The Rambam [הלכות חנוכה ג א] when describing the miracle of Chanukah includes the fact that Jewish sovereignty was restored for over 200 years. The problem is that numerous leaders in this time were BAD DUDES. Kofrim, Tzdukim and sinners. So why do we celebrate this??
We had numerous posts about this but no answer. I saw that a Satmar Chossid [an Israeli Baal Teshuva who went from Chiloni to Machon Meir to Satmar] put out a Kuntres explaining this Rambam so I emailed him asking for the Kuntres. He promptly sent it to me and I excitedly opened it up. How is a Satmar Chossid going to explain this Rambam??? KOOOOIIIIFRRRIIIIMMM!!! Just like .... today, yet the Rambam was cool with it.
Well, he quotes a lot of sources saying that Reshaim shouldn't be leaders including the Rambam himself in the first perek of Hilchos Melachim who paskens that all appointments in Klal Yisrael must be of people who fear Heaven.
So what then is pshat in the Rambam in Hilchos Chanukah?? Why do we celebrate this sinful government?? And if we do - shouldn't that have ramifications for us today??!!
Answer: NO ANSWER. He tries to get the reader to think that he proved his point but he so didn't. All he showed was that according to the Rambam, we say Hallel for the Neis of the Neiros alone and not for the war [which is debatable]. What what about the שלטון הכופרים??
Nothing.
Oh well. I guess we will have to live with the question....
