Another Black Sabbath: The Light of Chanukah in the Darkness of War

We have arrived at Chanuka, believe it or not. The last two months have been other-worldly. It is hard to believe that the Yamim Noraim was two months ago – it feels like years to me almost another lifetime – prior to Simchas Torah. But arrived we have, and it is vital to take strength and lessons from Chanukah to help us gain from this incredible time we are going through. 

We are used to viewing Chanukah in rather simple terms. "The Greeks persecuted us, we fought against them and won, went to reinaugurate the Temple, only to find that there was only one flask of pure oil left. We lit it, and it lasted for eight days. Now let us party, eat latkes, and spin dreidels." In more yeshivish circles, the focus is on Chanuka’s character as the Yom Tov of the Torah SheBa'al Peh (the Oral Torah), which was threatened and then renewed and is therefore a time to rededicate ourselves to learning Torah. However, that alone does not explain why the Rambam refers to the mitzvah of Chanuka so superlatively:

מִצְוַת נֵר חֲנֻכָּה מִצְוָה חֲבִיבָה הִיא עַד מְאֹד וְצָרִיךְ אָדָם לְהִזָּהֵר בָּהּ כְּדֵי לְהוֹדִיעַ הַנֵּס וּלְהוֹסִיף בְּשֶׁבַח הָאֵל וְהוֹדָיָה לוֹ עַל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה לָנוּ. אֲפִלּוּ אֵין לוֹ מַה יֹּאכַל אֶלָּא מִן הַצְּדָקָה שׁוֹאֵל אוֹ מוֹכֵר כְּסוּתוֹ וְלוֹקֵחַ שֶׁמֶן וְנֵרוֹת וּמַדְלִיק

The mitzvah of kindling Chanukah lamps is extremely beloved. A person should be very careful in its observance to publicize the miracle and thus increase our praise of God and our expression of thanks for the miracles which He wrought on our behalf. Even if a person has no resources for food except [what he receives] from charity, he should pawn or sell his garments and purchase oil and lamps to kindle them [in fulfillment of the mitzvah].

(Hilchos Megilla vChanuka 4:12)

There is much more to the story, but in the space of this short essay, I cannot possibly draw a complete picture. However, there are some highlights from Sefer Makabim that are important for us to know. particularly this year. 

In our day, despite the current unity, the underlying tensions are still very much there. If we don't learn from what has transpired, we will easily fall back again into the same terrible division.

After the death of Alexander in 3429 (323 BCE), his successors split his vast empire. In Eretz Yisrael, the Seleucid Syrian Greeks (Hereafter Greeks) reigned and deeply affected life in Eretz Yisrael as they sought to impose their Hellenist culture over a century and a half. That culture was intensely attractive with its arts, sports, science, philosophy, and worship of beauty. On the surface, Hellenists were fine and noble people devoted to the perfection of sensual beauty, human dignity, intellectual pursuits, and reason. However, as Rav SR Hirsch writes, "Hellenistic culture contains only a small fraction of the truth which will eventually affect the salvation of mankind. As long as Hellenism is not coupled with the spirit of Shem – as long as it prides itself on being the sole road to happiness – it falls prey to error, degeneration and decay… It limits itself to a superficial polishing and smoothing of the raw surface of one's personality and lifestyle… underneath the desire for pleasure and material gratification remains hidden. Hellenistic culture is a protector of rights and freedom. However, these concepts are arrogantly applied only to those educated in their values. Thus, their sensitivity and concern regarding themselves are paired with an enormous callousness and utmost cruelty towards those they consider the inferior, uneducated masses (Collected Writings II Kislev 2). 

Unfortunately, many Jews were only too happy to Hellenize and embrace the wonders of the new modern world. The Greeks appointed Hellenist High Priests, first Jason and then Menelaus, who paid handsomely for the position and assisted the Greeks in turning Yerushalayim away from the Almighty to Greek worship and culture. The Hellenists grew in power and influence, while the majority of the nation at first felt that the best response was to seek to contain the threatening enemy by compromise and nonviolent means but felt increasingly unable to withstand the insult to Hashem, His Torah, and His people. In 3591 (169 BCE), the accursed Antiochus Epiphanes attacked Yerushalayim and sacked the Bais HaMikdash, taking the Menorah and Shulchan and anything made out of gold, and emptied the treasury and storehouse (1,1:22). They then went on a killing spree, murdering over 40,000 souls and taking 10,000 captives. (2,12:14). They then built a fortress and gymnasium next to the Bais HaMikdash and brought an offering to Zeus on the 25th of Kislev on the altar they constructed therein. 

