Parshat Mikeitz - Chanuka: Jewish Morale
by Rabbi Lobel

(Genesis; Chapter 1; verse 2) "When the earth was bewilderment and void, with darkness over the surfaces of the deep."

The Torah, in its second verse, discusses the state of the world at creation. The Medrash Rabba (2:4) comments that the void and darkness, such as the one during creation, was also experienced during the Greek exile. The Greeks took control of the land of Israel , defiled its holy temple, the Beit Hamikdash, and placed harsh decrees on the Jewish nation. The decree that darkened the eyes of the Jews was to force them to write on the horn of an ox, "The Jewish nation has lost all relationship with G-d."

According to Rashi, the decree was to remind the Jewish nation of their sin with the Golden Calf. The Greeks were telling the Jews that, just as they rejected Moses, so has G-d rejected them.

Why does the Medrash use this decree to depict the harshness of the Greeks? The Greeks forbade keeping Shabbat, circumcision, and studying Torah under the threat of death; many Jews were executed. These appear more severe than engraving words on the horn of an ox.

To understand the importance of the miracle of Chanuka, one must realize that the goal of the Greeks was not to annihilate but assimilate the Jewish nation. The other decrees, as physically harsh as they were, did not break Jewish morale. This decree, telling us that we have lost our relationship with G-d because of our past mistakes, could break a person.

The Greek exile and the miracle of Chanuka occurred a thousand years after the sin with the Golden Calf. Yet, to their credit, the Jewish people were still ashamed.

Reminding a person of his past mistakes could break his spirit. So, too, is the power to build a person by reminding him that, regardless of his past, we all have the ability to move forward.