The Zionists Hit Back
After a little love, here, here, and even on Jewlicious itself, the Zionists are regrouping, and defending Chanukah against the incorrigible Litvak apikorism.
(No Hellenists or Idumeans have been harmed in these animated discussions.)
7 comments
I don’t get it. That Torah Learning site speaks of the failures of the Hasmoneans. Yet they celebrate chanukkah.
That the Hasmoneans failed on many important levels isn’t really that controversial an idea. Even with believers.
Even with the haredim.
Precisely. It is also not a secret. If the question is whether there was approval of some of their actions, I would say that’s obvious - namely what we celebrate which is the successful fight against oppressors by a small minority.
If it were like you were saying, the rabbis would not have seen fit to insert and emphasize–above all else–the miracle oil. There would have been no need to do so. Winning the battle would have been enough.
In a completely human war, the rabbis may have seen fit to introduce the idea of God. This way all the faithful know the victory came about because of God and this legitimizes the victory from a religious standpoint.
We’re God’s people you know, and that whole early Zionist line of thinking that it was time to stop waiting for God to provide assistance and time to do it ourselves is a new concept for believers…even if it might not have been for the Maccabees.
Oh, by the way, “we’re God’s people” was not said seriously in case my sarcasm didn’t drip enough.
TM,
You wrote,
“In a completely human war, the rabbis may have seen fit to introduce the idea of God.”
Very true, and paramount — but also to 1) deemphasize the Maccabees to some extent, who were perceived as very flawed.
and 2) to signal spiritual resistance, which is always prized over physical resistance.
“We’re God’s people you know, and that whole early Zionist line of thinking that it was time to stop waiting for God to provide assistance and time to do it ourselves is a new concept for believers…even if it might not have been for the Maccabees.”
This line of thinking also was around for the Bar Kochba revolt, and even before…there is a narrative that Rome was antagonized needlessly, and the hard-line zealots were certain they had God on their side against Rome…this mentality can be traced to the Hasmoneans.
Because of the disasters that ensued, I think activism became looked at more critically. And the Hasmonean regime began to look like the beginning of the end.
Of course, one could point to King David, and say the same thing. But to borrow from John Kerry, I would counter that according to our narrative and tradition, King David was more concerned and successful at being on God’s side in these matters, and the Hasmoneans and their ilk…more prone to conflate their will with God’s.
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