D'var Torah

Chag Urim Samayach! Wishing everyone a very joyful Festival of Lights – Chanukah celebration.  This Shabbat will be filled with candles and latkes and sufganiyot (jelly donuts) and even a few presents.  It has also been a time to connect to the themes of the holiday – miracles, religious freedom, the power of the underdog, and …. extremism.
 
You probably know about the first three themes mentioned here. The miracle of the oil is an inspiring story. Our ancestors didn’t think they would have enough oil to keep the Temple lit while they cleaned it and rededicated it after King Antiochus defamed it; but they took a risk and started the task knowing they might not be able to finish it. The oil lasted 8 days instead of 1 – that is the first miracle. Having the bravery to launch an overwhelming task even when you are unsure if you’ll be able to complete it – is also a miracle.
 
Then there were the Maccabees who fought for their religious freedom after Antiochus had forbade much of Jewish observance. They were a small band of guerilla fighters who prevailed during a long 3-year war against a much bigger army.  Their story reminds us of our obligation to continuously fight for religious freedom for ourselves and others.  Even when we are very much in the minority, our voices and our actions matter.
 
But then there is the theme of extremism, zealotry, which is a part of the story that we rarely discuss. We love the Maccabees for their perseverance and their commitment to our tradition. In truth, the war they fought was not only against Hellenistic Kingdom of Syrian but also against Jews who had begun to assimilate and incorporate Greek lifestyle into their own. Jews who didn’t share the fundamentalist views of the Maccabees. Jews like us. (Read Part II here.)