CHANUKA - BETWEEN SEATTLE AND JERUSALEM!

BS"D

YESHIVAT HARA'AYON HAYEHUDI [Yeshiva of the Jewish Idea]
Jerusalem, Israel
HaRav Yehuda Kroizer SHLIT"A, Rosh Yeshiva

PARSHAT VAYESHEV/CHANUKA
25 Kislev 5767/15-16 December 2006


CHANUKA - BETWEEN SEATTLE AND JERUSALEM!

The ancient Greeks, in their quest to Hellenize the world, found very
little resistance as they conquered nation after nation, bringing their
"enlightment" to one and all. It was only by the Jewish nation, who sat in
Zion at the time, that they met resistance. The Greeks decided to break the
backbone of the Jews by decreeing three decrees against the Jewish people.
In this way, the Greeks figured that within the next generation the Jewish
people as they knew them would be no more.

With tremendous insight, the Greeks' three decrees were to forbid the
observance of Shabbat, to forbid the calculation of the new months, and to
forbid circumcision. What was it that the ancient Greeks saw by these three
mitzvot, that they reasoned that by banning them, this would end the Jewish
religion?

The common denominator that runs though these mitzvot are, of course,
the “chosenness” of the Jewish people. Havdala - separation - this is the
foundation upon which all rests. For without this concept, the Jewish people
would be just like all the other nations of the world. Without the
chosenness of the Jewish people - in which Hashem chose us to be a light
unto the nations - there would be no need for our existence and mission in
this world. We would be just like the other nations, and then, certainly
there would be no need at all for Creation. Still, Hashem, at the revelation
of Sinai, chose us from all the nations for His G-dly mission in this world.

The Greeks understood this well: Wipe out the chosenness of the Jewish
people, make them like all the other nations - and you destroy them and the
world with it. Unfortunately, many a Jew at the time fell victim to the
Greeks' plan and openly accepted the new and dark Greek culture.

A quick look at the three decrees will readily show the chosenness of
the Jewish people running throughout them. Shabbat, of course, is a sign
between G-d and the Jewish people, so unique to the Jews that if a non- Jew
keeps Shabbat, he is put to death. The same holds true for circumcision, a
sign between the Jewish people and G-d, as Hashem tells Abraham to
circumcize himself and his house for a sign between the Jewish people and
G-d for all generations. Calculating the month ensures that the Jewish
calendar with all of its holidays will be celebrated at their proper times,
once again showing the uniqueness of the Jewish nation.

For this, the Jews revolted in a bloody war that lasted three years, at
the cost of many thousands dead. But the end result was that the Jews who
stayed faithful continued the chosenness of the Jewish people and their holy
mission.

This past week we saw the unfolding drama of the Seattle airport’s right
to publicly place x-mas trees there, and under the theat of a lawsuit by a
Chabad Rabbi to place a large Menorah there, too, the trees were first
removed and later replaced. America, in spite of the many minorities who
live there with freedom for all, is still known as overwhelmingly an x-tian
nation. They had no problem offending rights of minorities - in this case
Jews - and there will be no Menorah in the airport, for unlike the Moslems,
the Jews do not want to make waves.

And over here in the Holy Land, on my way home from work the other day,
I was appalled to see in the showcase of the Jerusalem City Hall next to a
Menorah, a display of the birth of baby Yeshky in Bethlehem, so as not to
insult the x-tian community, which barely exists here in Israel. Not that I
have a problem with giving other cultures their due, but in City Hall of the
Holy City of Jerusalem, which is supposed to represent the return of the
Jewish people after a 2000-year exile and Jewish sovereignty, it is a shame.
Here, in the Land of Israel, the descendants of the mighty Maccabees who
fought and gave their lives to keep alive the chosenness and separation from
the nations, are trying to walk the fence on both sides. Jerusalem’s City
Hall, representing the Jewish people, is not the place for it! Where is our
pride, and why are we embarrassed to tell the world that we are the Chosen
People. This is what Chanuka should be all about: Now is the time to move
forward, with the flag of the Maccabees telling a world of sick culture that
we reject it - and in its stead, we will bring Light to the world!

With love of Israel,
Levi Chazen

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Levi,

The Sabbath was given to ALL mankind at Creation. They forgot it and God restored it through all Twelve Tribes of Israel, now specifically through the Jews since the Israelites became "lost" and Gentilized. When King Messiah Yeshua returns and reigns, He will command ALL nations to keep the biblical Sabbath and biblical festivals, the "Jewish Holidays."

As for Jews in America, in their self-imposed exile, always praying "NEXT year in Jerusalem," let them move to Israel where they belong.

As for the pagan "mass of Christ," I am a Christian and, like the early Church of God for over 300 years, have absolutely nothing to do with pagan holidays dressed in Christian drag. We're not fooled by the Roman wolves in sheep's clothing.

Chag Hanukkah Sameach,

David Ben-Ariel

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