The Center of the Hasmonean Revolt

Jerusalem is the center of the world         Midrash Tanhuma, Kedoshim 10

Essentially, the planet Earth is a sphere. On a ball, any point can be considered the center, depending upon how the ball is held. This, explains Maharal of Prague, is exactly our Sages’ intention: we must make Jerusalem the center of our world.

This point, in a nutshell, underlies the Ḥanukka story. The Greeks understood the centrality of Jerusalem, and specifically of the Temple, as the Midrash continues: “and the Temple is the center of Jerusalem” to Jews and Judaism, and realizide that turning the Temple into their pagan temple was the best way they could dominate the Jewish People. Fortunately, Matityahu and his five sons understood the point equally well.

Judah Maccabee fought four battles against the Greeks before ascending to Jerusalem to purify and rededicate the Temple. The battles were fought for control of the roads to the Holy City, and the battlegrounds are all within thirty kilometers (approximately twenty miles) of Jerusalem.  Once Judah demonstrated that he is master of the roads, he was ready to enter and liberate Jerusalem.

Our Sages consistently teach that the destiny of Jerusalem is to unite the Jewish People. The Hasmonean revolt came about through the unity of a single Jewish family, that of Matityahu and his sons. In effect, the Hasmoneans harnessed their unity to liberate Jerusalem and the Temple. (It is significant, as well, that the Hasmonean kingdom ended as a result of civil war.)

If we take the supreme importance of the unity of the People of Israel as one of the lessons of Ḥanukka, the holiday has within its power to hasten the ultimate redemption of Jerusalem and the dedication of the Third Temple.