Social Stability

Long, long ago in a country far, far away there lived a king, whose outlook called for social stability. He held the opinion that by encouraging commonalities of tastes in food, style of dress, use of a common language, appreciation of shared arts and encouragement to celebrate national holidays his society would be a stable one. To those who shared his perspective he was probably a practical and reasoned king. Many people who wanted to follow their own dictates in matters of religion and culture probably viewed him as oppressive. Decades passed, kings died and more kings ascended the throne. There came a time when a king by the name of Ant. Ep. ruled this land and he was more strident than prior kings, issuing edicts calling for conformity on every level. Anyone who refused to conform would be executed.

Tensions smoldered throughout the land. Some within the citizenry wanted to keep their heads in the sand. “We have long lived as loyal citizens and if we do not make a fuss and do not call attention to ourselves, he will leave us alone – it is better to blend in.” Others held the opposite view – “Too long have we tried to blend in at the expense of our own identity; it is now time to fight for who we are – if we do not fight, we will disappear as a people.” Thus, 2,176 years ago war broke out between Jews and Helenized Syrians and tensions escalated between loyalist Jews and assimilated Jews. After three long years of war and internal conflict the loyalist Jews prevailed, gained limited autonomy over one region of ancient Israel, retrieved their national shrine (named the Temple) and reestablished a sense of Jewish pride, living as free people in their own homeland. Needless to say, it was probably very uncomfortable for those assimilationists who wanted to blend in and who cared little for expressing a unique heritage.

900 days ago, a 19 year old was kidnapped. Terrorists stole him from his land, his family, his friends and have been holding him captive in the Gaza Strip. Sanctioned by Hamas, these terrorists operate according to their own rules and without regard for the lives and safety of citizens wishing only to live within secure borders.

Gilad, a shy teenager who was eligible for medical exemption from military service, volunteered to join the Israeli Army out of patriotism and pride. Not since the Roman Conquest of Judaea in the year 63 BCE had there been government, infrastructure and a national defense force. For 2,000 years there had been no independent Jewish state. Only within the past 60 years has the world witnessed a re-emergent, independent Jewish nation, wherein Hebrew is uniquely spoken, Jewish holidays are the national holidays and Jews are not a minority. To be sure, the State of Israel is a democracy and at its core is the essential absolute that all people are free to practice and observe religion freely. In fact, freedom of religion is guaranteed for all peoples. But in no other country on this planet is modern day reality inextricably interwoven with the pages of Biblical history.

In America, Chanukah is misunderstood as being the Jewish version of Christmas and a means by which Jewish families can be included in the celebration and frenzy which permeates American society for two months. Only a few know that Chanukah was a triumph over external forces and internal dissension; the first recorded battle for religious freedom and a statement by a society as to the primacy of integrity to the self. Twenty-two centuries after Chanukah the State of Israel is still contending with forces from within and without; hostile forces unwilling to accept the peculiar concept that political autonomy and religious freedom can exist in a land as old as the Bible. The Hamas terrorists who kidnapped Gilad Shalit are attempting to intimidate a community into retreating from its essential nature, which is derived from 2,200 years of surviving intimidation, threats and external pressure. Hamas does not understand that the message of Chanukah is to stand in the face of pressure, extortion and depravity. Our commitment to freedom is the oxygen which sustains us and the flames of the Chanukah candleabram.

Two and one half years after he was stolen from his life, his nation and the entire Jewish people kindle the flames of the Chanukah menorah in his name and in commitment of a free Jewish people and a land wherein Jews have rights to live as Jews (and by the way, the first king was Alexander the Great and the last Syrian king was Antiochus Epiphanes).

Happy Chanukah,

Rabbi Steven Silberman