If my memory serves me right, when someone was challenged to a duel, the choice of the dueling weapon was determined by the challenged party. What happens when the rules are not honored? One has no choice but to fight by any means necessary to survive.
We have always recognized two forms of conflict, ideological and physical. Indeed, our forefather Isaac declared, “the voice is the voice of Jacob, while the hands are the hands of Esau.” As descendants of Jacob, our weapon of choice has always been our voice. We will happily debate with anyone who wishes to discuss something intellectually, emotionally, philosophically, or spiritually. We prefer using ideas rather than instruments of war.
For many years the Greek (Hellenists) fought with the Jewish people in the arena of ideas. We were challenged to the duel, and this was our weapon of choice. At some point, they decided to break the rules and switch to a fight with “hands.” As unbalanced as it was, what with their tens of thousands of trained warriors, advanced weaponry, war elephants and more, with G-d’s help, the Maccabees experienced a miraculous victory of the few over the many and the weak over the mighty. What followed was the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days.
Yet when it came time to commemorate the miracles of Chanukah, our sages opted to focus on our weapon of choice, light. Our Chanukah observance focuses primarily on the miracle of the oil – the light. Certainly, we reference the miraculous victory in our passages of praise and thanksgiving. But the Mitzvah of Chanukah is all about light.
We fight if we have to, but that is not who we are. Today again, we have been challenged and forced to go against our weapon of choice, to fight for our survival. Jacob has been coerced to take up the hands of Esau. We long for the day when “the swords will be transformed into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.”
Even as we are forced to fight, what we celebrate are victories of the spirit. We celebrate the light.
Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanukah!
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin