Rambam versus Ramban on Maccabees' taking the kingship from Yehuda

Question

The Ramban (Nahmanides) in Parshas Vayachi says that the the Maccabees' children where killed out because they took the kingship from Shevet Yehuda. I was told (in the name of Reb Solovechick) the Rambam (Maimonides) disagrees. Where in Hilchos Chanukah does the Rambam indicate a disagreement?

Answer 1

Mishna Torah (Hilchos Megilla v'Chanuka 3:1-3):

בבית שני, כשמלכי יון גזרו גזרות על ישראל... וגברו בני חשמונאי הכהנים הגדולים, והרגום, והושיעו ישראל מידם; והעמידו מלך מן הכהנים, וחזרה מלכות לישראל יתר על מאתים שנים, עד החורבן השני. ... ומפני זה התקינו חכמים שבאותו הדור שיהיו שמונת ימים האלו שתחלתן כ"ה בכסליו ימי שמחה והלל ומדליקין בהן הנרות בערב על פתחי הבתים בכל לילה ולילה משמונת הלילות להראות ולגלות הנס

In this description of the story of Chanuka, the reign of the Chashmonaim is implied to be a good thing, as it is listed among the reasons that Chanuka was designated as a time of celebration.

However, it is not really clear whether Rambam would disagree with Ramban that these Kohanim were wrong in assuming kingship over Israel in that they were not from Shevet Yehuda, or whether his inclusion of the fact that "והעמידו מלך מן הכהנים, וחזרה מלכות לישראל יתר על מאתים שנים" is not because it is necassarily cause for celebration.

R' Soleveitchik did offer an explanation for the Rambam's understanding of the celebration of Chanuka, and the contribution of the Chashmonaim's rulership to our celebration. See this essay for a discussion of his theory and how it affects the question of whether the Rambam viewed the Chashmonaim as "usurpers" of the kingship.