The fruits of victory

The Ran in Masechta Shabbos says that the word Chanuka is a combination of two words, Chanu, they rested from the war and Kuf Hey on the 25th day of Kislev. Why, asks Rav Elyashiv, do we celebrate the day we rested, shouldn't we celebrate the day we won the war?

The Shalal Rav says that Rav Elyashiv says, we learn from this a lesson regarding war. The great warriors in history saw war as a means of showing off their awesome power and ruling their conquests. They celebrate the crushing of their enemies which is their goal in war. However for some, war is just a means to remove a threat interfering with their real goals in life. For them victory in war is not an accomplishment, it is what they will achieve afterwards with their new-found peace that is the fruit of their victory.

The Chashmonaim may have been great warriors but only for the sake of Hashem. They did not enjoy battle. They enjoyed serving Hashem in the Bais HaMikdash. They enjoyed dveykus with Hashem through the light of Torah. All this was not possible with the Yevanim ruling the land through harsh decrees meant to snuff out the light of Torah.

"Binfol Oivecha Al Tismach", do not rejoice in your enemies downfall. Our victory was achieved not when the Yevanim were defeated on the battlefield, but rather the day we got back to the Bais HaMikdash and cleaned it up and started offering Korbanos once again. Chanukah is a celebration not of heroic victory, but about the freedom to learn Torah and do mitzvos.
http://www.revach.net/moadim/chanukah/Rav-Elyashiv-Am-Yisroel-Celebrates-Peace-Not-War/3193

Below is an excerpt from an article about a small victory achieved through exposure by Palestinian Media Watch.

UNESCO has halted its funding of a magazine promoting Hitler as a role model for the PA. It expressed “shock” over the incitement – but only after it was exposed by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) and Arutz Sheva and after the Simon Wiesenthal Center complained.

Zayzafuna, a magazine which ostensibly promotes democracy and tolerance, published an article by a ten-year-old Palestinian girl who said that in her dreams, Hitler told her, “Yes. I killed them [the Jews] so you would all know that they are a nation who spreads destruction all over the world.”
Read full article: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/151047