Celebrating Flawed Jewish Sovereignty

 

 The mitzvah of Ner Chanukah commemorates the miracle of the oil, which symbolizes the triumph of Jewish resilience and faith over the mighty Greek armies of the Seleucid Empire.

 After Alexander the Great’s death in 323 BCE, the vast Greek empire fractured into rival factions, with the Seleucids located to the north of Israel imposing their dominance over the Levant. 

Setting their sights on Jerusalem, they waged not only a military campaign but also a cultural and spiritual assault against our people, enacting harsh decrees designed to extinguish Jewish religious life. 

 Our victory was nothing short of miraculous. Against all odds, a small band of devoted warriors overpowered the mighty Seleucid forces. Their triumph marked not only a military success but a spiritual revival, as they reclaimed the Beit Hamikdash, purified it, and rededicated the sacred korbanot. 

 The victory of the Chashmonaim over the mighty Greek empire was not merely a military success but a moral triumph. 

After their defeat, the once-dominant Greek empire entered a swift and irreversible decline. The miracle of the oil symbolized that our defeat of Greece was not just a moment of Jewish resilience but a decisive turning point in humanity’s spiritual history. Soon after these events, the Greek Empire began to crumble, finally disappearing in about 100 years after the Chanukah miracles. 

 The miracle of the oil is a poignant reminder of the fragility of earthly power when set against the eternal endurance of a people devoted to Hashem and His Torah. 

 THE RAMBAM 

 Yet, when the Rambam describes Chanukah, he places striking emphasis on the military victory and the subsequent restoration of Jewish sovereignty, rather than highlighting the miracle of the oil. 

Stressing the reclamation of Jewish self-governance he writes:

חזרה מלכות לישראל יתר על מאתיים שנה

 Evidently, the temporary restoration of Jewish sovereignty in the aftermath of the Chanukah miracle was itself -regardless of broader moral or international implications- a monumental moment in Jewish history, which justifies the recitation of Hallel for 8 days. 

 As the Rambam only references the miracle of the oil secondarily, it seems that he views our national triumph as the primary cause for celebration and gratitude. 

The Rambam’s comments compel us to reflect more profoundly on the military victories that led to the restoration of Jewish sovereignty, and the significance of reclaiming Jewish national independence.

 THE WAR DIDN’T END

 The period of Jewish sovereignty that followed the miraculous events of Chanukah was far from a pristine or flawless reign. While the Maccabees achieved several decisive military victories, culminating in their key triumph in 164 BCE, their struggle for sovereignty did not end with the miraculous rededication of the Mikdash. The battles with the Greeks raged on, and tragically, just four years after the Chanukah miracle, in 160 BCE, Yehuda HaMaccabi, the heroic leader who had been instrumental in the victories, was killed in battle. 

Although the Maccabees secured significant victories and regained control of the Mikdash, their triumph was far from complete. 

 TEMPORARY SOVEREIGNTY

 Additionally, the restoration of Jewish sovereignty, while monumental, was a fleeting achievement. The Jewish people enjoyed full sovereignty for only about 100 years before the situation dramatically changed. By 60 BCE, the Jewish monarchy had already become a client state under the Roman Empire, effectively losing its independence. 

The Rambam’s description of 200 years of Jewish sovereignty is somewhat misleading. While we enjoyed complete self-governance for the first 100 years, the remaining years were marked by diminished autonomy. In the latter half of this period, external forces, particularly Roman influence, began to erode our full independence, and Jewish sovereignty became increasingly compromised. 

 INTERNAL STRIFE 

 Moreover, this period of political restoration was marred by internal strife and fragmentation. As soon as the Maccabees consolidated their power, the Tzedukim or Sadducee movement began to gain influence. They rejected Torah Sheba’al Peh and formed a separate faction, generally composed of aristocrats and individuals with political influence. The Tzedukim, or Sadducees, often infiltrated the office of the Kohen Gadol, manipulating this sacred position for political gain and power. Their ascent fueled social discord and internal strife, which would ultimately lead to the downfall of the Second Mikdash.

