Hanukkah Reflection from Jewish Voices for Peace

Source: Jewish Voices for Peace

Mai Hanukkah - "What is Hanukkah?" asked the rabbis of the Talmud. In answer to their own rhetorical question, they chose not to tell the story of the Maccabean victory over the Seleucid empire in 160 BCE. Rather, they offered the famous story of the rededication of the Temple and the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days. For the rabbis, the oil of the menorah symbolized hope and faith in the face of overwhelming odds, not the spoils of war.

They also understood the dangers of glorifying violence, having seen the devastating effects of the Bar Kochba revolt against the Roman empire in 132 CE. They were particularly mindful that the independent Jewish commonwealth founded in the wake of the Maccabean victory - led by the priestly Hasmonean Dynasty - was corrupt and oppressive. In the end, their reign would last a little more than one hundred years before falling to the Roman Empire.

The Rabbis knew this all too well: empires, nations and states are artificially-created entities, manufactured through military might and inevitably destined to fall. It was not by coincidence that the famous line from Zechariah: Not by might and not by power but by My spirit says the Lord of Hosts was chosen to be the prophetic portion chanted on the Shabbat of Hanukkah.

This inspiring sacred message of Hanukkah lasted centuries, until it was subverted and overturned by political Zionism.

Tragically, the Zionist movement chose to put its faith in human power and national territorial sovereignty, seeking to create a "Third Jewish Commonwealth" in historic Palestine. In so doing, it forged a wholly new Jewish identity: an internalization and inversion of European antisemitic themes of Jewish feebleness. This ideal prioritized physical strength and militarism, and was often exemplified by the revival of the Maccabees as Jewish heroes, forsaking the miracle of the oil for a focus on violent militarism.

This reinterpretation has troubling implications today, as it echoes in the ongoing violence in Gaza, where militarism perpetuates suffering and destruction, often using ancient symbols of Jewish tradition as forms of psychological violence. The enduring message of Hanukkah - resilience through faith and light - has been overshadowed by this glorification of force.

One of the most striking examples of this distortion is the sight of menorahs being lit amidst the rubble of Gaza by IDF soldiers. These acts, extensions of the militarization of Hanukkah through Zionism, desecrate the profound message of the holiday. The Hanukkiah, a beacon of hope and divine presence, has been reduced to a tool of domination. Such actions betray the ethical core of Jewish tradition, which calls for the pursuit of justice and collective human dignity.

Hanukkah invites us to bring light into the world, not through swords or bombs but through acts of enlightenment - using the flames of the Hanukkiah to drive out despair. Hanukkah challenges us to transcend the illusion of power inherent in the violence of empire and nation-statism, reminding us that true strength lies in our ability to resist imperial brutality.

On this final night of Hanukkah, let us reclaim this sacred message of our festival of light. Let us put our trust in a Power yet greater than the power of the mightiest empire. Let us reject narratives that glorify militarism and instead embrace a vision of Judaism rooted in justice, peace, and universal liberation.

Chag Hanukkah Sameach!

LINK

Jewish Voices for Peace: www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/