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Apparently the Hashmonaim had many contemporaries who disapproved of their actions. They said: It is forbidden to fight against the Greeks since they are more powerful and more numerous than we are. The revolt can't possibly succeed. We have to be pragmatic and not be carried away by our imaginations. We must not endanger lives in vain. There were those who said: We have to be realistic, and if we cannot perform the Mitzvot since we are being forcibly prevented, by The Merciful One will forgive us. There were those who alleged that it was prohibited to endanger the existence of the nation in a war against the Greeks, and there were those who claimed that the Torah prohibits us from rebelling against the nations, and that we must wait until Moshiach comes and then G-d will save us. And even after the victory of the Hashmonaim, the criticism against them continued: You acted against G-d's will, it was prohibited to rebel against the nations, there is no value in a victory which is against G-d's will, and in any case the victory is temporary-eventually the Greeks will return to conquer us and then we will suffer much more because we rebelled against them.
And behold...the Hashmonaim enter the Temple and purify it, and G-d performs an explicit miracle-the miracle of the pot of oil. This was the sign that G-d was pleased with their actions and that the war of the Hashmonaim was according to His will. Their self-sacrifice for the sake of G-d and for the sake of the Land of Israel was the proper course of action. Therefore the miracle of the oil pot is specifically emphasized and commemorated throughout the generations in order to publicize the fact that G-d approved, and was pleased by the war of the Hashmonaim.
This comes to teach us that we must awaken, take initiative and act for the redemption of Israel, and not wait for the initiative to come from above. And when there is such an awakening from below, then our subsequent actions merit Divine aid. And whoever opens his eyes can see the Divine providence which has been aiding the actions of those working for the redemption of Israel, the settlement of the land, the ingathering of the exiles and the protection of the land and the nation.
Rabbis in Midrash
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
