Love of the Land - Modi'in ? Fortress of the Hasmoneans

LOVE OF THE LAND - For the week ending 16 December 2006 / 25 Kislev 5767 - from Ohr Somayach | www.ohr.edu

-- Modi'in ? Fortress of the Hasmoneans ------------------------------------------------ by Rabbi Mendel Weinbach http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/2834

The modern city of Modi'in founded in 1994 and the religious community of Modi'in Ilit (Kiryat Sefer) nearby recall one of the miracles of Chanuka now being celebrated by Jews throughout the world.

As we say in the special prayer of that day, "It was in the days of Matityahu, son of Yochanan the Kohen Gadol, the Hasmonean, and his sons" that the miracle of "the mighty and numerous Greek forces" bent on forcing assimilation were overcome by "the weak and few".

Mount Modi'in was the place where the Hasmoneans rallied their outnumbered forces and with the help of Heaven achieved victory over their oppressors.

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