In somewhat uncharacteristic fashion, the Rambam begins his discussion of the laws of the Hanukkah by giving some historical background:

משנה תורה - ספר זמנים - הלכות מגילה וחנוכה

ג,א  בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי כְּשֶׁמָּלְכוּ יָוָן, גָּזְרוּ גְּזֵרוֹת עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבִטְּלוּ דָּתָם, וְלֹא הִנִּיחוּ אוֹתָם לַעְסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִּצְווֹת; וּפָשְׁטוּ יָדָם בִּמְמוֹנָם, וּבִבְנוֹתֵיהֶם; וְנִכְנְסוּ לַהֵיכָל, וּפָרְצוּ בּוֹ פְּרָצוֹת, וְטִמְּאוּ הַטְּהָרוֹת.  וְצַר לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל מְאוֹד מִפְּנֵיהֶם, וּלְחָצוּם לַחַץ גָּדוֹל, עַד שֶׁרִחַם עֲלֵיהֶם אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וְהוֹשִׁיעָם מִיָּדָם.  וְגָבְרוּ בְּנֵי חַשְׁמֻנַּאי הַכּוֹהֲנִים הַגְּדוֹלִים, וַהֲרָגוּם וְהוֹשִׁיעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיָּדָם; וְהִעְמִידוּ מֶלֶךְ מִן הַכּוֹהֲנִים, וְחָזְרָה מַלְכוּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יָתֵר עַל מָאתַיִם שָׁנָה--עַד הֶחָרְבָּן הַשֵּׁנִי

Mishne Torah - Order of Times - Laws of Megillah and Hanukkah

In [the era of] the Second Temple, the Greek kingdom issued decrees against the Jewish people, [attempting to] nullify their faith and refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and its commandments. They extended their hands against their property and their daughters; they entered the Sanctuary, wrought havoc within, and made the sacraments impure. The Jews suffered great difficulties from them, for they oppressed them greatly until the God of our ancestors had mercy upon them, delivered them from their hand, and saved them. The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame [them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand. They appointed a king from the priests, and sovereignty returned to Israel for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Second Temple.

I find the last line of the Rambam particularly perplexing. Why does he end his description of the Hanukkah victory in such an anticlimactic fashion? He could have simply concluded with the Hashmonaim having saved the Jews from the Assyrian Greeks. Why does he mention the sovereignty being returned to Israel, limited to a couple hundred years, followed by the destruction of the Temple?

Rav Soloveitchik points out that if the United States were to fall, we would no longer celebrate the 4th of July (Soloveitchik, 2007). Indeed there are a number of holidays listed in Megillat Ta’anit (see Rosh Hashanah 18b-19b) which were nullified after the destruction of the Temple. But Hannukah and Purim remain extant and observed to this day. There must be something timeless and universal in these days that necessitated their perpetuation, even in our modern context absent the Temple. Perhaps that Rambam is drawing out attention to the fact that while the military victory was worthy of celebration, its effects were not everlasting.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch – “Hellenism and Judaism” in Collected Writings Vol. 2 p.200

The festivities of these days reflect the values they seek to perpetuate. Rejoicing and banquets on Purim signify the miraculous chain of events which saved the people from physical destruction. The silent beam of friendly lights relates the victory of light over darkness and tell of the “pure” Menorah’s rescue from the clutches of Greek corruption. Chanukah recounts the rededication of the Sanctuary which had been despoiled by the Greeks. The celebration of the eight-day Feast of Light recalls the victorious survival of the Sanctuary, not the courage of the Maccabees. It does not commemorate the liberation of the Jewish homeland from the grip of enemy hands; it hails the never-ending power of the Jewish Light and of the Jewish Sanctuary.

Rav Hirsch notably deemphasizes the military victory. We have had many military victories in our more than three thousand year history as a people. They do not warrant a timeless holiday. It is the spiritual component of the Hanukkah victory that has relevance throughout the ages.

The Rambam mentions the military victory, and does give credit to the Hashmonaim. But he first mentions that “the God of our ancestors had mercy upon them, delivered them from their hand, and saved them”. He then continues, “The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame [them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand”. Hashem’s involvement is central and contextualizes the political and military successes. This is similar to a message received by the prophet Zecharia.

