A Unique Shabbos Chanukah This Year

 This year  שבת חנוכה will not be parshas מקץ but only on Parshas וישב It happens 10 times in 100 years. The last time shabbos chanuka was only vayeshev was 20 years ago in the year 5761. This year is the rare occurrence of Chanuka starting on a Friday - which means that שבת פרשת מקץ is not Chanukah anymore - which causes the reading of the weekly Parsha Haftorah, which is almost never read, since the Haftorah of שבת חנוכה almost always supersedes it. But this year is an exception. If you ever wondered why a Hoftorah for Miketz is printed in our Chumashim since it's never said anyway - the answer is it's printed there for this year. Remember the wisdom of שלמה המלך ordering to cut the baby in half in order to determine who the real mother is? That's the story of הפטורת מקץ which we haven't gotten to read for 20 years. (source).. Miketz is not on Chanukah 10 times. In 5703, 5706, 5710, 5730, 5733, 5737, 5757, 5761, 5781, and 5784, Miketz fell out on the 4th of Teves, just after Chanukah ends.

The usual Haftorah of Parshas Vayeshev the נביא עמוס  rebukes Israel for a lengthy list of sins and warns that harsh punishment is on its way. Amos outlines the ways that the wealthy in Israel oppress the poor The Jews had been guilty of the three cardinal sins: idolatry, forbidden relationships and murder. But 

the primary sin of which they were guilty was that of corruption and injustice: “They have sold for silver those whose cause was just, and the needy for a pair of sandals…you who trample the heads of the poor into the dust of the ground” (2:6-7).

The Radak, explains the three offenses mentioned here to be the three cardinal sins – idolatry, incest and murder. Hashem explains that the most cardinal sins do not receive an immediate response from Above. For these Hashem is somewhat patient and allows the offender the opportunity to repent and correct his outrageous behavior. But the injustice shown to the poor evokes Hashem’s immediate response. Rabbeinu Bachya  explains the basis for this and reminds us that the poor place their total trust in Hashem. Their financial resources do not command any respect or assistance from others which forces them to place their total trust in Hashem. Therefore, Hashem pledges to come immediately to their defense and responds harshly to any injustice done to them.