B"H

CHANUKA

The aura which was prevalent in Israel two-thousand, one hundred and sixty-nine years ago, when the events which gave rise to this holiday first occurred, is the same aura which repeats itself at this time each year. It is a very special occasion, and we sense the joy occasioned by these lights at this particular time and season. What brought on this holiday was an event which happened in this country in the 148th year of Alexander (or what is also known as the Seleucid Era), when this country was overrun by Grecians, who stormed the Temple Mount whereon was built that edifice to the G-d of our fathers – the Temple Sanctuary, and there, having made thirteen breaches in the parapet which enclosed that structure, did succeed in going within that most holy and inviolable place, defiling it, and sacrificing swine’s flesh upon G-d’s altar! Now for us, nothing could have been more profoundly repugnant or held in greater disdain!

The Grecians not only affronted the Jews in this way, but also forbade them to keep and observe other comandments in the Law. Any scroll of the Law (Torah) which was found was duly destroyed. They forbade circumcision, and those who did so were slain. They forbade that Jews observe the Sabbath days, or acknowledge the coming of the New Moon by which we have always reckoned our calendar system. The moon repeats its phases every 29 ½ days and 45 minutes, which new phase, or beginning of that moon, marks the beginning of a new month for us in the Hebrew calendar. The testimony of witnesses who had seen the new moon was needed in order for the Court in Jerusalem to sanctify the beginning of that new month, which the Grecians prohibited. (Nowadays, we count a 29-day month and a 30-day month, since it is impossible to know exactly when the change takes place, seeing that it falls on half of the 30th day. The 29-day month is followed by a 30-day month, and that 30-day month is followed by a 29-day month, and so forth, until the difference between them balances out. The additional 45 minutes accumulates in the course of one year to become one day, wherein an additional 30-day month is added to the Hebrew calendar, instead of 29 days. Every New Moon is a new month.)

So with these great obstacles confronting the nation by the Grecians, G-d did raise up one of the sons of Aaron’s lineage, Mattithiah by name, who with his sons did wage war upon the Grecians. This Mattithiah, according to Josephus in his book “Antiquities" (Book XII, chapter VI, vs. 2) became the first Jew who proclaimed that it was permissible for a Jew to both desecrate and profane the holy Sabbath if it were a matter of saving life. Until then, no Jew dared even fight the adversary on that holy day, and thereby suffered loss and were often defeated. Hence, that maxim which is known by all: "The saving of Life takes precedence over the Sabbath day." (Heb.פיקוח נפש דוחה שבת )

The Talmud reports (Shabbat 21b) that when the sons of Mattithiah had ousted the Grecians from the Temple Mount, they had to purge the vessels from all uncleanness before they could be used again. Even the olive oil which was used in burning the lamps in the holy sanctuary had been polluted and could no longer be used. While making the initial search around the environs of the holy place for a cruse of oil which had not yet been opened by the enemy, they discovered one cruse of pure olive oil that had been stashed away, with its seal (bearing the signet ring of the High Priest) still in tact. This, they opened and poured its substance into the receptacles on the seven-branched, golden candlestick within the ante-chamber of the Temple sanctuary. The oil was normally sufficient for lighting the lampstand for one-day, but miraculously had kept the wicks burning for eight days! So, in recognition of this miracle, we light candles for a period of eight days. We begin by lighting one candle, but on each successive night we add an additional candle, so that on the eighth night there are a total of eight candles burning.

