Friday, November 30, 1945
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Page Three
A CHANUKAH MESSAGE FOR OUR TIMES
1
(Continued from Page 1)
spoiled his subjugated peoples of
every vestige of economic and
political liberty, but decided to
enforce a common religion and
a uniform depraved Syrian-Greek
culture throughout his Empire,
including Judaea. It was a long
and uneven battle with the grim
brutalities of a powerful and
ruthless enemy without, and a
fierce struggle with cowardly
and servile collaborators within,
who only too easily succumbed
to the glitter and blandishments
of the deified tyrant, and bowed
down to the vulgar idols of the
market-place. But Mattathias, a
truly regal and majestic figure,
and his sons refused to surren-
der their religious autonomy, and
openly rebelled against the cruel
authority of Antiochus. In an
imperial voice, full of terrible
wrath in presence of evil and
religious persecution, Old Matta-
thias uttered •.words, brimming
with passionate devotion and
loyalty to God and full of com-
manding dignity which were car-
ried forth by all the winds that
blow: "Though all the nations
that are in the King's dominion
obey him, and fall away every
one from the religion of their
fathers, and give consent to his
commandments: Yet will I and
my sons and my brethren walk
in the covenant of our fathers.
God forbid that we should for-
sake the law and the ordinanc-
es." Like armies these words
marched to battle and steeled
faithful Jewish hearts in their
determination to resist the fierce
attack of the enemy on their re-
ligion and fired them with en-
thusiasm in their equally fierce
defense of their Jewish way of
life.
Mattathias' stroke at Antio-
chus' commissioner at Modin ini-
tiated the Maccabean revolt.
The Maccabean uprising marks
a milestone in the long and ter-
rible march of Democracy. For
here we no longer deal with dy-
nastic struggles, nor with mili-
tant rivalries in which the Jews
themselves had little concern.
We are faced by a conflict of
ideals which has persisted down
to our day. It was a rebellion of
the free spirit against despot-
ism, the first courageous attempt
to resist and repudiate spiritual
servitude, the first organized
collective action for the princi-
ple of religious liberty. The mil-
itary genius and dauntless spir-
it of the Maccabees, notably Ju-
das Maccabeas, carried little Ju-
daea to victories never dreamed
of before. And there are per-
haps no more surprises left for
the children of men like that
bright astonishment with which
the inhabitants of Palestine,
overshadowed in numbers, learn-
ed of the military triumph which
Judas had won over the dom-
inant forces of their Syrian op-
pressors.
the present age is a moral and
ethical one. Every problem pre-
sented to us in the difficult task
Chanukah, which means dedica- A new era has dawned; but it of reconstruction, is in the last
tion, or "re-dedication."
presages crucial and testing days, analysis, an ethical problem. If
Chanukah thus provides us days filled with heart-searching security, prosperity and an en-
with a view, an interpretation responsibilities and demanding during peace are to be achieved
of victory which is as yet imper- the utmost fidelity to the ethi- by the stricken nations, both
fectly recognized in our times, cal principles of Justice, magna-
small and great, the divisive
namely, that the resort to arms, nimity and cooperation, if we
forces of political provocation,
unavoidable and essential as it
economic strangulation and so-
at times is, never can be the are to avert another catastrophe,
cial and religious discrimina-
too
horrible
to
contemplate,
if
ultimate principle upon which
tion must give way to the heal-
society rests. Force alone cannot we are to lift the specter of an
ing moral influences of mutual
serve as an ultimate ethic. Vic- atomic cataclysm now hanging
concern for the welfare of all
tory itself is but a negative con-
over the world. There are tre- inhabitants of the earth. The
dition. The ultimate principle mendous obstacles to be over-
choice of roads lies before us.
which will and can lead to a come: conflicting claims to ter-
The ways of dictatorial rule, of
better society and a happier ritory, inveterate national jeal-
power politics, of military and
mankind is the foundation of ousies, ingrained habits of au-
competitive armaments and of
Justice and right, the idea so tocracy, rivalry for markets, col-
precarious alliances have all been
eloquently stated and summariz- onies and military bases, conflict-
tried and have led to disaster
ed by the prophet Zechariah, ing ideologies and constant
and tragedy. Now we must set
whose sublime words we read strains on the war-born unity
our feet resolutely on the path
during the Sabbath of Chanu- of the United Nations. The prob-
first trod by the brave Macca-
kah; "Not by power, not by lems are simply stupendous and
bees, the road of religious res-
might, but by My Spirit, saith will tax our moral wisdom and
toration, moral recovery and
the Lord."
courage during the days that lie ethical redemption. No other
How meaningful are these ahead.
road, Chanukah suggests, can
words, and how relevant to the
In a word, the challenge of lead to peace.
many deep and tortuous prob-
lems now confronting the world!
We have emerged from the most
terrible of all wars. Victory has
CHANUKAH GREETINGS TO ALL!
finally come. But let us not be
deceived into confusing military
During the past 24 years we have made it possible for
victory with peace. Victory is
our hundreds of patrons to enjoy Perwein's
The year 165 B.C.E. stands
out, therefore, as a year glori-
ous in the annals of Judaea, one
indeed of the world. For had
the Seleucids overwhelmed the
Maccabees in the Beth-horon
pass or at Beth-zur, the whole
aspect of human history would
have been different. The great
literary and religious documents
of the Bible would have been
forgotten; the splendid, lofty and
sonorous utterances of the great
prophets would have been silenc-
but the opportunity for peace.
ed, the moral earnestness and
matchless spiritual insights of
some of our best Psalms and
A Joyous Holiday
the books of the Maccabean age
would have never come into be-
To All Jewry!
ing; and needless to say, but for
the Maccabean victories Chris-
tianity and Mohammedanism
would have been impossible.
Yet, however odd it may ap-
pear on the face of it, Jewish
tradition is strangely silent con-
cerning the military prowess and
victory of the Maccabees, but
8438 Harper
focusses attention upon the re-
PLAZA 6751
sults, the outcome of that mo-
mentous struggle which led
to the re-dedication of the
Temple and opened up new pos-
sibilities and opportunities for
the Jew to think for himself
and to worship God and His pur-
poses in accordance with the Tal-
mud (Sabbath 21b), where the
official story of Chanukah is re-
corded, and is suggested by the
very name given to the festival,
famous Cakes and Pastries
We
Use Pure Ingredients Only
•
FONTANA
BROS.
MADISON 6569, 6870
9144 TWELFTH STREET
Branch: Neumann's Market, 25 E. Grand River
COFFEE CAKE OUR SPECIALTY
CHANUKAH
GREETINGS
• With deep gratitude in our hearts
Heartiest Greetings
For Chanukah
• With hopeful prayers on our lips
• With thanks for the opportunities in America.
•
HOTEL BOOK-CADILLAC
DETROIT, MICH.
BUY VICTORY BONDS :—:
scores again .2aged.in
sealed.in flavor"
ALTES
LAGER
THE UNITED DAIRIES
Wishes to express their
appreciation for the loyal
patronage of the many
thousands of Jewish
customers we have
been privileged
to serve
and
extend our sincerest wishes for
HEALTH, HAPPINESS
and SECURITY
May Yours Be a
Joyous Chanukah
UNITED DAIRIES. Inc.
Listen to
KAY LORRAINE
America's
flinging
Sweetheart
TUESDAY/
THURSDAY
10JR 6:30 P. M.
(E. S. T.)
consrer I143 rmu IMIIIWG cowrur
4055 PURITAN
U Niversity 1-2800