Chanukah and Parshat וישב

Shavua Tov. פרשת וישב always falls on שבת חנוכה. There are two possible connections between Chanukah and the Parsha.

The first is related to Yosef being thrown into the pit by his brothers.

The Torah tells us, והבור ריק אין בו מים, that the pit was empty and had no water. It was filled with snakes and scorpions that certainly could have harmed Yosef. But in the merit of ארץ ישראל, the land of miracles, Yosef was miraculously saved.

This is the reason we say Hallel on Chanukah and not on Purim. The Chanukah miracle took place in Israel, and the miracle of Purim in Shushan.

A second minor connection to the Parsha is where Yosef ran away from Potiphar’s wife. The Pasuk says, וינס החוצה, that he moved himself outside. Within the Hallel prayer, we say, הים ראה וינס, that the sea saw and moved. Hence, two connections between the Parsha and Chanukah.