The History of Hanukkah They Didn't Teach You in Hebrew School

Nov 28, 2021  |  by Rabbi Pinchas Landisprint article
The History of Hanukkah They Didn't Teach You in Hebrew School
Delving into the history of Hanukkah to understand the deeper meaning of the holiday.
Why has Hanukkah stood the test of time? We have no shortage of days on our calendar when they tried to kill us and we miraculously won. And whatever salvation was achieved at the time of Hanukkah was short-lived. So, why an everlasting holiday?

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Let's delve into the history of Hanukkah to understand the deeper meaning of the holiday. In 313 BCE, Alexander the Great had solidified his rule over the Persian empire. His attention had been drawn to political unrest in Judah1. Since the Jew’s return in 350 BCE, their sovereignty had been continuously challenged by the (not so good) Samaritans who had occupied the land of Israel during the Jew’s exile to Babylon.

As a sign of appreciation towards the Greek Emperor, every baby boy born that year was given the name Alexander.
With the rise of Alexander over the Persians, who had sponsored the Jews' return to Israel, the Samaritans saw their chance to retake the land. After originally permitting the Samaritans to destroy the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Alexander rescinded after meeting Shimon haTzadik, the head of the Jewish community at the time, and allowed the population of Judah to continue living their Jewish lives. As a sign of appreciation towards the Greek Emperor, every baby boy born that year was given the name Alexander2. Well, if you can name your child Alexander, you can also name him Antignos, Hyrcanus, Aritobulos, etc. and so Greek culture started to seep into Israel.

Jumping forward to Alexander the Great’s untimely death in 307 BCE at the age of 33, there was no succession plan in place. The vacuum of leadership resulted in fights, squabbles, and all-out wars between his leading generals. For our purposes, we will focus on Ptolemy, the leader of the Egyptian portion of the Empire, and Seleucus, the leader of the Mesopotamian part of the Empire. The line of scrimmage between these two was none other than the land of Israel3.

Assimilating the Jews
Initially, the Ptolemaic Empire was in control of Judah, and for the most part, continued Alexander’s policy of religious freedom for the Jews. In 246 BCE, the Ptolemaic King commissioned 72 rabbis to write a Greek translation of the Torah known as the Septuagint. While there were many miracles surrounding this event, ultimately, it is remembered as a dark time in Jewish history.4 The ultimate goal of the Greeks was to assimilate Jews into their Empire. Through translating the Torah, they were subtly saying that there is nothing special about this knowledge; it’s the same as any other Greek text. Add it to the shelves of our vast libraries and forget about it. Furthermore, the Septuagint served as a catalyst of assimilation for Jews seeking out Hellenism. They could use the Greek text to learn the language, bringing Hellenistic culture one step closer.


Hellenism continues its slow and steady influence in Israel. By 161 BCE the Seleucid Greeks, based in Syria, had gained the upper hand in Israel and set out to conquer the Egyptian portion of the Greek Empire5. They mounted their conquest from Israel, forcing Jewish residents to house their soldiers and finance the war through taxation. The Seleucids were greater in strength and number than their Egyptian rivals, and the war should have been an easy one, yet victory eluded them.

Blaming the Jews
When the Seleucid Generals strategized and worked on finding a reason for their failed conquest, their eyes naturally fell on the Jews. This wasn’t the first time in history that the Jewish people were made the scapegoat, nor would it be the last. The Greeks concluded that the reason they kept losing was that the Greek gods were irate with them. Here they were mounting their war from a land where the populous rejected them and their culture. If they could only get the Jews to accept Greek culture, and with it their gods, success would be theirs.

If they could only get the Jews to accept Greek culture, and with it their gods, success would be theirs.
Now, the Greeks had allies in Judah. By this time, Hellenism had made tremendous inroads into the Jewish country. Greek gymnasiums and theaters had started popping up in Jerusalem. As the Greek anti-Jewish policies were being rolled out, they found a formative group of Hellenized Jews more than willing to help. A man named Menelaus served as the High Priest in the Temple and was aligned with the Greeks6. He put into effect policies that at first limited the Temple services, and eventually canceled them altogether. A Greek leader by the name of Apustomus burnt a Torah Scroll, and a statue of the Greek god Zeus was erected in the Temple compound. A citadel known as the Acra was built overlooking the Temple to show Greek supremacy.

