was changed to Yisrael.

• Esav and his army approach and Yaakov bows down to him seven times.

• Esav runs to Yaakov and hugs and kisses him.

• Esav offers to accompany Yaakov, but Yaakov declines.

• Esav and Yaakov depart.

• The Story of  Dina.

• Shimon and Levi destroy the city of Shechem and save Dina.

• Yaakov and his family continue towards Hevron.

• Yaakov's beloved wife Rachel, dies on the way to Hevron, giving birth to their second son, Binyamin.

• Yaakov buries her right there (in Bet Lechem).

• Yitzchak dies at the age of 180.

• Yaakov and Esav bury him in Mearat Hamchpela in Hevron.

 PARSHA PUZZLE:
                                      

In this week’s parsha we read about Yaakov and Eisav,

When they  first both met, it was not brotherly love.

Eisav the haughty, acted like a very big shot,

When Yaakov gave him a gift, he said “I have a lot.”

Yaakov was the opposite, he was happy without greed,

He said to Eisav modestly, “I have all that I need.”

Yaakov did not know what Eisav had in store,

So he davened, prepared a present, and then prepared for war.

Praying to God is the most important thing,

but it also is important to prepare for anything.

Yaakov brought his family when it was already night,

To the other side, and then he had a fight.

He had forgotten something, and that’s why he went back,

he did not even realize it, he was suddenly under attack.

Who fought with Yaakov and what did he forget?

And where did Yaakov cross, a place that’s really wet.

PLAYING WITH THE PARSHA:
 

In this week’s parsha In an attempt to pacify Esav, Yaakov prepared him a lavish  gift.

You will need a jar and a lot of newspapers to play pass the present. 

Prepare parsha questions before Shabbat.   

Some examples:

Who was approaching Yaakov at the beginning of the Parsha?

How many men were with him?

What 3 things did Yaakov prepare?

How many times did Yaakov bow down to Eisav….

Wrap the jar with newspapers one layer at a time.  Place a parsha question in any layer of the newspaper.  Keep wrapping until you finish the newspapers. The players pass the present around the circle. Each person should remove a layer of newspaper.  If they receive a question they must answer it and then  remove another layer.  The parcel should be passed around the circle in the same direction. The player who removes the last layer of wrapping paper keeps the “present”.  (The jar that Yaakov forgot on the other side of the Yabok river.

ShABBAt  IMABBA:

Here is a great way for my father and I to learn a little bit of Parsha each week, even though we live far from each other. ( I like the play on words of Abba in the word Shabbat and Imabba meaning "with Abba" and Ima Abba written together!  Thanks Abba and Ima :-)!

After crossing the Jordan and  entering Canaan, it states: וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם עִיר שְׁכֶם אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן בְּבֹאוֹ מִפַּדַּן אֲרָם וַיִּחַן אֶת פְּנֵי הָעִיר. “Yaakov arrived shalem (שָׁלֵם) in the city of Shechem which is in the land of Canaan- having come  from Padan-aram – and he encamped before the city.” 
Shalem stands for: 
Shin- Shem, his name
Lamed- Lashon, his language
Mem- malbush, his clothing.

Even though Yaakov lived in Lavan's house, he still kept the mitzvot and his Jewish pride.  
It also states: 
I lived with Lavan and I kept the 613 mitzvot."  Im Lavan Garti " if you change the letters around in garti- you get taryag (613) mitzvot that Yaakov kept. 

Chazal, in Midrash Rabbah, teach that Bnei Yisrael merited redemption from Mitzrayim because of three things; they didn’t change their names, their style of dress and the language they spoke. 

What is interesting to note, is that in the beginning of the parsha, Esav was approaching Yaakov with 400 men.  Origianlly, the Jews were supposed to be enslaved for 400 years in Egypt.  Since they did not change, the same way their ancestor Yaakov did not change, they merited an early redemption.

From here we can learn that we must always try to be

positive role models to our children.  Even though sometimes it might seem like they are not learning, deep down they are learning from example.

                   

LESSONS FROM THE PARSHA:

Yaakov divides his family/camp into multiple camps realizing that if one is attacked, the other will survive. It's not that he didn't love or care for both; it's that he had to face the reality of a hostile encounter with his brother.

When life sends you challenges and the options presented are not ideal, one still has to deal with each option. Prioritization means arranging your options so that you achieve what you feel will be the most positive outcome.

pri·or·i·ty

  

1.

the state or quality of being earlier in time, occurrence, etc.

2.

the right to precede others in order, rank, privilege, etc.; precedence.

3. the right to take precedence in obtaining certain supplies, services, facilities, especially during a shortage.

4.

something given special attention.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

In this week's parsha we find that Yaakov went to the other side of the Yabok river to fight with someone.  The pasuk states that Yaakov was left alone and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.  If he was left alone, how could someone have wrestled with him?

Maybe he was alone and he was wrestling with himself.  He might have seen his reflection in the river and been afraid of who he had become.  He might have been fighting with his physical and spiritual self.  He was becoming more of an Esav and enjoying his physical wealth, which then worried him and he now had to struggle to find the answers. 

Yaakov is really frightened, but at the same time he wants to overcome his fear.

When the Torah says he has a limp, maybe the memory  is a reminder for the future, of how hard this experience was for Yaakov. With a limp, he would never forget what he had learned. With the limp, he is weaker outside, but inside he is even stronger, since he was able to overcome his fear.

PARSHA CAKE:
In this week’s parsha, Yaakov and Eisav hugged and Yaakov fought with the Malach in the night.  Here is a cake that tells the story.  Yaakov’s leg could have a little break, since he was injured by the gid hanashe.

You will need:

Peanut butter Chocolate delight

Cookie dough or fondant shapes

Peanut Butter Chocolate delight:

1 stick of margarine

2 cups peanut butter

2 cups of pettit bar cookies

4 cups powdered sugar

Crush the cookies and melt margarine and peanut butter together.  Blend cookies and sugar together.  Press in a 9x13 inch pan.

Melt a package of chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of oil and pour on top of the mixture.  Put in the refrigerator until it hardens.

In the meantime prepare 4 people shapes from cookie dough  or fondant.  You can prepare a sword for Esav, stars and a moon to resemble the night.  Place the cookies in the oven (if you are using dough) (the people should be hugging each other) and bake according to the recipe.

You can have your cake and eat it too! Have a wonderful and fun Shabbat!    
Ruchie