From David to Maccabees, Jewish resilience proves Israel endures as enemies celebrate briefly, then collapse.
A light, playful D’var Torah was meant for Hanukkah—an anachronistic debate about whether ancient tyrants opposed Judaism or Jewish sovereignty. But the murderous assault at Bondi Beach, unleashed as the Festival began, rendered humor obscene. When Jews are attacked while celebrating light, clarity replaces cleverness.
This Hanukkah delivered a brutal answer: so-called “anti-Zionism” repeatedly manifests as violence against Jews. As families mourn, the Jewish world does not need semantic games; it needs moral truth.
King David’s Psalm 30, recited daily during Hanukkah, bears a puzzling title—A Song for the Dedication of the House—yet speaks not of walls or sacrifices. As Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch explains, it chronicles the full arc of human life: pain and healing, descent and ascent. The Temple symbolized God dwelling among us; Jewish life sanctifies every experience by drawing nearer to Him.
David’s opening line can be read not only as rescue, but as refinement: even in deprivation, Israel praises God—because our enemies are denied enduring joy. Jewish suffering has never been the enemy’s victory.
History repeats this truth. From David’s fractured era to the Seleucid occupation, Jewish weakness invited mockery—until unity and courage reversed the tide. In Modi’in, a single priest ignited a revolt that shattered imperial arrogance. The Maccabees imposed an unbearable cost on tyranny; the Seleucid Empire withered, its enemies silenced.
As in those days, so in this time. Those who celebrated Jewish bloodshed discover that their triumph is fleeting. Only in Israel can Jews openly reclaim destiny; exile offers no such guarantee.
Psalm 30 promises the pattern: night brings tears, morning brings song. Mourning transforms into dance—not because enemies vanish, but because their cruelty never has the last word.
Hanukkah is not merely remembrance. It is strategy, sovereignty, and survival—light that outlasts hatred.
