[Avodah] Yom ha'atma'us etc.

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 09:31:03PM +0300, Michael Makovi wrote:
: My Rav Kookish rabbi said, "150+ of those years were Tzadukim, and yet
: we celebrate Jewish independence!" (Notice the connection to today's
: rulers?)

RASoloveitchik pointed out the Rambam at the beginning of Hilkhos Chanukah
(3:1) which lists the things that Chanukah is about:
    vegavru benei Chashmonai hakohanim hagedolim
    vehargum,
    vehoshiu yisrael miyadam,
    vehe'emidu melekh min hakohanim,
    vechazrah malkhus leYisrael yeser al masayim shanah --
    ad hachurban hasheni.

The Rambam makes a point of telling you the malkhus was /never/ kehalakhah
even from the beginning, and yet part of Chanukah is celebrating having
the autonomy we did.

RAS then went on to show the connection between Chanukah and Sukkos
(as seen by Beis Shammai assuming that the paros of mussaf for Sukkos
should indicate how to light neiros, as well as seifer haMacabiim), both
are about geir vetoshav, discuss at length what geir vetoshav means,
why this associated Chanukah with bayis sheini and qidshah le'asid lavo,
and finally his opinion on the then-recent (months old) Oslo agreement.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 23rd day, which is
micha at aishdas.org        3 weeks and 2 days in/toward the omer.
http://www.aishdas.org   Gevurah sheb'Netzach: How does my domination
Fax: (270) 514-1507                            stifle others?