They Breached the Walls of My Towers

They Breached the Walls of My Towers

הרב זכריה טובי
ראש הכולל

The Gemara at the very end of Masechet Sotah (49b) relates:

When the members of the Hasmonean house besieged one another, Horkanos was outside and Aristobolus was inside. Each and every day, they would lower dinarim (coins) in a basket, and they would send up to them [animals for] the daily sacrifice. There was one elder there (Rashi: inside the city) who knew "Chochmat Yevanit" (Greek wisdom). He hinted to them in Chochmat Yevanit, "So long as they are involved in the service [of the Temple], they will not be delivered into your hands."

The next day, they lowered dinarim to them in a basket, and they sent a pig up to them. When it reached half the wall, it dug its nails into the wall. Eretz Yisrael shook four hundred parsa by four hundred parsa! At that time, [Chazal] said: "Cursed is the person who raises pigs, and cursed is the person who teaches his son Chochmat Yevanit.

It seems that these two decrees -- the prohibition to teach Chochma Yevanit and the prohibition to raise pigs -- are unrelated. However, one who reflects on it deeply will realize that the decrees flow from a common source.

What is Chochma Yevanit?

Rashi explains, "A sophisticated language that the palace members talk in, while the rest of the people do not recognize it." Chochma Yevanit is a code language. The Rambam adds in his commentary to the Mishna that the Greeks had a unique way of talking with hints and riddles. Only those who knew Chochma Yevanit understood it. When one hears Chochma Yevanit it appears to have a certain meaning, but the truth is that it means something totally different.

This intentional contradiction between the external and internal meaning is the very definition of Chochma Yevanit. Externally, service of G-d according to Greece and according to Israel is similar. However, internally there is a tremendous difference.

This discrepancy also exists in a pig. The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 65) tells that the pig extends forth its cleft hooves to boast that it is kosher, while it hides its sign of tumah (that it does not chew its cud), which is not visible. In both ordnances, Chazal decreed against the same principle of hypocrisy -- outwardly everything looks pure, but the inner character is defiled.

The Chochma Yevanit of that elder caused those who were outside to send up a pig, whose entire essence is the contradiction between the outside and the inside. This is the connection between the two decrees that appear in the Gemara.

The Sfat Emet (Chanukah 5631) writes: "Yavan is from the word 'onaah' (cheating), for they knew how to deceive Israel. In many places those who are knowledgeable are able to switch the truth for falsehood, which depends on fine points." The difference between Greece and Israel is very fine. Outwardly they seem similar to Chochmat Yisrael, but inwardly they are rotten.

It says in Shir Hashirim (8:10): "I am a wall." The Midrash (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 8) describes an argument between the nations of the world and Am Yisrael. The nations claim that Israel is void of merit, and Israel responds to them that they are righteous: "I am a wall." The wall divides between boundaries; it is the seam between two different and completely opposite areas. It is the point of contact of that "fine point" that we mentioned in the name of the Sfat Emet.

The Greek's intention was "to breach the walls of my towers" -- to blur the boundaries, to show that there is no difference between Chochmat Yavan and Chochmat Yisrael. But Knesset Yisrael says, "I am a wall." Kindling the lights on Chanukah comes to light the darkness -- "this refers to Yavan" -- which causes a blurring and a distortion between the different cultures.

May G-d's fulfill in us the prayer, "Ohr chadash al Zion tair, venizkeh kulanu meheira le'oro -- Light a new light on Zion, and may we all merit speedily its light."

 

 

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