It all began with Mesirut Nefesh (giving up one’s life for Hashem/putting one’s life
at risk for Hashem). The brave daughter of Yochanan put her life at risk, and
that is what began the entire Rebellion of the Maccabim agains the Greeks.
How does the story break down? As said in
previous Halachot/CLDs, the Greeks made an evil decree that each virgin bride (pure
Bat Yisrael) would have to be escorted to a Greek minister after the Chupa and
then returned to her Chatan hours later. Hashem yaazor!
Imagine your sister, your cousin or your aunt
is at her wedding and all of a sudden U.S. National Guards walk in and say they
must take away the bride for a couple of hours to ‘dwell’ in the city’s counsel
leader’s home and then she will be returned. How devastated would the entire
Jewish community be?! Take it a step further. How would you feel if on YOUR
wedding night you would be raped by some government official?!
This is exactly
what happened in the time of Chanukah! But what was different about Yochanan’s
daughter? On her wedding night she tore off her dress and her beautiful Kalah
garments and once in a lifetime accessories. She stood completely nude in front
of the entire Kahal (audience/wedding guests) and yelled at her brothers: Are
you embarrassed by my actions now?! Why aren’t you embarrassed WHEN IN 30
MINUTES THEY WILL COME TO TAKE ME AND RAPE ME?! (Intense, right?!) The brothers
wanted to kill the sister for completely ruining the family name and causing
all of them to sin by looking at her.
Instead the brothers got a shock of
purity in their hearts and realized they need to act quickly. They formed a
group of brave men in the name of Hashem to fight off the Greeks. These
brothers later came to be known Matityahu the Cohen and the Maccabim
(Hashmonaim)! This story for the Midrash is the foundation of Chanukah. Besides
for the Mesirut Nefesh Yochanan’s daughter showed Am Yisrael, she also shows us
how the foundation of the Jewish people is the Kedusha (purity) and where we
let our sisters, daughters, and cousins go.
The Geula (redemption & Mashiach) rests in Bnot Yisrael’s
hands (the women of Israel). What are you doing about it?
Judaism=Think.
CHANUKAH SAMEACH & CHODESH TOV!
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