Nefarious Decrees
The Greeks and their Jewish collaborators knew that strangling the religion from the top would not be enough to squash the Jewish spirit, so they further implemented laws making the observance of Judaism illegal. Shabbat, Rosh Chodesh (the New Month), Brit Milah (circumcision) all became punishable by death. The study of Torah was outlawed. Probably the most nefarious of these laws was a decree that any Jewish girl, before being with her husband on her wedding day, must first be with a member of the local Greek authority, as if to say there is nothing special about you, your husband, and the people that you are a part of7.

This was the environment in Israel for more than a decade. Those who remained true and committed to Judaism went underground. They would hide out in the Judean Hills to learn Torah and practice Judaism. Eventually, the situation became overwhelming. A family descending from the High Priesthood looked at the situation and concluded that something must be done.

A Time to Act
Yes, conventional wisdom, especially in a time of so much political unrest in the world, would say ‘Wait it out, stay in hiding, this too shall pass.’ But this family, known to us as the Hasmoneans, saw it differently. Here they were, in the Jewish homeland, practicing Judaism in hiding, while the Temple in Jerusalem laid cold and fallow with a statue of Zeus inside. The desecration of the Almighty was of monumental proportions and could go unchecked no longer. The Maccabees, as they became known, knew they didn't stand a chance against the powerful Greeks, but they needed to send a message to the world, even if they would have to pay with their lives. There were still some Jews that cared, and what was going on was far from okay.

The Maccabees knew they didn't stand a chance against the powerful Greeks, but they needed to send a message to the world, even if they would have to pay with their lives.
There are several stories told as to what sparked the rebellion. One such episode tells of the wedding of Yehudit, one of the daughters of the Hasmoneans where the bride got up in front of all the guests and disrobed. People were aghast. They wanted to put her to death. She announced “Oh, you are all so religious? You can’t look at me like this, but the local Greek governor can?!?” The situation so incensed her brothers that they sprang into action. That night, when she was to be with the Greek, she fed him some milk and cheese, making him drowsy. She proceeded to pull out a dagger, end his life, and the rebellion was officially underway. This is the source of the custom to eat dairy on Hanukkah8.

Another such story finds us in Modi’in, the town that the Hasmoneans lived in. As they often did, the Greeks came into the town square and demanded the local Jews participate in a sacrifice to one of the Greek gods. The animal of choice was a pig. The Greek asked for a local volunteer to participate in the service. One of the local Hellenized Jews was all too quick to oblige. Matisyahu, the patriarch of the Hasmoneans, pulled out a dagger and slaughtered the man. His sons proceeded to pull out their daggers and kill all the Greeks and their sympathizers that were present, and the rebellion was underway.

The Maccabees were fighting for the right to practice Judaism openly and freely in the land of Israel.
The Maccabees could not expect to beat the Greeks through traditional military tactics. Their success came from guerrilla warfare. As much as the threat of the Greek Army was real, the civil war of Jew against Jew was just as threatening with each side fighting for their way of life. The Maccabees were fighting for the right to practice Judaism openly and freely in the land of Israel. The Hellenized Jews were fighting for the right to be Greeks first, and to ignore their Jewish heritage.

Entering the Temple
The Hasmoneans won one battle after another despite fully expecting to be obliterated in each one. With their success, their numbers increased. Just one year into the war, they fought all the way to the holy city, conquered Jerusalem, subdued the city, and moved on the Temple Mount. After a bloody battle, the group of rebels took over the Acra Citadel, and with that the Temple Mount. They smashed the statue of Zeus, and it was now time to finally reintroduce the Temple service after more than a decade of dormancy.

The Maccabees went through painstaking efforts to purify the Temple as quickly as possible. In truth, this was not completely required. The purity laws are lenient when the entirety of the Jewish people is in a state of impurity, and the Temple service can be performed without purification. Following the battles, this was the situation in Judah. But the Hasmoneans considered, they had just fought a war that never should have been fought, and they just won a war that they never should have won. Now they should start cutting corners? Absolutely not! They insisted on completely purifying the Temple before rededication.

They scoured the Temple from top to bottom looking for oil that had not been defiled.
But they lacked pure oil which would take eight days to produce. They scoured the Temple from top to bottom looking for oil that had not been defiled. They didn’t want to cut corners through the use of impure oil, and they didn’t want to delay the service any longer. Finally, they found one jar that was sealed and pure, but it was only enough for one day (roughly 40 oz). With their goal of continuing to go above and beyond, they used all the oil at the rededication of the temple while continuing to look for more oil and beginning the eight-day process to get more oil. Lo and behold, a great miracle happened there and the one jar of oil lasted the full eight days needed to produce more pure oil. The next year, Hanukkah was established as a holiday by Yochanan the High Priest (one of the Hasmonean brothers), and R’ Yehoshua Ben Perachya and Nitai HaArbeli who together led the Sanhedrin9.

