וַיֹּ֥אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֖ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֑ף רְאֵה֙ נָתַ֣תִּי אֹֽתְךָ֔ עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ וַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ׃ וַיַּרְכֵּ֣ב אֹת֗וֹ בְּמִרְכֶּ֤בֶת הַמִּשְׁנֶה֙ אֲשֶׁר־ל֔וֹ וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ לְפָנָ֖יו אַבְרֵ֑ךְ וְנָת֣וֹן אֹת֔וֹ עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ וַיֹּ֧אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֛ה אֶל־יוֹסֵ֖ף אֲנִ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וּבִלְעָדֶ֗יךָ לֹֽא־יָרִ֨ים אִ֧ישׁ אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְאֶת־רַגְל֖וֹ בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
Pharaoh further said to Joseph, “See, I put you in charge of all the land of Egypt.” And removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck. He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command, and they cried before him, “Abrek!” Thus he placed him over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh; yet without you, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אָהַ֤ב אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ מִכָּל־בָּנָ֔יו כִּֽי־בֶן־זְקֻנִ֥ים ה֖וּא ל֑וֹ וְעָ֥שָׂה ל֖וֹ כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃
Now Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him an ornamented tunic.
וַֽיְהִ֕י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥א יוֹסֵ֖ף אֶל־אֶחָ֑יו וַיַּפְשִׁ֤יטוּ אֶת־יוֹסֵף֙ אֶת־כֻּתָּנְתּ֔וֹ אֶת־כְּתֹ֥נֶת הַפַּסִּ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלָֽיו׃
When Joseph came up to his brothers, they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the ornamented tunic that he was wearing,
וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂ֧הוּ בְּבִגְד֛וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר שִׁכְבָ֣ה עִמִּ֑י וַיַּעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה׃
she caught hold of him by his garment and said, “Lie with me!” But he left his garment in her hand and got away and fled outside.
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח פַּרְעֹה֙ וַיִּקְרָ֣א אֶת־יוֹסֵ֔ף וַיְרִיצֻ֖הוּ מִן־הַבּ֑וֹר וַיְגַלַּח֙ וַיְחַלֵּ֣ף שִׂמְלֹתָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹֽה׃
Thereupon Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was rushed from the dungeon. He had his hair cut and changed his clothes, and he appeared before Pharaoh.
וַיָּ֨סַר פַּרְעֹ֤ה אֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹ֙ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֔וֹ וַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֖הּ עַל־יַ֣ד יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתוֹ֙ בִּגְדֵי־שֵׁ֔שׁ וַיָּ֛שֶׂם רְבִ֥ד הַזָּהָ֖ב עַל־צַוָּארֽוֹ׃
And removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; and he had him dressed in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck.
Why do we read this portion during Hanukkah?
"Parashat Mikeitz is almost always read during Chanukah and has come to be associated with theme of the victory of the weak over the powerful.... In fact, Mikeitz turns the notion of who is powerful and who is weak on its head.... Yosef, young and enslaved, possesses keen insight, self-control, and vision. In the long run, these are more powerful attrivutes than the throne of Egypt, and Pharaoh cannot survive without Yosef. We often mistake brute strength and propensity to coerce and control for genuine strength and meaningful power....Ben Zoma taught in Pirkei Avot 4:1, 'Who is mighty? Those who conquer their evil impulse, as it is written [in Proverbs 16:32]: 'One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one who rules over his spirit, than one who conquers a city.' ' An apt description of Yosef."
-- Scheinerman, Rabbi Amy. "Mikeitz 2009" Voices of Torah: A Treasury of Rabbinic Gleanings on the Weekly Portions, Holidays and Special Shabbatot. CCAR Press, New York, 2012. p.121.
What does Joseph's clothing have to do with the story of Hanukkah? Or even understanding Joseph?
In terms of Joseph's clothing, we see how he transforms over time. From last week's portion we saw Joseph receive his tunic from his father and the meaning behind it to it being destroyed by his brothers and dipped in blood and then to his garments coming off of him when he is trying to flee Potiphar's wife. This week's portion we see Joseph again robed in something special -- given to him by someone of a high role and who wants to recognize his uniqueness.
We see Joseph's life go through trial and tribulations, successes and sadness. To me, I see this as a cycle of growth and self-knowledge that Joseph goes through which is exemplified by a changing of garments.
He begins by being given a garment that shows how much his father loves him and wants him to be connected with their ancestors -- something his brothers did not receive. Then that coat is ripped away from him and his comfort removed in a brutal way full of lies and jealousy.
Then, in Egypt, Joseph is entrapped by Potiphar's wife and in his escape, his clothes are ripped from him again. Clothing that symbolized his safety and security in a new location. This scene sends him to jail without having a trial or his story being heard.
Joseph is summoned from jail to interpret Pharaoh's dreams and changes clothes to be presentable to the Pharaoh. He is starting to gain strength and courage again -- to show his worth to those around him.
Once Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams, Joseph is given fancy clothes which are a symbol of his new position. Even more than that, he shows how he was able to prove himself and gain confidence in himself again.
For me, I truly feel that the clothes symbolize the man within -- a man who has grown to learn about himself and others, one who has been through it all, and one who has learned from his past to make something of himself.
The connection then with Hanukkah is that when we think we have no chance, we have to remain who we are and that will bring about an incredible change. The impetus for Hanukkah is a story of survival and Jews thriving following destruction and degradation. Joseph survives and thrives too and we see this reflected in his clothing.