After the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, the Greek empire set out to impose its Hellenic culture on all conquered peoples. They did this in a peaceful and persuasive manner, rather than through force as other empires had done in the past. They were so successful that they caused the disappearance of all other religions in the world. This process of universal acculturation is known as Hellenization. The diffusion of Greek cultural and religious ideas also affected the Jews. Those who lived outside of Israel, in Alexandria for example, were the ones who assimilated the quickest. And they began to practice what some historians describe as a “Hellenic Judaism,” a combination of some “humanistic” Jewish ideas stripped of religious rituals and elements of Hellenic culture. This new form of Judaism became the new religion of many Jews in the diaspora. However, the Jews of Israel remained faithful to their traditions. But the coming to power of the new emperor Antiochus (Antiochus) Epiphanes in 215 BCE worsened the situation of these Jews. Antiochus was much more aggressive than his predecessors in his campaign of Hellenic proselytism. And the pressure was so great that many Jews fully assimilated to Hellenism, and others practiced a “light” Judaism adapted to the values of Greek society. As has happened many times in the history of our people, religious assimilation did not come from a theological place but from a social one: assimilated Jews were desperate to be fully accepted by the Greeks, whom they looked at with admiration. And religious rituals were a barrier to social integration into the attractive Greek culture, which was as influential as Hollywood culture in the United States and the world.

Let’s look at some illustrations. Kashrut (kosher), which is the strict Jewish religious diet, created many obstacles and social barriers, limiting the integration of Jews with Greek citizens. If the table could not be shared with Gentile neighbors, Gentiles could not be expected to accept Jews as their equals. And probably, Gentiles would not be willing to marry their daughters to Jewish boys. The practice of Kashrut, then, began to decline. It was shown as something primitive. And negative. Because in the new Hellenic world, the separations between peoples did not look good. Assimilated Jews justified their abandonment of Judaism by stating that “in order to survive, Judaism had to modernize.” With this slogan, also Shabbat and circumcision had to be eliminated because they were considered obsolete. They were rituals that caused division. At this point, there is something important that must be clarified. This assimilation process occurred mainly in the cities, especially in mixed urban areas where Jews and non-Jews lived. The poorer Jews, the peasants residing in towns and villages, were insulated from the influence and social pressures of Gentile society and remained faithful to the Torah.

THE REFORMS OF JASON AND MENELAUS

Knowing that some Jews were still reluctant to abandon their religious practices, Antiochus Epiphanes set out to forcibly Hellenize them. Why? It was a matter of principle. Few and discreet though they were, the Jews who still observed the Torah were, practically speaking, “the only citizens of the Greek empire who openly rejected Hellenism.” Antiojus sought allies among the Jews themselves, those who had already voluntarily Hellenized. And he appointed as High Priest of the Temple of Jerusalem, that is, as the maximum representative of the Jewish religion, an assimilated and easily corruptible Jew: Jason (175 B.C.E.). Later, he replaced him with another priest who was even more corrupt: Menelaus (171 BCE). These new “priests” who were in charge of the Jerusalem Temple were leading the reformation of Judaism. Jason, for example, led a delegation of assimilated Jews who, instead of attending the Bet haMiqdash service on Shabbat, went to the Olympic stadium to watch and participate in the games and competitions. It was not just Jewish ritual practice that was being reformed. Also religious principles and beliefs were subject to reform by these false priests. Jewish monotheism was no exception. The reformers wanted to adapt the most basic Jewish principle, monotheism, and they formulated more flexible and, as we say today, more inclusive religious rules, which would recognize the Greek gods, and then accept that everyone, Jews and non-Jews alike, would offer sacrifices to their gods. gods in the Great Temple of Jerusalem. The corrupt priests argued that monotheistic “fanaticism” was a thing of the ancient Jews, and that if it was not reformed it would hurt the sensibilities of the Greeks. The Jews, the assimilationists argued, should also be more “tolerant” and offer sacrifices to the God of Israel in a slightly more Greek way. For example, also sacrifice animals that were used in Greek rites. This led Menelaus, in the name of the new multiculturalism, to desecrate the Jewish altar in an extreme way: in 170 BCE this “Jewish priest” offered a pig as a sacrifice at the Bet haMiqdash.