It was only during the year following this miracle that the days of the 25th of Kislev through the 3rd of Tebeth were officially declared a holiday unto all Jewish people, known and called by us, "Chanuka" (meaning, "dedication"), wherein it became a new ordinance for every Jew from that time forward to light candles during these days, and this as a means by which we publicize that great miracle which G-d did for us in those days. The days were to be given the sanctity associated with festival days, outlawing all mourning and fasting on those days, yet permitting work. It was to be a time of performing of one's vows (see: "Megillath Antiochus" written in the Aramaic tongue by certain elders from the schools of Shammai and Hillel), as also a time of rejoicing and of giving thanks to G-d. The custom in Ashkenaz was to eat Hamen-taschen during these days, while in Yemen, there was no such custom. Rather, in Yemen they would prepare on these days a dish of lentils and carrots, and would drink wine. END

B"H
Can someone tell me about the story of Yehudith, a story that I've been told is related to Chanuka? I think I've lost this story somewhere along the line, and have only faint recollections of it.
Is there any basis to what was just recently made known to me that Mattithiah started the war with the Grecians on account of what had happened to his daughter, Yehudith? What happened to her?
David

Holofernes a Greek general who had stopped up the water supply to Yerushalayim.

Yehudis went out among the Greeks carrying fruit and strong wine and the Greek soldiers let her come to see Holofernes claiming that she would tell him how to conquer Yerushalayim. He commanded the guards that she would be free to come and go as she fit, and they became accustomed to her.

After a party Holofernes asked her to come to his private residence and she offered him spicy cheese that made him thirsty, after which she gave him much wine until he fell asleep, alone with her. She then cut off his head with his sword and carried it out in her cheese bag.

With Holofernes dead he could not hurt them any more, and somehow displaying his head hung up for the enemies to see.

(this was a child's rendition just given to me in response to the request - there may be other details that were not told to the child in question... and it is also pointed out that the cheese in the bag must have been a round ball of cheese... and any blood stains would have thought to have been wine)

B"H
Thank-you very much, Rob, for your very thorough explanation!
Sincerely,
David

The story of Judith related in the posting is the story as it appears in the apocraphal book of Judith. Although it appears to have taken place in Hasmonean times, there is no connection with Channukah. The story reappears in the Ran (12th century) as a channukah story. This became the basis of the minhag of women not doing any work during Chanukah. The Chida opposed this minhag as minhag stut (groundless?) as encouraging laziness and said it is just during the time of lighting candles.

Aryeh Shore

B"H
Lawrence,
Thank-you for this explanation!
David

The Gemarah in Shabbos 23a brings that woman are obligated in the Mitzvah of Chanuka Menorah because they were also in that miracle. Rashi explains that part of teh miracle of Chanukah came out of a woman after after there was a decree that any virgin getting married must first be with the general. The Ran there tells of the Medrish of Yahudisa nd how the miracle happened that he cut off the general’s head. Tosfos in P’sachim 108b argues with Rashi and says the explanation that the woman " were also in that miracle" was that they also was saved from the Greeks through the miracle of Chanuka

B"H
Rav Chaim,
Between Tosfos and Rashi, and what I am now told by you as opposed to what I was told earlier by our friend Lawrence, the whole matter of Yehudith is not clear at all! By let me thank you for the references you cited in your last post. Thanks!
Sincerely,
David

B"H
What a blunder on my part! For some reason, I confused Chanuka with Purim. I'm sorry, guys. "Hamen-Taschen" were eaten on Purim, but not during Chanuka.
-David

Well, one could think that Antiochus qualified as a Haman, right

Dov

B"H
Laugh!
I guess that what I really meant to say was eating "doughnuts" has become the popular custom during the eight days of Chanuka, especially in our days, but in Yemen this was not the custom.
Again, my apologies.
Daivid

quote:

Originally posted by David Ben-Abraham:
B"H
What a blunder on my part! For some reason, I confused Chanuka with Purim.

Back in college I confused many days with Purim 8-)

Rob,
It sounds like you had a lot of fun at college! (Laugh) Where did you go to school? I studied for awhile at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. before deciding that my place was not there.
David

what and leave the only college campus in america with its own chu-chu train.
For those of you who ever get stuck in Fort Collins, there is a baskin robbins. You would be amazed at the number of flavors one can it in a week. (Same for Hagan-Daiz in Japan). I understand there is a veggy resturant but I couldn't find it.
I keep telling the cab drivers in Rechovot (which has five taxi companies), that there is only one cab available at night in Fort Collins and you have to wait your turn to get it.

A.S.

A.S.