Rabbi Y L Hacohen Maimon
Swordsman and Book Were Bound Together
Tirat Zvi Newsletter, Chanukah 5735
The Hasmonean War was a war of command and duty.
Not to conquer lands but rather to expel the conqueror; not to trespass the borders of others, but rather to save the remainder of an innocent people who had been robbed by strangers; and if there was ever a battle of a Guenon and a shadow, of a Guenon and predators, who did not know about the badge of law and moral restraint – that was the Hasmonean war!
And if there was ever a nation who had treasures to safeguard in the dark of the night, not treasures of shares, precious stones and gold, but rather treasures of the soul, collections of the soul and qualities of the spirit – that was the Hasmoneans! And indeed the Maccabees safeguarded for the Hasmoneans the treasure of Israel and its spiritual assets when they fought by risking their own lives for their country and state; the swordsman and the book were bound with them, and long live the sword in defence of the Hebrew nation, and the book – to reinforce the Israeli religion.
This is the image of the radiance of the defenders of that people and its heroes in those days and in the light of whom we should also walk in this time too.