Q & A - WITH RABBI RISKIN

Question: What is the Torah view about activist youth getting into scuffles with police and perhaps even soldiers over issues such as the evacuation of Bet Hashalom?

Answer: In order to provide a proper response allow me to interpret the opening words of our Hanukkah “Al Hanissim” prayer: “In the days of Mattathias son of Yochanan High Priest the Hasmonean and his sons, when the wicked kingdom of Greece rose up against Israel, to cause them to forget Your Torah…”  It seems clear from this prayer that the Jews were engaged in battle with the Greek-Syrians – and the miracle of Hanukkah is that the Jews were victorious, despite the numerous and far better equipped Greek-Syrian enemy!

However, this is not what happened historically. According to the Book of the Maccabees and the writings of Josephus, the priestly families who were in control of Judea wished to assimilate into Hellenic culture and turn Jerusalem into a Greek 'city-state' -- they were even planning to hold Olympic games dedicated to one of the gods of Mount Olympus and to bring a statue of Zeus into the Holy Temple. The religious masses initiated a civil war against this secular leadership; when it was clear to the assimilationists that the religious Jews were winning, they called upon the Greek-Syrians to help them – and the religious Jews defeated even the Greek-Syrians.

If what I am recounting is the true story, then why does “Al Hanissim” begin in the middle of the tale, with the entry of the Greek-Syrians?

The religious Jews were fighting two enemies, on two fronts, leading up to Hanukkah: a battle against the assimilated Jews and a battle against the Greek-Syrians. There are, likewise, two symbols of the Hanukkah victory, or even two separate victories: the first is the military battle, which involves the fire of destruction, and the second is the Menorah, with its candlelight of illumination of the Torah. The Gentiles who want to destroy us must be fought with the fire of military destruction; the Jews who would like to see us assimilate must be taught the enlightening truths of our tradition and the loving embrace of our compassionate G-d.

Hence, our Sages begin “Al Hanissim” – which discusses the battle – in the middle of the story; they do not wish to eternalize or glorify the civil war between Jews. And this is the abiding message of Hanukkah: even if the ruling power of Jews is wrong, we dare not lift a hand against our Israeli police or against our Israeli government representatives. They may only be fought politically and verbally.