We have come to dispel darkness.
Chanukah in a time of war and chaos
Parshah and its implementation - Parshat Vayeshev- Chanukah - and the war of the 'Iron Swords' 5784
Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald
Dedicated to the IDF soldiers' success, to safeguard them lest any harm come to them, to my son's speedy recovery - Mordechai Abraham ben Malka (may he live long), to the healing of all the wounded and the return of the abducted.
Chanukah is one of the most popular holidays of the year. A survey published before last years' Chanukah showed that about 80% of the population light Chanukah candles and get together for different events during the holiday, only in second place after the Seder night which is celebrated by about 85% of the population.
This year, Chanukah is the first holiday after the Shabbat Simchat Torah tragedy that befell upon us. Chanukah in time of war. Naturally, we all ask, in one way or another, how can we celebrate when we are hurting and worried? Our hearts are with the soldiers who are in danger, with the bereaved families who are mourning their loved ones, with the wounded who are suffering their injuries, and with the abductees and their families whose hearts are aching and praying for their safe return to their homes.
To answer, one must look deeply into the essence of Chanukah and the commandment of lighting candles. The Chanukah holiday is a reminder of the miracles that happened to our ancestors after tragic and difficult years of suffering under the rule of the dark Greek culture:
וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם - זֶה גָּלוּת יָוָן, שֶׁהֶחֱשִׁיכָה עֵינֵיהֶם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּגְזֵרוֹתֵיהֶן
"With darkness over the surface" - And darkness– this is the Greek kingdom, which darkened Israel’s eyes with their edicts" (Bereshit Rabbah 2:4)
Harsh decrees for Jewish conversion until the Jewish religion is lost:
לְהַשְׁכִּיחָם תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ וּלְהַעֲבִירָם מֵחֻקֵּי רְצוֹנֶֽךָ
"to make them forget Your Torah and to turn them away from the statutes of Your will", to the robbery of their possessions, and to the brutal rape of their daughters:
בְבַיִת שֵׁנִי כְּשֶׁמַּלְכֵי יָוָן גָּזְרוּ גְּזֵרוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִטְּלוּ דָּתָם וְלֹא הֵנִיחוּ אוֹתָם לַעֲסֹק בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת. וּפָשְׁטוּ יָדָם בְּמָמוֹנָם וּבִבְנוֹתֵיהֶם וְנִכְנְסוּ לַהֵיכָל וּפָרְצוּ בּוֹ פְּרָצוֹת וְטִמְּאוּ הַטָּהֳרוֹת.
"In [the era of] the Second Temple, the Greek kingdom issued decrees against the Jewish people, [attempting to] nullify their faith and refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and its commandments. They extended their hands against their property and their daughters; they entered the Sanctuary, wrought havoc within, and made the sacraments impure". (Rambam Mishneh Torah - Scroll of Esther and Chanukah 3:1)
The Hasmonean priests rebelled against the cruel Greek rule, and went out to fight with dedication and valor against their army which was many times stronger than them:
וְגָבְרוּ בְּנֵי חַשְׁמוֹנַאי הַכֹּהֲנִים הַגְּדוֹלִים וַהֲרָגוּם וְהוֹשִׁיעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיָּדָם
"The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame [them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand." (ibid)
The miracle victory for the Hasmoneans entailed a heavy price of death and wounded. Despite the sorrow for the dead, and the pain for a tragic period of suffering, troubles, and decrees:
הִתְקִינוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שְׁמוֹנַת הַיָּמִים הָאֵלּוּ... יְמֵי שִׂמְחָה וְהַלֵּל וּמַדְלִיקִין בָּהֶן הַנֵּרוֹת בָּעֶרֶב עַל פִּתְחֵי הַבָּתִּים בְּכָל לַיְלָה וְלַיְלָה מִשְּׁמוֹנַת הַלֵּילוֹת לְהַרְאוֹת וּלְגַלּוֹת הַנֵּס... וְהֵן אֲסוּרִין בְּהֶסְפֵּד וְתַעֲנִית...
"…the Sages of that generation ordained that these eight days… should be commemorated to be days of happiness and praise [of G-d]. Candles should be lit in the evening at the entrance to the houses on each and every one of these eight nights to publicize and reveal the miracle... It is forbidden to eulogize and fast on them… " (ibid. 3).
The lighting of the candles in the years that followed was an elaborate remembrance, for everything that happened בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה "in those days at this time".
a) The miraculous military victory of the few Hasmoneans over the many and powerful Greeks. Victory of the 'Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness'.
b) Remembrance of the existential 'purpose of the war' against those who wanted to eliminate Judaism and the Jewish people from history, by converting their religion. Although we should rejoice for there was self-sacrifice in the Hasmonean era, and we won the war and survived. However, this was only a temporary victory. Judaism's existence war continues even after that, throughout all the generations.
c) A remembrance of the price we must pay for our existence and victory, for the Hasmoneans who fell heroically in the battles.
The Mitzvah of lighting the candles is when the stars appear in the sky, which is approximately fifteen minutes after sunset:
מִצְוָתָהּ מִשֶּׁתִּשְׁקַע הַחַמָּה עַד שֶׁתִּכְלֶה רֶגֶל מִן הַשּׁוּק.
"The Mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights is from sunset until traffic in the marketplace ceases'. (Shabbat 21b)
The illuminating power of the candle is precisely when it illuminates the darkness:
דשרגא בטיהרא מאי אהני
"What use is a candle in the middle of the day?" (Chullin 60b) נר בצהרים אינו מאיר: "A candle at noon does not shine" (Rashi ibid). There is a deep idea in this. Lighting itself is a complex statement. All around there is darkness, pain and lies. We are not ignoring it. But we must turn on the light of truth and joy! There is a lot of strength in this:
כי המעט מן האמת ינצח הרבה מן השקר כאשר המעט מן האור דוחה הרבה מן החשך
"Because a little truth defeats much falsehood, just as a little light dispels much darkness" (Duties of the Heart- Fifth Treatise on Devotion 5:13). It can be added: that a little bit of joy heals a lot of pain, sorrow, and sadness.
Some see only the darkness and cannot see the light within, and some see lights and do not notice the darkness, but a Chanukah candle shines in the darkness, banishes it, and ignites joy precisely in the place where there is suffering and pain.
At the beginning of the 'Iron Swords' war, the Minister of Defense said to the fighters: "This is a war between the 'Sons of Darkness' and the 'Sons of Light.' We are at the edge of a culture that does not accept our existence here, human savages, prey beasts, who murdered our soldiers, our children, our citizens".
In a time of chaos, during the great Hamas darkness that befell upon us on Shabbat Simchat Torah, of monstrous cruelty and pain of loss, we also saw a lot of light, hundreds and perhaps thousands of incredible displays of heroism, devotion, mutual responsibility, when part of the heroes paid with their own lives.
When we bravely went to war "we came to dispel the darkness!" By lighting Chanukah candles this year, in homes and on the battlefield, we intensify the light of heroism and strengthen the spirit of victory, despite the pain of the loss and the price we paid. Part of our expressions of joy is the victory over the Hamas darkness, that will not succeed in disabling our eternal joy.
The people of Israel, accustomed to suffering, will rejoice and win.