Shalom, what is the real miracle of Hanukkah? You see from this tie. We have got dreidels there and at the bottom we have got a menorah. Both of them talk about the essence of Hanukkah, a miracle. And on the dreidel, the great miracle happened here or if you are in Israel there. The menorah the tomic says is the basis of a miracle. But what is the real miracle?
On my video about the truth of Hanukkah, I explained the history of how it evolved that we have this story about oil lasting eight days. Eight days, but I want to talk about a different dimension of it. Now I want to talk specifically about three issues that are contemporary times that indicate to us the significance of the miracle. The miracle was not the oil. The miracle was that the small groups of people were able to fight of the Assyrian Greek army. Which are the greatest army in the world and they could achieve political and religious freedom.
There is no story in the history of human kind that is as powerful as story about religious and political freedom. Except maybe the Exodus from Egypt which causes the heart of what cynicism is and what the country of America is and so many people that yearn for freedom. And so as we reflect on the story of Hanukkah, we think about the power of this idea. For Israel, it is clearly a significance to where. Because this is the only the third time Jewish we have had the state of Israel. After 2000 years of yearning. And the state of Israel was a smaller group of people who are able to fight off the hoards that try to destroy it before it even got of the ground. And that is a huge miracle of modern time. In fact the Jewish people celebrate that with a miracle. When we have Israel Independence Day, we say Hillel the sounds of praise. We have special liturgy. It is a miracle of modern times. And America, what was the basis of America? The whole basis of America was yearning for political and religious independence from the British Empire. So Hanukkah goes to the heart of that story too. That is the great miracle. That is why we like this menorah, to remind us of the importance of political and religious freedom.
Now, what happens in this week? To indicate how significant and important this is again. Well three things. First of all, the American intelligence community came out with that is supposedly Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons. Now Israel knows that hogwash. President Bush knows that is hogwash. And I posted on my blog RabbiReflectsblogspot.com, reports from Carol and Glick, reports from John Bolton, reports Allen Dershowitz, just a few of the many who understand the fatal floors of that report. If we do not take Iran seriously, when the President of Iran says there is no holocaust and the president of Iran says we are going to destroy Israel and we know they have nuclear ambitions. Do anybody really and hey have measles now that can reach Israel that soon have measles that can reach the United States. Is it prudent to believe these unintelligent, intelligent reports? And so, that is the very first issue of the importance of the Hanukkah story of political and religious freedom. They do not want the Jewish people or the United States of America. They have political freedom. They have religious freedom to even be alive. So that is issue number one.
Issue number two is our people’s problem. It was widely reported in the press two weeks ago. That the former chief Spartic Rabbi of Israel and a class on Shabbat, said there was group, which got out to the press. That he was invited to a Briss. A circumcision, but he would not go because on the third floor of the building in the first two floors he had reformed a conservative synagogue and to walk by them to this orthodox synagogue for the Briss with walking trough the wafts of hell. Now that is what he thinks about what we do. And that, imagine of that kind of attitude got power in Israel. It has to be corralled and controlled in corner, that very dangerous. It is important know that the Macabee’s after they achieve victory were not very nice people. They were not political and religious freedom salvage for their own selves. For people that did not found Jewish ways the way they wanted to, they persecuted. Perhaps it is time resurrect that idea about them. Because the modern times, the greatest threat we face is from religious elites like Iran like this guy in a chief form or chief started Rabbi of Israel.
And the third is our own country here in America and the dangers. I am talking specifically about this current election. Now I have no problems, even angelicas. In fact unlike a lot of Rabbi’s, I understand the strategic importance. The support of the state of Israel and I love the fact that they care so much about Israel security. But on the issue right now, who is going to be president? This idea that on CNN and the republican CNN Google interview, a Fellican can stand up and hold up a new test and say, “all I want to know is do you believe every single word of this bible? That is all we need to know”. And when Mitt Romney has to give a speech, basically cow towering to them, that I do not care if he thinks that Jesus is the savior, a lot of people do it. We have no problem with that, but when he has to scow tow to them it was a brilliant editorial in New York Times from Saturday up add column about this, a New York Times do not regular editorial about this. It is a very scary thing. It is as if he forgot about Thomas Jefferson wanting to write the constitution to protect religious liberty and the firm statements in constitutions saying “No religion should be elevated over any other”. And President Washington’s promise to the Jewish community that Jews will always find sanction here. And when Senator McClain in running can say this is a Christian country. It is not a Christian country, it is not. It is a country where a lot of different kinds of religions live here in harmony and full existence and peace. So from all points of view, from the Iranian issue to the Chief Spartic Rabbi of Israel, to the concern about the fundamentalist that dictate who is the candidate base on their religious beliefs, now those are all very scary. So the true miracle of Hanukkah is religious and political freedom.
Why this menorah has got to burn brightly to say to the world that we must live in freedom, we must live in peace. The prophet say that the messiah will be at time when everyone lives under there own fighting victory and no one shall make them afraid. That is the miracle of Hanukkah.
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