Festivals/Commentary:  CHANUKAH:  A TALE OF TWO VISIONS

by Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen


                  The following article is reprinted from the Root &
                  Branch Information Services (http://www.rb.org.il)


Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen is the author of "The Universal Jew," published by
Feldheim, and serves as the editor of the Shema Yisrael web site:  "Hazon -
Our Universal Vision".


JERUSALEM, D.C. (David's Capital), Yom Sheini (Second Day - "Monday"), 27
Kislev, 5759, (December 6, 1999), Root & Branch:  At a memorial meeting at
Hebrew University for the Israeli poet Uri Tzvi Greenberg -- also known as
"Atzag" -- Prime Minister Ehud Barak spoke the following words:

"I believe, having been a soldier most of my adult life, that we must leave
no stone unturned in the search for peace.  Otherwise, we will never be
able to look our children in the eye and say we did everything to better
their future.  But like Atzag, I believe that only Jewish defense forces
can ensure our eternal existence.  We trust in ourselves and not in others
and not to the mercy of heaven -- ourselves, our strength, our power, our
soldiers and our commanders of the Israel Defense Forces."

(Cited in the article "Unison in Poetry" by Bunny Alexandroni in "In
Jerusalem", Jerusalem Post, Oct. 22, 1999)

There is an alternative vision of what "ensures our eternal existence"
which was proclaimed by the Prophet Zechariah, and which we read on the
Shabbat of Chanukah.

The Prophet Zechariah is shown a vision of a menorah, and an angel of God
proclaims to the prophet the deeper meaning of this vision:

"This is the word of God to Zerubabel (a builder of the Second Temple ),
saying, 'Not through an army and not through strength, but through My
spirit, said the God of the hosts of creation'".
[Zechariah 4:6]

Dr. Mendel Hirsch cites the following explanation of his father, Rabbi
Samson Raphael Hirsch, on the above verse:

"Let every human circle know, every individual person, even the outwardly
weakest and smallest, that as soon as he is penetrated with My Spirit, and
thereby places himself in the service of justice, brotherly love, and holy
living, he has the strength of giants in accomplishing his work".

(The Hirsch Commentary on the Haftoroth/Prophetic Readings for Sabbath and
Festivals)

May Ha-Rachaman, the Compassionate One, help each of us and all of us to
renew our true strength.

Shalom, and a Good Chanukah,


Yosef Ben Shlomo Hakohen

***********************************************************************