Although in light of the fact that there was a custom in the land of Israel to have a triennial cycle for reading the Tora (see Megilla 29b), i.e., the Tora’s Parahiot would be completed only once in three years, which would preclude drawing conclusions about the association of certain Tora readings and Jewish holidays that would coincide with that time of year, by the middle ages, it was universally accepted to finish Devarim and start again with Beraishit each year on Simchat Tora. Granted, that even with an annual Tora reading cycle, the confluence of Parashiot and holidays may be random and coincidental, nevertheless homiletical interpreters seek out connections, and it seems to me that the benefit that accrues is a deeper understanding of both the holiday as well as a Tora theme that has been identified as informing that particular Chag or Fast day.
Chanuka and Parashiot VaYeishev, MiKetz and VaYigash
13 Sunday Dec 2015
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