Q:
Why did the Chashmonaim allow themselves to become kings if they weren’t from Shevet Yehuda? They were kohanim, from Shevet Levi. And the Chachomim, who knew that kohanim couldn’t be kings, why didn’t they protest against it?
A:
Why did the kohanim make themselves kings?
When the Chashmonaim finally won independence for the Am Yisroel, they were not kings at first. They were just kohanim and the kehunah gedolah remained in the family for some time. But after a while, some of them began to call themselves king.
Now the Chachomim did not protest against that because there was a great debt of gratitude owing to that family. And therefore, even though לא יסור שבט מיהודה – the scepter should never depart from Yehudah; only Beis Dovid has the right to assume the authority of royalty, nevertheless the Chachmei haTorah didn’t say anything. They know when not to say anything. They kept quiet.
Eventually Hashem spoke, however. And that’s one of the reasons that the Chashmonaim were wiped out. Hordus came – he was an Edomi – and he killed the last of the Chashmonaim. The entire family was destroyed. And the Ramban says it’s because they assumed an authority they weren’t entitled to have.
It’s a great tragedy; this wonderful family, after a while, fell into the hands of the Tzedukim. And it shows, no matter how good you are, how frum you are, you have to watch your step. אל תאמין בעצמך עד יום מותך – don’t trust yourself until you’re finished with this world.
A very important lesson!
So this family we still remember them with the greatest respect and love. We mention them on Chanukah again and again; every day and we appreciate what they did for our nation. They were the greatest servants of Hashem at that time and the Chachmei haTorah elevated them and honored them and we didn’t criticize them. No.
TAPE # 854 (December 1991)
