Miqets (מִקֵּץ = At the end of) and Hanukkah (חֲנוּכָּה = Dedication)
Genesis 41:1 – 44:17, Zechariah 2:14-4:7, Numbers 7:1-8:4, and Psalms 113 to 118
Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams, predicting seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine, earning Pharaoh’s favor. He becomes viceroy, saves Egypt from famine, and reunites with his brothers without revealing his identity. In the haftarah, connected to Hanukkah, the prophet Zechariah describes the vision of a menorah during the inauguration of the Temple.
Zechariah 4:2
וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, מָה אַתָּה רֹאֶה; וָאֹמַר רָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה מְנוֹרַת זָהָב כֻּלָּהּ
He said to me: “What do you see?” I replied: “I see a completely gold lampstand.
The world’s largest Hanukkiah, made of golden steel, stands approximately 11 meters(1) tall. Created in 1987 by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam(2), it has become an iconic Hanukkah symbol in Manhattan. This year, its public lighting will take place on December 25th on Fifth Avenue, near Central Park, accompanied by songs and festivities.
(1) According to Jewish law, Hanukkah lights should not be placed higher than 20 cubits (amot) above the ground, which is approximately 11 meters. This restriction ensures that the lights are clearly visible to proclaim the miracle of Hanukkah.
(2) Yaacov Agam (born 1928) is an internationally renowned Israeli artist, a pioneer in kinetic and optical art.