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Mikeitz: Zemer of The Week

מָעוֹז צוּר — Maoz Tzur

Fun Micha Gamerman animated medley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0gbvH_LqP4

O mighty stronghold of my salvation,
to praise You is a delight.
Restore my house of prayer,
and there we will bring thanksgiving.

Maoz Tzur is a staple Chanukah song about salvation from oppression, praise for deliverance, and light in dark times. The story of Yosef – from pit to palace, famine to feast – mirrors that arc of redemption and hope.

As families light menorahs together, this song reminds children that faith and perseverance unlock light even in hard moments – like Yosef’s journey.

If you want a more-traditional Zemer…

The zemer for this week: שמרו שבתותי – Shimru Shabtotai

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGZrUH88pnc

The author of this zemer was named Shlomo (the acrostic formed by the four stanzas) and may have been Shlomo ben Yehuda ibn Gabirol, a prolific 11th-century poet and philosopher. The zemer focuses on our obligation to honor Shabbos with culinary delights, and describes how the final Redemption will be hastened by Shabbos observance.

Central elements of this parsha include Yosef’s ascension to become the number two leader of Egypt after interpreting Paro’s dreams, and his subsequent job as the seller of food to the people of Egypt (and beyond).

Some of the connections to the parsha:

  • First letters of the first 4 stanzas: They spell the word שלמה (Shlomo) – The regular (non-Chanukah) haftarah for this Shabbos opens with a pivotal dream of the newly-crowned King Shlomo, then describes his subsequent show of brilliance, mirroring both the pivotal dreams in Mikeitz and Paro’s public acknowledgement of Yosef’s G-d-given brilliance (Bereishit 41:39).
  • Last line of 2nd stanza: “בגדי שש” (“garments of linen”) – To signal Yosef’s ascension, Paro dressed Yosef in בגדי שש (Bereishit 41:42)
  • 2nd line of 3rd stanza: “לשלם אכול” (“to pay the cost of what you ate”) – When the famine hit, everyone had to come to Yosef to buy food to eat (Bereishit 41:57).

            o 2nd line of 3rd stanza: “אכול והותר” (“what you ate and the extra”) – At the feast with his brothers (before they learned Yosef’s identity), Yosef gave an extra-large portion of food to Binyamin (Bereishit 43:34).

  • 2nd line of 4th stanza: “לינו ואחר תעברו” (“spend the night and then you shall cross”) – After the feast, the brothers stayed over and then left the next morning (Bereishit 44:3).

           o 3rd line of 4th stanza: “ותמלאו צפוני” (“and be filled with My hidden bounty”) – To help test the brothers as they were leaving Mitzrayim, Yosef twice ordered their packs to be filled with a hidden bounty of their returned money (Bereishit 42:25) and then with their returned money combined with Yosef’s goblet (Bereishit 44:2).