This past Sunday we blessed the new month, the month of Kislev. The name “Kislev” is of Babylonian origin. In the Tanach, Kislev is referred to as the ninth month, as it is the ninth month after Nisan. Although most famous for having Chanukah within it, Kislev is also a month with significant Biblical happenings.
The first rainbow, observed after the Flood, was seen in Kislev. It’s a time where the greatest darkness of night occurs and it’s the month of the greatest light, the light of Chanukah. What were the Jews in the time of the Chashmonaim trying so hard to fight for? What was their crime? The fact that we are Jews. This has been our “crime” since the beginning of time, fighting for our rights to live as observant Jews in the chosen land.
There are so many countries on the planet, so many different religions and people in the world. Why is it that the religion and the country of the Jewish people are always the point of controversy? How is it that such a small nation in comparison to other nations and religions, and such a small country always have to fight for their right to exist. True, today we do have our own country and can live as observant Jews without trouble. And yet even in our own state we are still fighting over the great values of the laws of the Shabbat being kept as a nation, and of yeshiva boys wanting to just sit and learn. The Arab nations around us are constantly fighting to get the land of Israel given to them and won’t stop at anything, to prove their rights to this land.
Why did the evil Antiyochus of Greece want to force the Jews stop keeping the Jewish laws? What is so threatening to the world, about being a Jew in a Jewish homeland?
G-d set this world in motion and keeps it going since the beginning of time with a purpose in mind. The land of Israel isn’t just another piece of land like any other in the world. It may be small but it is so significant and holy. A diamond or a precious gem or a piece of gold is worth a lot although the size of it is small. A royal family might only have 2 sons and yet they are called royalty. They are protected by armies and great walls so that they won’t be harmed. Their mere existence gives great honor to the world and they are watched at all times. Their behavior is expected to be perfect as they are a model unto the world. Their home is sacred and not just any one can enter their quarters.
When we think about that concept of a royal family, it makes sense that they are special and must be treated accordingly. What happens when that royal family is an entire nation with an entire homeland and not just a few quarters and a couple of big homes? What kind of threat is that to the world? Why is there so much jealousy?
We as Jewish people must remember daily who we are, and who we come from and who our forefathers were. What is expected of us as a royal family? What obligations do we have to that family and to our master, our creator? The persecution that goes on to this very day in many forms, to us, the Jewish people, in our land, has to do with a greater picture than just about an individual who is fought against. We are meant to be a light unto the whole world. Our actions must be meritorious at all time.
There is a reason that we have such a great book of rules, the Torah which guides us every second of the day. We must set an example for the world. Not that the whole world must be Jewish, but the Jewish people as sons of the king must know how to behave and to know at all times what is expected of them. Since we are a nation and not just a small family consisting of a hand full of people our threat to the world is that much greater. What can one royal family do to change the world? And what can an entire nation that obeys their king achieve? What kind of protection will a king give his nation that follows all his rules? What strength and glory will that nation have in their homeland if they behave as royalty?
This has been our fight since the beginning of time. We have been persecuted because we are royalty at its highest form. When we keep all the commandment that our king gave us we are invincible. When we live and respect one another and care for each other in our homeland no one can touch us.
The Maccabees were invincible. They were protected by the king; they were royalty and kept the rules. In Egypt the tribe of levites were not harmed since they too didn’t stray away from the rules of the king, Hashem. If we believed how royal and strong we are as a nation and as a people that follow only one king and his commandments, we would be that light unto all the nations and no nation would be able to lift even the smallest finger at us.
Let us pray that this coming Chanukah may the Maccabbees inside all of us, stand forth and bring this royal nation back to its majestic state of honor and glory as in the time of King Solomon where there was peace in the world and the Jewish people were united and worshiped their king in his holy temple.
May we merit to see the 3rd temple rebuilt so that we can worship our king there as well .