HOW TO CAUSE THE JEWISH REBELLION?

Although many Jews remained loyal to their faith, more and more Jews, due to tremendous social pressures, were adopting the path of the Greeks. But in the year 169 B.C.E. a providential event took place, a miracle, which would change the course of Jewish history. Antiojus Epiphanes lost patience. He lashed out at the few Jews who still refused assimilation, and decided it was time to stop being nice, gentle, and persuasive to those “stubborn peasants” who resisted change, and officially decreed a ban on the Jewish practice. . And he ordered his armies to enforce these laws by imposing the death penalty for those who practiced Judaism. However, Antiojus’s attitude had an effect contrary to what he wanted to achieve. This assimilation by decree aroused Jewish pride, even in those who, perhaps unconsciously, were inadvertently assimilating. Unintentionally, Antiochus provoked what was later known as the armed rebellion of the Chashmonayim, who fought not only against the Greeks but also against the Jews who had led the assimilationist movement. If Antiochus Epiphanes had not lost his patience, the assimilation of the Jews would have continued without resistance. The rebellion against the Greek empire would never have happened, and the Jewish people ח”ו might never have recovered from assimilation. It could have disappeared forever, being integrated into the empire, as it happened with all the other religions and civilizations of antiquity. “The impatience of Antiojus” was absolutely providential and should be considered one of the Chanukah miracles.

1. Jacob, also known as Ya’aqob, settles in Israel and has a favorite son named Yosef. Jacob gives Yosef a special tunic with many colors to show his favoritism. Yosef’s brothers envied him, and their hatred toward him grows when he tells them about his dreams of grandeur.

2. When Jacob sends Yosef to visit his brothers while they are tending their father’s flock, the brothers plan to kill him. Reuben suggests throwing him into a pit, but they ultimately sell him as a slave to some merchants traveling to Egypt. They take Yosef’s tunic and show it to their heartbroken father, who assumes a wild animal attacked Yosef. Jacob begins a 22-year mourning period for his beloved son.

3. Yehuda, one of Yosef’s brothers, marries the daughter of a local merchant and has three children. His first son, Er, marries a woman named Tamar but dies before having children. Yehuda gives his second son Onan to Tamar, but he also dies childless. Yehuda does not give his third child to Tamar, so she tricks him by dressing up as an indecent woman and becomes pregnant after he is with her. Tamar gives birth to twins Zerach and Perets.

4. Yosef is sold as a slave to Potiphar, an important officer of Pharaoh. Because God blesses him, Yosef is successful in everything he does and is also known for his good looks. Potiphar’s wife tries to seduce Yosef, but he politely declines. Out of frustration, she falsely accuses Yosef of sexual assault and he is sent to prison.

5. In prison, Yosef meets two of Pharaoh’s officers with pending sentences. They both have strange dreams and Yosef interprets them, predicting that one of the officers will be found innocent and return to his job while the other will be executed. Yosef begs the innocent officer to remember him and help him get out of jail when he returns to his position. The officer is found innocent and returns to his job but forgets about Yosef.

YOSEF, THE MANAGER

Yosef was sold by his brothers and transported to the slave market in Egypt, where he was acquired by Potiphar, a minister in Pharaos court. In Potiphar’s house, Yosef stands out. His master realizes that the slave he had bought for manual labor was a genius at administration. And he also inspired trust. Potiphar leaves all his assets and household, probably hundreds of people, in the hands of Yosef. Seemingly, Yosef had found his final destination; even though he was away from his family, at least he was in a privileged position. Being promoted to “manager” was the ultimate dream, the utopia, of any slave.  However, got worse for Yosef. Potifar’s wife provokes him. But Yosef does not succumb, and he rejects her advances with great subtlety but firmness. He tried to reason with the woman and explained to her that what she wanted to do would be a great sin against her husband and, above all, against God. “How could I do something so wrong and sin against God” (Gen. 39:9). But Potiphar’s wife did not take Yosef’s rejection well: she felt offended that a man, a slave under her command! rejected her. And she falsely accused Yosef of abuse. Potiphar, I think,  did not believe his wife – if he had, he would have killed Yosef on the spot – but he could not ignore her and had to save his family’s honor, so he sent Yosef to a dungeon.

