Hanukkah Message

God’s ‘light’ illuminates Israel’s sovereignty

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In our prayers on Hanukkah we say “Your children came to the Holy of Holies in the Temple … purified it and kindled lights in the courtyards …” The miraculous had occurred, the Temple rededicated and a holiday was established.
However, the question I find intriguing is: What happened next? Were there any consequences?
We have some historical accounts that are informative. The Book of the Hasmoneans states (1:5): “When the nations nearby heard that the Temple had been re-dedicated as before, they were incensed and conspired to annihilate the descendants of Jacob in their midst and they began putting Jews to death … the nations in Gilad gathered against Israel on its border, to wipe them out , and they fled to the fortress of Datima. There a thousand Jews were put to death … They gathered from Acre, from Tyre, from Sidon and from the Galilee to attack the Jews … .”
In effect the war of Hanukkah continued. Four of Mattathias’ sons were killed in battle as they struggled to establish Jewish sovereignty in the land of Israel. In addition there were internal struggles and growing bitter conflicts between Jew and Jew. The religious and political disagreements were intertwined and would continue over the subsequent 200 years till tragically Jerusalem was conquered by the Romans and the Holy Temple was in ruins.
Clearly the Hanukkah miracle was of temporary value. So the question must be asked: Why the great celebration?

The late Rav Yehuda Amital z’l. quoted a key passage in Maimonides to answer this critical question. “During the second Temple period, the Greeks ruled and issued decrees against the Jews, denying their faith, banning the Torah and its commandments. They stole their money, took their daughters, defiled the Temple and caused much anguish and oppression. God delivered them and saved them. The Hasmoneans, the Priest, prevailed, saved Israel and appointed a King from among them. Jewish sovereignty was restored for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Temple!”
Maimonides regarded the lasting achievement of Hanukkah to be that Jewish rule in the land of Israel was restored! Even though this Jewish state was limited in its duration, and the leadership was far from religiously qualified, it was cause for commemoration. In fact this became the first Jewish holiday to celebrate an event that took place in the land of Israel.
This understanding of the nature of Hanukkah has remarkable contemporary relevance. The mere fact of Jews regaining their sovereignty in the land of our ancestors should be viewed as a major and even religiously significant accomplishment. It suggests that even if great challenges are present in this “sovereign” state, it nevertheless is worthy of support, commitment and celebration.
Some would argue that Israel today is merely a national refuge of the Jewish people without any spiritual value. Others would say it is only a holy land with no national or political authority. I would argue with both points of view and present the post-Hanukkah period as a model. Israel today, as then, is sacred and sovereign. The Jews today, after 2,000 years, control their own national destiny and have the power to defend themselves against enemies.
Israel today, as then, faces a hostile world and yet continues to be source of great spiritual and moral strength to Jews and non-Jews around the world.
The miracle of Hanukkah can teach us how the miracle of Israel in our time is an event of deep historical and religious significance.
May the miracles then and now inspire us all to recognize God’s “light” as it illuminates our world.