HaRav Dov Begon is Head of Yeshivat Machon Meir in Jerusalem.
On Hanukkah, it is customary to thank the Holy One, Blessed be He for the miracles, and to add in the Amidah prayers and in Grace After Meals: “You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, and the many into the hands of the few…”
To illustrate the idea of the victory of the few over the many, Rashi brings the parable of the flax merchant: “His camels entered laden with flax. The charcoal merchant wondered, ‘Where will all this flax be stored?’ A wise man replied to him: ‘One single spark from your bellows can burn it all.’ So too, Yaacov saw all the chieftains of Esav and was astonished, saying, ‘Who can conquer all of them?’ Therefore it is written, ‘These are the generations of Yaacov - Yosef,’ as it says (Book of Obadiah 1:18): ‘The house of Yaacov shall be fire, the house of Yosef a flame, and the house of Esav straw.’ A spark shall go forth from Yosef and consume and burn them all” (Rashi on Genesis 37:1).
The spark that succeeds in burning all the enemies of Israel is the spark of holiness, the spark of truth and faith, as explained by the Baal Maor VaShemesh (Parashat Vayeshev). In addition to their great devotion to truth and their bravery of faith, the Maccabees were heroes of holiness and this is what safeguarded them and led them to victory.
In our time, the “flax merchant with the camels” alludes to the many enemies threatening the People of Israel, while the “masters of the spark” are those who possess truth and faith.
Even today we stand as the few against the many and fight for our existence on several fronts. Hundreds of millions of Muslims yearn and act for the destruction of the State of Israel, They murder Jews indiscriminately as far away as Australia.
Even today, the haters of Israel in Europe and throughout the world raise their heads in violent verbal and physical antisemitism.
Even today, the cynical and hypocritical world chooses to put the State of Israel on trial in international courts, instead of being grateful to the People of Israel and the State of Israel for the eternal Divine Values that it has bequeathed to humanity. For the State of Israel is the light at the end of humanity’s dark tunnel of history.
On the contrary, the world ought to beat its chest in repentance for what it has done to us throughout history, such as the silence and collaboration with the Nazis, may their name be blotted out, during the terrible Holocaust.
But a heroic generation of Israelites arises, a generation that redeems an awakened Nation, a generation imbued with truth and faith; a generation that continues in the path of the Hasmoneans, a mighty generation which knows our war is the war of the sons of light against the sons of darkness.
A generation that knows who the People of Israel are, what their identity is, what makes them unique, and who recognizes that our purpose in the Land of Israel is to illuminate humanity with the light of love and faith; a generation that is not frightened or discouraged by the “owners of the camels and the flax.”
This generation is our generation. The day is not far when the spark of “truth and faith” and holiness will utterly consume our enemies forever, as it is written: “And all wickedness will be consumed like smoke.” Then all who dwell on earth will recognize and know that the Kingdom is Yours, and that You reign in glory forever, as it is written in Your Torah: “The Lord shall reign forever and ever.”
With blessings for a joyous Hanukkah, and in anticipation of the complete Redemption.