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Saturday, December 04, 2004

POST SHABBOS WISDOM II

On Thursday, I explained why Joseph Farah misunderstands Channuka, but like the early Zionists who wanted a "land without people for a people without land," I forgot the Muslims.

Farah proclaimed Channuka "an inspiration to all freedom-loving, God-fearing people around the world" but, as I pointed out, seemed not to know that the Macabbes themselves were hardly freedom-loving people.

Farah also forgot that Christians, though God-fearing, might not find inspiration in the story of the plucky Jews who insist on their religious pergatives, and drive off an oppressive and bigoted majority. And what about the god-fearing Muslims? Haven't they been living Channukah for the last fifty-odd years? Like the Greeks, they've tried to destroy Israel and Judaism, and like the Greeks they have discovered that there isn't always strength in numbers when Jews are involved.

God-fearing though they are, I rather doubt the Muslims find this story "inspiring."


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