YOSEF IN AND OUT OF PRISON

Yosef’s situation is now desperate. His sentence is for life. Yosef goes from being a successful manager with privileges to the lowest level a human being could reach in Egypt: a slave sentenced to prison. In Egypt, the value of a slave’s life was probably less than that of a horse or a dog.  What can be said then about the insignificant value of a slave in prison? However, thanks to his personality and hardworking character, Yosef also wins the trust of the head of the prison, who, like Potifar, leaves the administration in the hands of Yosef.

Yosef takes care of two VIP prisoners, Pharaoh’s ministers. Both had very strange dreams. And Yosef, who knew a lot about dreams,  tells one of the two ministers, the one in charge of Pharaoh’s beverages (making sure that the drinks were not poisoned), that he was going to be released and restored to court. And Yosef takes advantage of this fortuitous circumstance and asks the minister to remember him, and as payback for interpreting his dream positively, he begs him to tell Pharaoh, through one of his officers,  to release Yosef from prison, since he is innocent!

A HAPPY END 

But as the days or weeks go by, Yosef realizes his hope is a fantasy. Pharaoh’s minister forgot Yosef and consciously erased him from his memory. Because, naturally, the last thing the minister would have wanted was something to remind his boss — who had given him a second chance — of his days in jail! One day, however, Pharaoh has a disturbing dream, and no one can interpret it. At that moment, the minister –knowing that now he was not “asking” but “doing” Pharaoh a favor– informs him that there is a young Hebrew man in jail who knows how to interpret dreams. Yosef is brought into the palace and then, as we all know, becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man, which allows him to identify his brothers and eventually reconcile with them.

WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF…?

One of the great life lessons that Yosef’s story teaches us is that we often desperately want something to happen NOW. We pray and beg HaShem and do everything we can to achieve it… and in the end, it might NOT happen. But after a while, we might be looking at our lives and realize that THANKS TO WHAT WE WANTED TO HAPPEN AND DID NOT HAPPEN,  we now have a better opportunity, or we are now in a better position!
Yosef desperately wanted Pharaoh’s minister to exert all his influence to get out of prison. I suppose that Yosef must have waited impatiently day and night for someone to come and get him out of jail on behalf of Pharao’s minister. But imagine for a second if that had happened: Yosef would be now out of jail, with no money, no family, and with the record of an ex-convict slave. He could not have gotten very far…. He would have been sold as a slave a second time. And in the best of cases scenario, he would have ended his life being a good slave manager in someone’s household. The same would have happened if Potiphar’s wife would not have accused Yosef of improper behavior.

PATIENCE AS A FORM OF FAITH

Yosef learns and teaches us that patience is a form of Emuna, faith. Because many times, things that happen or are not happening to us are eventually for our own good. All the negative experiences that Yosef lived at first made him get lower and lower, to the point of despair. But when Yosef hits rock bottom unexpectedly, and without Yosef ever dreaming of such a scenario, Yosef’s life improves meteorically.

Not all of us have the same privilege as Yosef. It is not always possible to see an excellent final resolution for all our problems in life. However, this lesson is so important. I hear virtually every day of someone who did not get the job he so much wanted or someone who failed in a potential shidduch date or in a business deal. We might feel then that God has abandoned us. But then, I hear many people saying, “thanks to the fact that what I so much wanted didn’t happen, HaShem helped me to get something better. Or, “, Now I realized that God protected me from a terrible business/job/shidduch, etc.” 

