This Shabbat coincided with Chanukah, Rosh Chodesh, and weekly portion Mikeitz. There exists no coincidence but what then was the connection and what was the message? I could come up with the following.
Shabbat we celebrate to express our belief that G^d created the world. Therefore we enjoy the world as it is, the food that we already cooked, the company that we got, etc., and don’t worry about what could have or should have. It’s being in the present. Improving the world is later.
- And Creation starts with the word Rosh — beginning.
Not only on the Shabbat we live in the present. Also all the Festivals impress upon us that now it is Spring, Redemption comes closer (Passover), now is the beginning of a new year (Rosh Hashanah), now we use our trust in G^d (Emunah — Sukkot), etc.
- Rosh Chodesh also has the word Rosh — it’s the start of the month.
- Mi-keitz, keitz means end.
- And Chanukah is one of the Redemptions we need to go through. Which also indicates ending.
In other words, this day was about beginnings and endings.
Then maybe the message is: we live in the present all the time but sometimes, pay a little attention to that our time is often finite. It has a beginning and an end. So let’s spend our time well.
Sure, at the end of the day (before retiring), month (Yom Kippur Kattan) and year (Elul+) we spend some time to take stock. But on which Festival do we do that too? Maybe on Shabbat Mikeitz Chanukah Rosh Chodesh.