As we approach Chanukah (we're less than a month away), we begin to think dreidels, latkes, gifts etc.
But if we look at the events which brought us to this
As we know, Chanukah celebrates the Jewish victory, 2200 years ago, over a massive Syrian-Greek army. The Maccabee army's heroic efforts freed the Jews from religious oppression and physical subjugation.
Something to celebrate, to be sure. But this was more than a war of independence.
More than anything, above and beyond nationalistic pride, the Maccabees stood for principle. They stood by their values; even when it got tough.
In their oppression, the (Syrian-Greek) Hellenists didn't want them all dead; we weren't dealing with Hitler in that sense. Actually, these people would have allowed for much of Judaism to be practiced.
They just didn't like the super-rational element. The idea of Holiness and Divinity grated on their nerves.
But the Jews wouldn't back down. They could have de-emphasized the G-d element of Judaism, and presented the rational face. They could have rolled with the punches, "going along to get along", just to survive. They still could have been Jews, and they still could have kept most of their observances.
But G-d is a value. A principle. And they stood by their principles.
Now's a time of year for us to search ourselves, asking: what are my Jewish principles? Do I have any, and what are they?
But in a real way.
As a child in the seventies, I remember seeing a quote about the fact that today we have so many Jewish groups, that there are Jews for everything (when I google "Jews for" and look at the list, I'm amazed - even Jews for Jeter!). But, in the quote, the real concern was the syndrome of "Jews for Nothing".
It became a phrase that pegged a real phenomenon: Jews with nothing Jewish to stand for.
We all have very multi-faceted lives, taking up a lot of space in our brains and hearts. But where do G-d and destiny fit in? And how important are they?
In these coming Chanukah-focused days. Let's have fun, but let's not forget fundamentals.
We owe it to the Macabees, and to ourselves.
ב"ה
Jacob Metelitsa wrote...
Your blog is very interesting. Thank you for a great undertaking.
With regard to the Maccabee uprising and to many Jewish wars for independence, including the Bar Kochba insurrection, there are many historians who are of the view that had Jews been more accommodating to foreign powers, less “stiff-necked”, the Jewish people would fare a lot better in world’s history. In particular, there would be a lot more of the Jewish people living today. This point of view is seemed to be shared, in effect, by many Haredim who are anti-Zionists. They claim that the Jewish people may not enter into a conflict with the goyim of the world to obtain their national goals.
What is your opinion on this?
Thank you,
Jacob
Mendy Herson wrote...
Thanks.
You're correct that there is a Talmudic dictum (Talmud Ketubot 111a), known as "The three oaths", which directs against forced conquer of the Land.
No one - to my knowledge - applies that to the Maccabean War which we celebrate on Chanukah, since that was a war of self-defense in a land on which we already lived (as distinct from conquering a land on which others lived).
As you can imagine, many Rabbis through the last century dealt with the propriety of the wars in 1948, 56, 67, 73 etc. and felt that they were necessary.
Right now, it is clear to me that defense of Israel is defense of Jewish lives and that the Halacha would certainly promote armed defense of the Land.
As to history, I don't think there was much Jewish "conflict with the goyim of the world to obtain their national goals".
We were hanging on for our lives.
But it's an interesting point.
Thoughts?
Mendy
Mendy