People experiencing major historical events rarely comprehend their ultimate outcome or their profound impact on future generations. Many might not even recognize they're living through history in the making. When the Hasmonean revolt began, nothing suggested it would lead to the establishment of the Hasmonean kingdom and nearly eight decades of political independence – the last such period until Israel's founding in the 20th century.
When the Hasmonean uprising erupted in 167 BCE in response to Antiochus's religious persecution, none of Mattathias' sons could have predicted how the revolt would unfold – not in the immediate term, and certainly not in the years to follow. Their military triumphs over the Seleucid armies defied all odds. Though Judah Maccabee commanded only a small force against larger, professionally trained armies, victories mounted steadily.
During their early successes against Apollonius, their triumph over Seron at Beth Horon, and the decisive win against Gorgias at Emmaus, Judah's warriors likely never imagined they were forging a religious legacy that would resonate through Jewish history. The Temple's purification and miracle of the cruse of oil occurred roughly three and a half years after the initial uprising.
Yet even after the Temple's rededication – which would establish Hanukkah's lasting date – the Maccabees likely couldn't foresee the sweeping changes ahead. Much like today's resurgent antisemitism, the Maccabees' successes triggered hostility and anti-Jewish sentiment among neighboring peoples where Jews lived as minorities.
The Maccabees soon found themselves launching defensive campaigns to protect Jewish communities across Edom, Jordan, Gilad, and the Galilee. Like Israel today, they had to divide their forces across multiple fronts. Through these efforts, the Hasmonean kingdom gradually emerged.
"Israel now finds itself in the middle, or perhaps only at the start, of a historic transformation many describe as biblical in scale. While we sense its magnitude, recent months have shown how unpredictable such moments can be, even in the shortest timeframe – a mere blink in historical terms. Just three months ago, the landscape looked entirely different: Hezbollah maintained its command structure under Hassan Nasrallah, Iran held its land bridge to Lebanon through Syria, and Yahya Sinwar, who orchestrated the Oct. 7, 2023 atrocities, remained at large.
Behind these forces stood a superpower led by a democratic administration, with many members hostile to Israel, primarily concerned with preventing a decisive Israeli victory. No one could have predicted our current position after such dramatic shifts across all fronts.
In this brief period, we've seen Nasrallah and Sinwar eliminated, front-line connections severed, Hezbollah and Hamas leadership structures critically weakened, Assad's regime collapse, Iran's land corridor cut, and Israel establish a security zone in Syria. In Washington, the most pro-Israel Republican administration in history prepares to take office. While an Israeli strike on Iran seemed uncertain months ago, now it's simply a matter of when.
We're living through a historical watershed whose outcome remains unknown. It is our duty to transform this moment into a historic turning point that will profoundly and positively shape generations to come.
Happy Hanukkah.