 HEROES GONE BAD 

 Sadly, much of the civil strife and unrest during this period stemmed from the descendants of the Chanukah heroes themselves. Yochanan Hyrcanus, the son of Shimon HaMaccabi, assumed the throne about thirty years after the Chanukah miracle. Under his leadership, Israel experienced significant territorial expansion, and Jewish sovereignty seemed to be on a strong footing. However, late in his life, he made a dramatic and troubling shift: he defected and joined the ranks of the Tzedukim. The Gemmara in Berachot cites his example as a cautionary tale, warning against complacency in religious achievement. 

Hyrcanus’ turn away from the Masorah was especially poignant, given that even a righteous figure, who had remained steadfast for 80 years, had faltered toward the end of his life. The defection of John Hyrcanus stoked tensions between the Tzedukim and the Perushim, leading to a deepening rift within Jewish society which would later erupt into outright civil war during the reign of his successor and son, Yannai HaMelech or Alexander Janneus. Firmly aligned with the Tzedukim, he adopted an authoritarian rule that incited deep anger and opposition from the ranks of the Perushim. His reign was marked by intense internal conflict, leading to a series of civil wars that lasted nearly six years and which took the lives of tens of thousands. 

 One of the most infamous incidents occurred during a royal feast, when approximately 800 Jews were brutally murdered—likely crucified. 

 SELF-INFLICTED DEFEAT 

 The ongoing internal conflict greatly weakened the Jewish state, setting the stage for the eventual Roman conquest of Yerushalayim in 70 CE. Tragically, during the Roman siege of Yerushalayim, rival factions, consumed by hatred and distrust, burned each other’s grain silos, further exacerbating the dire situation. This self-inflicted devastation hastened the fall of Yerushalayim, with the Romans finding the city already in a state of ruin. By the time the Romans breached the city’s walls, they found scenes of death and despair, and a city of corpses and half-starved skeletons. 

 After the Roman destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, followed by the brutal subjugation of the Bar Kochba rebellion in 135 CE, the victories of Chanukah faded into dust. The Maccabean and Chashmonaim triumphs, in the grand scope of history, were but a short lived blip. The Chanukah miracle, though deeply significant in Jewish religious and cultural memory, became a distant symbol of a bygone era of independence. 

 All this raises a profound question: 

If the sovereignty that followed the Chanukah miracle was partial, if the Jewish nation was in such a weakened state, and if the leadership was so deeply flawed, what is it that we celebrate on Chanukah? 

The answer to this question, cannot be solely the miracle of the oil, since the Rambam only mentions this miracle second-hand, after emphasizing the military victory and the restoration of Jewish sovereignty 

 Evidently, whenever Jewish sovereignty is achieved, we celebrate, regardless of its imperfections or the quality of its leadership. 

How elusive has Jewish sovereignty been throughout history? 

 How hard have we fought to attain Jewish self-government?

 How much did our ancestors dream of the sights we live among every day? 

 What would they give to live in a Jewish sovereign state, protected by a Jewish army? 

 It is precisely the imperfect nature of the sovereignty restored during Chanukah that makes it so contemporary. 

Our current state in Israel is not the ideal sovereignty we dream of. The state is still secular, and we have not yet reached the messianic milestones such as the arrival of Mashiach or the rebuilding of the Mikdash. Our society remains secular and deeply divided, and the moral standards of society sometimes leave much to be desired. 

 Yet, we do not nitpick this achievement, even if it falls short of many of the long-term spiritual dreams we harbor for our redemption. 

 Take away the ideology and focus simply on sovereignty. Look aside from whatever Messianic expectations haven’t yet materialized and appreciate living in a Jewish state.

 Especially this year, after enduring countless struggles to defend our Land, every Jew, from every corner of our people, should be bound together, but by the profound privilege of living in a Jewish state, a gift our ancestors could only dream of

חזרה מלכות לישראל