Rambam (Chanukah (03:01) 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.
The result of Chanukah was Jewish sovereignty for 200 years not necessarily distinguished by piety
So the modern state of Israel is halachic valid, and the government has the status of temporary king.
ReplyDeleteWell that's always the question to ask Satmars and their ilk - if y'all were around during Hashmonaim times, would you be protesting the Hashomanim taking the kindship from Beis David? Would you refuse to recognize the post-Chanukah kingdom and joint Hellenist protests against it? Because i don't recall anything in any Midrash or Gemara I've read saying that there were people who shouted "No! No! This isn't how it's supposed to be so we don't recognize it!"
ReplyDeleteWhat's more, the Chashmonaim from the final years of Yochanan Kohen Gadol were actually quite anti-religious and, in Yannai's case, quite bloodthirsty about killing religious Jews.
So it's really quite a joke when Satmar and their ilk don't seem to have a problem with the Second Temple kingdom but think that the modern Israeli goverment is the worst crime against God, like, ever!
Yannai was also a religious Jew. He didn't accept nisuch mayim, so the yeshiva bochers threw their etrogim at him nearly killing him.
DeleteIn the ensuing civil war, the Pharisees sided with the same demetrius (or his son) that the Maccabees had fought against in Chanukah.
So the neturei karta were around then, and sided with Hamas, because they disagreed with the Maccabee tzedukim.
There's a famous story about how Yannai crucified (yes, crucified) all the rabbonim he could get his hands on since they opposed Kohanim being kings. Then one day he held a banquet and had to ask his wife if she knew of any surviving rabbonim because he didn't know how to lead bentching.
DeleteSo not a nice guy.