The Talmud tells us the story of the most famous Chanukah miracle: "When the Syrian Greeks entered the Holy Temple, they defiled all the oils in the Sanctuary. When the Hasmonean Kingdom later ascended and defeated them, the Jews wished to light the Menorah – but could find only one flask of pure oil that still retained the seal of the High Priest [attesting to its purity], and even this was sufficient for only one day. A miracle occurred, and they were able to light the Menorah for eight days." (Tr. Shabbat 21b) 

Two Forces 

A battle of titans has been raging for many centuries among various worldwide forces. During the ten generations between Adam and Noach, we note two powers that actually started in the Garden of Eden, represented by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The first struggle began when the world split up into these two parts. Adam and Chava were commanded to both choose good and stay away from evil: "From all the trees in the garden, you may certainly eat, but from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, do not eat" (B'reshit 2,16-17). In this first battle, evil won out, thanks to the wily serpent which tempted Adam and Chava to eat from the forbidden tree, leading to their expulsion from Eden. 

Next came Kayin and Hevel (Cain and Abel), where again the evil emerged victorious over the good. For the ensuing eight generations, G-d gave humanity further chances to choose good, but the final conclusion was: "G-d saw that man's wickedness on earth was great, and that every impulse of his inner thoughts was only evil all the time" (6,5). There was no choice but to flood the world to destruction and rebuild it anew. 

The Triplicate Strand 

What change was to be expected in this new world? Why should the forces of evil not overcome those of good once more?  

The answer is that a triple strand was created. No longer would there be only two forces; to good and evil was added a third one, a mediating force. Just as a court cannot have only two justices, but must include a third one so that a clear decision can be reached, so too the world must not be left alone with only good and bad.  

From then on, the struggle became not simply a head-on clash between good and evil, but rather one in which each side tries to sway the third force to its side. If the forces of good are able to succeed in bringing those in the middle over to their side, the two of them together will overcome evil. But of course the opposite can also be true, Heaven forbid. 

During the next ten generations, from Noach until the Patriarch Avraham, each of the three powers found its place among Noach's three sons: Shem took the banner of the straight and good; Ḥam adopted that which is bad and impure; and Yefet was the intermediary force, blessed by his father accordingly: "May G-d enhance Yefet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem" (9,27).  

The Hashmonaim and the Greeks 

The Torah tells us (10,2) that Yavan (Greece) is descended from Yefet, the intermediary force between purity and impurity. The pious try to eat only when they and the food are pure, but even food that has become defiled is permitted for consumption. Yavan stands for the power of "regular food" - human thought, philosophy, all that shows the greatness of mortal wisdom. Sometimes, human thought joins up with sanctity and dwells in the tents of Shem, and sometimes it descends to the pits of impurity, leading to the ruination of that which is holy. 

When the Greeks rose to power, they chose to descend upon the latter path and join with the forces of evil, of Ḥam. They therefore warred with those who continued the path of Shem – Israel – and defiled all that was sacred. The coalition of intermediary and evil nearly defeated the holy. Many throughout the Jewish Nation were drawn to the immorality of Greek culture.  

But the evil did not reach the highest point of holiness in Israel, and the family of priests, led by the High Priest, remained untouched by the impurity: A flask of oil with the seal of the High Priest was saved – and from it Israel drew its strength to spread its light of purity. The light was increased, and gradually all of Israel was restored and returned to the Beit HaMikdash. Miraculously, the Menorah was lit for eight full days, one day after the other, until purity returned to the Nation of Israel.  

Good and Bad Coalitions 

We are witness today to a great empowering of a force that threatens to swallow everything. Nothing seems to stand in its way as it seeks to trample, expel, and destroy "every good portion" in its path. The non-holy powers that exist in Israel – science, academia, technology, integrity, basic ethics – all these should join up with the holiness in Israel, and together build a country on healthy and worthy foundations.  

Unfortunately, however, the median forces joined up with those of evil in many cases and allowed themselves to totally deteriorate. [Regarding the case of Israel's withdrawal from Gush Katif, which ultimately led to the recent Simchat Torah massacre and subsequent war in Gaza,] the courts that were responsible for basic morality abandoned their post and "legalized" the expulsion of thousands of families from their homes. The academic and media worlds were similarly silent in the face of this injustice, which was allowed to take place with barely a protest from these bastions of democracy. 

Here must come the forces of holiness and rise up with confidence and sense of mission to take up the mantle of leadership. They must attract and draw to them the positive forces that are certainly to be found among the "secular" public.  

The joining up together of holy and secular forces, with the holy leading the way, can and will ultimately shed its light on the negative forces found within our nation. Together, the two will succeed in neutralizing the poison of the evil elements and return them as well to the chain of positive action, to build and not destroy, to plant and not uproot.  

The nation walking in darkness will see great light!

Translated by Hillel Fendel.