This is a critical attitude to cultivate in life. Knowing that (or even: strategically acting as if... ) when what I pray for is not happening, ultimately, something better might be waiting for me around the corner. 

SHABBAT SHALOM

WATER IS LIFE

Most of us no longer live on farms but in cities and urban areas. It is difficult for us to appreciate the vital importance of rainfall. For most of us, rain is an inconvenience rather than a blessing.  What is it that makes our planet “unique” in the universe? One could say the existence of life. Since, as far as we know, there is no other planet that hosts life in the solar system, in the Milky Way and beyond. But there is another fundamental element, a prerequisite for life, created by HaShem before He created life. It is what scientists look for when they investigate other places in the universe, such as Mars, to find any indications of life. You will probably think of “water,” and you will be partially correct. Water is life, and life, as we know it on our planet, is impossible without water.

LIQUID WATER

But to be more precise, for a planet to be able to host life as Earth, it should have “liquid” water. Frozen water, or some type of ice, was found on other planets. Since the temperatures on a planet like Jupiter or its moons, for example, are very low, watery elements cannot exist there in a liquid state. Our planet is privileged because it is the only celestial body that possesses “liquid water”, thanks to the Intelligent and Divine Design of the mass of the Earth, the mass of the sun, and in particular, the perfectly fine-tuned distance between our planet and the sun. All this allows the earth’s temperature to be neither too hot —like Venus, where water would evaporate— nor too cold—where water would freeze, as it would on Mars or Saturn.

THE SECOND DAY OF CREATION

But the presence of liquid water is not the only element that supports life on our planet. “Standard earthly water”, that is, seawater, is salted water, which is not suitable for most types of life in our planet. Most plants, insects, amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals need water without salt to survive. That precious liquid is called “freshwater”. Freshwater is what allows our life to exist on our planet. And what is the origin of fresh water, of that elixir that makes life possible? The only source of fresh water on our planet is precipitation (=rain, snow, and hail). According to Maimonides (More Nebukhim 2:30), the cycle’s mechanism enabling rain production —evaporation of salted water, precipitation of freshwater— was established by the Creator on the second day of Creation. The Tora calls this mechanism “the division of the upper waters (clouds) from the lower waters (oceans) . This is how the creative activity of the Second day was explained among others by Rabbi Moshe Hefets in his book Melekhet Mahashebet pgs. 10-11, Vienna edition, and Rabbi Menashe ben Israel in his book “The Conciliator” (see my book Awesome Creation). John Lynch, the author of the BBC book “The Climate” (p.84, 1996) describes the clouds with words that are very similar to the words used by the Tora : “We live on a water planet. The seas dominate the world … there is an ocean around us [the water of the sea] and an ocean above us [the clouds] “. The Creator dedicated a whole day, the Second Day of Creation, to establish the miraculous mechanism that transforms ocean water into the most precious liquid in the universe: rain.

THE IMPROBABILITY OF WATER

Rainwater is water with low salt concentrations. Of all the water found on Earth, only 2.75% is freshwater. Of that total, 2.05% is freshwater frozen in the glaciers. 0.69% is fresh groundwater, which, like glaciers, was also originally produced by rain. Only 0.0101% of all freshwater on planet Earth is found on the planet’s surface and distributed in all lakes and rivers. This incredibly small percentage, 0.0101% of all the water in our world, is what we human beings and all living beings need for survival.

In our prayers, we praise HaShem for establishing, and we ask Him to maintain the process of the conversion of ocean water into the scarcest, most exotic, and most precious liquid in the entire universe: the elixir of life. 

The only source of fresh water in the entire universe is rain produced in Earth’s atmosphere. 

“Imagine an entire planet where the universe’s finest liqueur is boiled out of fermenting seas by a brilliant yellow star, distilled in the skies, and rained back down on the land, forming lakes and rivers of the inebriating brew. The planet, of course, is Earth, and the liqueur is freshwater.” (From “Discovery.com)”

Get the book AWESOME CREATION by Rabbi Yosef Bitton  HERE