We are on the eve of the days of Chanukah. Those days in which our sages determined the miracles of Zion, that wondrous period in which our ancestors triumphed, the victory of spirit over matter, until the Greeks, with their abominations and temptations, were banished from the Holy Land.
The naive and gullible still ask to this day, the explanation for that stubbornness. Since the Greeks supposedly brought with them a blessing to the entire world in the form of culture, progress, and Greek wisdom, why didn't the sages of that generation act as Rabbi Meir did, who "found a pomegranate, ate its insides, and threw away its peel," so that perhaps they had to take the good and beneficial from the Greek developments and only throw away what was contrary to the Torah. As we found in the Gemara in Tractate Bava Kama [page 1], that for the needs of that generation, the sages permitted the house of Rabban Gamliel to teach in Greek wisdom, meaning that there was also something good in it.
The answer is clear and simple. If the Greeks wanted to overwhelm us with their wisdom and usefulness, it was not out of warm love for the Jewish people, but rather it was their indirect cunning through which the Greek Empire swallowed up many and vast peoples into its proximity while bestowing its culture upon them, and then these were drawn into its proximity, if not by force, then by brain. A kind of good bear hug. After all, they are 'civilizing', they are allowed to.
What is 'good' for all backward peoples, for the eternal nation, is absolute evil. And indeed, this is precisely what our sages feared, and therefore they opposed any contact with the Greeks, who were essentially plotting to fight God and His Torah with a nice sweetness. In retrospect, this was proven in practice, for when there was resistance from the Jewish people to accept all that 'good', the Greeks were not offended by issuing a sentence like "We don't want it, we don't need it, you bastards," but rather they went out with all their military might to kill and destroy anyone who refused to indulge in the delights of their culture.
This was the Greek strategy, offering brains and strength, a stick and a carrot at the same time. Using the bad guy and the good guy interchangeably while confusing their subjects who were supposed to be tempted into thinking that the good guy was good.
The Greeks learned this strategy from ancient sources; they were not the first at all. Esau's servant apparently has the right to be the first. In this week's last parsha, we learned about his struggle with Jacob. A struggle that began with Jacob's superiority and ended with Jacob's thigh being cut off. The Torah says, "And he wrestled with him until the breaking of the day." Rashi cites two explanations for the word "and wrestled," one from the word "struggle," since they wrestled with each other, and the other from the word "embrace" and attachment.
In other words: There are two ways to wrestle and subdue an opponent. There is the conventional way, which is the frontal and powerful struggle against each other, until the weaker one is overthrown. There is also the more sophisticated strategy that is usually carried out when the opponent sees that he is powerless to subdue his colleague. In such a case, which usually occurs after a prolonged and desperate struggle, the opponent embraces and strongly embraces to his heart the one he was previously unable to subdue. The hero of the previous one is supposed to be amazed by the gulf of brotherhood and return a heroes' embrace. Then it is time to hide a trap for him, as the angel did for Jacob when at a moment of
A warm and courageous embrace tipped Jacob over, an embrace that caused him to lose his balance as his foot slipped from its position, which ultimately led to Jacob's limp and the certain success of the Edomite prince.
This is how the author of the "Ketva Sofer" explained it in his book, and he goes on to reveal that this is how the enemies of the Jews will behave throughout the generations. When they see that they are unable to do so with direct decrees and persecutions, they will try bear hugs. These hugs will include the benefits of equality and freedom with an overwhelming liberalism that will confuse the peace of the faithful of Israel until they are led off the right track in a moment of euphoria.@
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There is no better example of this method than the successes of the instinct within us in everyday life, sometimes it floods us with much goodness and sweetness so that we relax our muscles for a moment and then surrender to its fleeting whims. Sad and familiar.
In the spirit of what is happening to us these days, it is difficult not to note the fact that with this strategy, various politicians have succeeded in penetrating the hearts of many good people who are guardians of religion and tradition during their years as politicians. Thus, we see the man always making sure to wear a large black kippah on his head as he participates in a series of religious and right-wing Haredi events with all his heart and soul. The presentation and the embrace are even perfect during his many visits to the great men of Israel, one could always be impressed by his sincerity and the seriousness of his intentions.
When necessary, he quotes a moving religious text and even knows how to bring tears to the eyes, making it clear that the man is a successful actor. The kind who lives the play with his emotions until he himself is convinced and lives with the character he has created for himself. Only in this way, with such a 'good bear' hug, does the man manage to embrace and deceive the many spectators. Apparently, he is not one of the warriors who knows how to fight head-on, he has no chance in this way, so the only option left for him is the good hug. This is how he promotes his ego and his encrypted interests, while everyone hugging him around is sure that he is a loving and old friend. At the school of pickpockets, they will surely be able to expand on this. For us, the matter is understandable enough, from experience.
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In this context, we must remember this. None of these people ever loved us more than themselves. As soon as they could, they threw all these huggers to the ground. Remember that if I am not for you, who is for you? Therefore, we are for ourselves and our holy Torah, because no one will remember us when their throne is shaken.
It is imperative to remember and remind all those confused on the fringes of the camp that we have suffered enough. We have learned to the core of our being how cruel these nice people are. This time, no one in the country must be confused by a social embrace, an election economy, or the eye candy of polished politicians. God forbid.
This hug could end in much more than a painful limp, Jacob said.
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