זכריה - פרק ד

א) וַיָּשָׁב, הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי; וַיְעִירֵנִי, כְּאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר-יֵעוֹר מִשְּׁנָתוֹ. ב( וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, מָה אַתָּה רֹאֶה; ויאמר (וָאֹמַר) רָאִיתִי וְהִנֵּה מְנוֹרַת זָהָב כֻּלָּהּ וְגֻלָּהּ עַל-רֹאשָׁהּ, וְשִׁבְעָה נֵרֹתֶיהָ עָלֶיהָ--שִׁבְעָה וְשִׁבְעָה מוּצָקוֹת, לַנֵּרוֹת אֲשֶׁר עַל-רֹאשָׁהּ.  ג) וּשְׁנַיִם זֵיתִים, עָלֶיהָ: אֶחָד מִימִין הַגֻּלָּה, וְאֶחָד עַל-שְׂמֹאלָהּ. ד) וָאַעַן, וָאֹמַר, אֶל-הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי, לֵאמֹר:  מָה-אֵלֶּה, אֲדֹנִי. ה) וַיַּעַן הַמַּלְאָךְ הַדֹּבֵר בִּי, וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, הֲלוֹא יָדַעְתָּ, מָה-הֵמָּה אֵלֶּה; וָאֹמַר, לֹא אֲדֹנִי. ו) וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי, לֵאמֹר, זֶה דְּבַר-יְהוָה, אֶל-זְרֻבָּבֶל לֵאמֹר:  לֹא בְחַיִל, וְלֹא בְכֹחַ--כִּי אִם-בְּרוּחִי, אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת. ז) מִי-אַתָּה הַר-הַגָּדוֹל לִפְנֵי זְרֻבָּבֶל, לְמִישֹׁר; וְהוֹצִיא, אֶת-הָאֶבֶן הָרֹאשָׁה--תְּשֻׁאוֹת, חֵן חֵן לָהּ.

Zecharia Chapter 4

1) And the angel who spoke with me returned, and he awakened me as a man who wakes up from his sleep. 2) And he said to me, "What do you see?" And I said, "I saw, and behold [there was] a candelabrum all of gold, with its oil-bowl on top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; seven tubes each to the lamps that were on top of it. 3) And [there were] two olive trees near it; one on the right of the bowl, and one on its left. 4) So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, "What are these, my lord?” 5) And the angel who spoke with me answered, and he said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord.” 6) And he answered and spoke to me, saying, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts. 7) Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you sink to a plain! He will bring out the stone of the main architect, with shouts of grace, grace to it."

Zecharia is shown a vision of the future. But he finds it incomprehensible. He is prompted by God to view his vision in a different context. It is not a result of only human courage and strength. But it is orchestrated by the Spirit of the Almighty.

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik – “The Everlasting Hanukkah” in Days of Deliverance p.140

“What does the prophecy mean? In the Second Temple period, the Jews will develop a new sort of bravery, of self-worth, a new feeling of pride and importance that will not express itself in the political-military domain, the realm of the profane, as much as in the relgio-spiritual domain, the realm of the sacred. They will develop so strong a belief and stubbornness that through this bravery they will become an eternal people. This type of bravery is far more important than politico-military victories…If this bravery exists, political freedom will develop as a consequence. This bravery can vanquish the greatest hardships. Zechariah’s menorah is the Jewish eternal light, the everlasting Hanukkah that we celebrate.”

References

Hirsch, S. R., Rabbi Dr. Joseph Breuer Foundation., & Samson Raphael Hirsch Publications Society. (1997). The collected writings. New York: P. Feldheim.

Rosenberg, A. (1980). A new English translation of the Hebrew Bible text and Rashi, with a commentary digest. New York: Judaica Press. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/

Soloveitchik, J. D., Clark, E. D., Wolowelsky, J. B., & Ziegler, R. (2007). Days of deliverance: Essays on Purim and Hanukkah. New York: Published for the Toras HoRav Foundation by KTAV Pub. House.

Maimonides, M., Touger, E., Kaplan, B., Abramson, Z., & Silverstein, S. (2007). Mishneh Torah. New York: Moznaim Pub. Retrieved from: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/682956/jewish/Mishneh-Torah.htm

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