The Medresh at the beginning of the book of Berieshis says that the word ‘darkness’ used to describe the world prior to creation; is a specific reference to the exile of the Jewish people at the hands of the Greeks at the time of the Chanukah story, because they ‘darkened’ the eyes the Jewish people with their wicked decrees.
The Medresh continues to elaborate on the darkness the Greeks brought upon the Jews, and explains that the Greeks would say to the Jewish people, the following cryptic statement: “Write on the horn of an ox that you no longer have any connection with the G-d of Israel!”,
What does this mean? Which ox? And which horn? And why do they no longer have a relationship with Hashem?
The answer explains the Or Gedalyohu, is that the essence of the decrees of the Greeks against the Jewish people at the time, was an effort to drive a wedge between the Jewish people and their father in heaven, defying what makes us the ‘chosen’ nation.
They did so by forbidding us to do the mitzvahs that most clearly pronounce the uniqueness of the Jewish people, and their very special relation with Hashem
But the greatest and most powerful expression of this, was how they taunted the Jews by saying to them “write upon the horn of an ox that you no longer have any connection with the G-d of Israel” making reference to the sin of the Golden Calf (Ox) – perhaps the greatest sin in Jewish History. Just a short time after having ‘seen’ Hashem at mount Sinai when Moshe didn’t return, they served the Golden Calf.
A sin that Hashem promised would be remembered for eternity, an indication that this time they had gone too far and they had actually lost the unique status of the ‘Chosen’ Nation. Those words “you no longer have any connection with the G-d of Israel” sounded truer than ever before!
This was the most hurtful thing they could possibly say, as the saying goes: ‘The truth hurts!’. They touched on something that seemed to have a kernel of truth within.
But it goes a little deeper, says the Or Gedalyohu: the essence of the sin of the Golden Calf was that the Jewish people asked to have an intermediary between themselves and Hashem – revealing that this was how they perceived Moshe. Seemingly requesting to be distant from Hashem. This being the case, what the Greeks said served as an ever greater insult to the Jewish people at the time.
This statement caused a terrible despair and reflected the mood of the Jewish people at the time, and was the cause for the Jews to no longer strive to become close to their Creator, and instead they befriended and began to become Hellenists like their Greek neighbours.
There is no greater type of darkness a person can endure, than having the feeling that Hashem has forsaken him and no longer wants to have a relationship with him. This is the true meaning “they darkened the eyes of Jews with their decrees”.
The ultimate truth is, that there is nothing that a Jew could do even in his worst moments that would cause Hashem to say the He no longer wants to have a connection with him.
The Greeks at the time of Chanukah – motivated by the great jealousy they had against us – went to the greatest lengths to prove to us that we are not befitting to be the chosen nation. Thoughts like this emanate from our enemies outside, and often from our enemies within – our evil inclination tempts us with this thinking every single day!
We need to internalize the ultimate truth that we remain the chosen nation through thick and thin, however ‘dirty’ we maybe Hashem loves us and we remain precious and special to him.
Good Shabbos, Happy Chanukah,
Shmuel