Mattisyahu, the great kohen (He was not a Kohen Gadol, a position the Greeks had sullied), after several terrible incidents of Jews being murdered, particularly for keeping the mitzvos, and, inspired by righteous women, gathered his five great sons. With the slogan Mi L'Hashem Alai", began a revolt in 3593 (166 BCE) that initially had little success. But one terrible Shabbos then occurred, in which over one thousand Jews who felt safe and in no need to defend themselves were killed. At that point, Mattisyahu declared, "If we continue on this path and do not fight for our lives and our Torah, we will soon be wiped from the face of the Earth. They then determined, 'Anyone who comes to fight us on Shabbos will be met in battle; we will no longer be killed as we hide in our safe rooms" (Makabim 1 2:40). 

Mattisyahu lived another year and appointed Yehuda as his successor. Yehuda and his brothers led a successful guerilla war against the Greeks, and after many battles and two years, they rededicated the Bais HaMikdash in 3595 (164 BCE). The Greeks were torn by battles within and war from other enemies and recognized Yehuda as the local Jewish governor, and the next Antiochus proclaimed that from then on, the Jews were to be left to worship according to their own dictates. (Makabim 2, 11:22). 

But after a short respite, the wars resumed. Yehuda and his successor brothers would end up being killed in battle. The Hasmonean kingdom was not fully established until Yehuda's nephew Yochanan/Yannai ascension in 3626 (134 BCE). (The end of the Hasmoneans was bitter and tragic, but that is a topic for another day). 

When reading this story in light of recent events, certain things jumped out at me. The great split among the people preceding the war, the severe arguments between many Jews who have adopted Hellenist values, those standing for Jewish tradition, and those somewhere in the middle; the willingness to get along with the Greeks for a long time until it simply became unbearable; the small band of courageous Jews, burning with a love of Torah, not being prepared to stand it for another minute; and the terrible black Shabbat that sparked the revolt; over one thousand Jews who felt safe (and in no need to defend themselves) were killed in their “safe places” – all these jarringly stood out.

 I am sure that there are lessons to be learned from the parallels to what we are going through, especially after seeing the flask of oil mezuzah that one of our precious soldiers found last week in Gaza.

As I write, the war in Gaza has resumed after the short truce, and tensions in the North are ever-increasing. Baruch Hashem, after undergoing a horrible blow, the nation has largely come together and united those of all streams, both in Israel and the Diaspora. We have come to a place of renewing our National spirit, although the war is far from over, just like the time of Yehuda Hamakabi. It is time to light the lights of Chanuka and reflect on their preciousness. Let us consider why these lights are "extremely beloved". Our Sages point out that the lights are there not only to stand in contrast to the forces of brutality and horror but also to illuminate how to bring the light of our spiritual heritage to the forefront. 

יַפְתְּ אֱלֹקים לְיֶפֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם

May Hashem act beautifully to Japheth,
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem

(Bereishis 9:27)

We welcome the beauty of Japhet/Greece, as long as it dwells in the Tent of Shem/Torah. We have to learn as a people to keep this unity going even after the successful utter destruction of the accursed Hamas, unlike what happened in times of the Hasmoneans. Very soon after the initial victory, the Tzedukim and the Perushim (and other splinter groups) were at each other’s throats, and that hatred only increased until the Bais Hamikdash was destroyed eventually because of it. 

In our day, despite the current unity, the underlying tensions are still very much there. If we don't learn from what has transpired, we will easily fall back again into the same terrible division. We in the religious community need to remember to appreciate the good people and good intentions and many (by far not all) great things that the secular public has built for the good of the nation. However, we need to show them that they can be so much more beautiful and valued if illuminated with the Torah's light and not with Hellenist values. We need to light our lights outside, at the doorway, welcoming others into our world, and publicizing to the greatest degree possible our appreciation for the miracles that have occurred and will continue, B’Ezras Hashem, to occur. In this time of great darkness, the Lights of Chanukah, increasing every day, will lead us to the Great Light of the Final Redemption. 

Published in the Jewish Press December 8, 2023