Slouching towards Destruction
But the war wasn’t over. It would rage on for 20 more years. In the end, we would find a situation in Judah not that different from where we started. Israel would be on the brink of yet another civil war. The Hasmoneans would be in control of the country, but they would be more Hellenized than those whom they waged the war against in the first place. Worst yet, the country was on an unrelenting downward trajectory that would lead to the destruction of the Second Temple. For this reason, our sages give very little press to the Hasmoneans in the Mishnah and Talmud.

If this is the case, why the timeless holiday of Hanukkah that we still observe and love?

The Beloved Menorah and Not Settling for Good Enough
I believe an answer lies in the Menorah. The Talmud10 teaches us how we fulfill the mitzvah of lighting the candles on Hanukkah. The minimum requirement is one candle per household per night. The Talmud goes on to teach that if you want to enhance the performance, everyone in the house can light one candle each of the eight nights. Finally, says the Talmud, if you want to do the mitzvah in the best possible way, you light one candle on the first night, two on the second, three on the third, and so on (according to the academy of Hillel).

This teaching is strange. Why does the Talmud give us options like this? Furthermore, when it comes to lighting the Menorah, everyone lights in the best possible way! When was the last time you walked into someone’s house on the fifth night of Hanukkah just to find one candle lit?

The Maccabees refused to accept the status quo. They went above and beyond, willing to give up their lives fighting for religious freedom and eternal Jewish values.
Hanukkah is not about a military victory or national sovereignty. The holiday celebrates the fact that at one point in history there was a group of Jews in the world that went above and beyond to send a loud and clear message to the world that Judaism is worth fighting for. That clarion call has been passed from generation to generation, inspiring Jews in the most difficult of circumstances to stand up and defend the Jewish people. We find ourselves today in a world of both rising antisemitism and rampant assimilation. The Maccabee inside all of us should take action against these trends, and not just sit back and wait for things to improve.

The Maccabees refused to accept the status quo. They went above and beyond, willing to give up their lives fighting for religious freedom and eternal Jewish values. And because they went against all the odds, miraculous things happened.

When we light the menorah on Hanukkah, we don’t settle for good enough (one candle per household, each night). We don’t settle for slightly elevated (each person, one candle every night). No, we go above in beyond (each person adding a candle every night). We are showing that we desire to be with the Maccabees of yore, we want to be Jews who go above and beyond.



https://vfinews.com/news/november-30-2021/historic-hanukkah-sling-stone-discovered-in-south-hebron?subscribed=true&mc_cid=db94d5e011&mc_eid=UNIQID
 Historic Hanukkah Sling Stone Discovered in South Hebron Hills
A lead projectile dating back to the times of the Maccabees was discovered by the Civil Administration’s Archaeological Department on Sunday, November 28.

The 3 cm projectile carries the name of Diodotus Tryphon, a Hellenist king who reigned over the Seleucid Empire from 142-138 BC.

A symbol representing Zeus, the ancient Greek religion's king of the gods, is also etched onto the projectile.

The projectile was discovered at Zif, an archaeological site in South Hebron Hills.

Tryphon is known for the assassination of Jonathan, one of Mattathias' sons, Judah Maccabee's successor as leader of the Maccabees and High Priest of Judea.

Jonathan was the younger brother of Judah Maccabee, who led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in 167-160 BC after King Antiochus IV Epiphanes issued decrees forbidding Jewish religious practice.

After restoring Jewish worship at the Second Holy Temple in Jerusalem, leading to its rededication — Which is celebrated on Hanukkah — Judah Maccabee appointed Jonathan as High Priest. He eventually became Maccabee's army commander following the death of Judah.

"We continue to discover new findings that add to the rich history that took place in the West Bank hundreds and thousands of years ago," said Civil Administration Archaeological Department officer Hananya Hizmi. (JPost / VFI News)

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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REENACTMENT OF ANOINTING THE HIGH PRIEST TO BE HELD ON LAST NIGHT OF HANUKKAH
BY ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ | NOV 30, 2021 | BIBLICAL NEWS

Make of this a sacred anointing oil, a compound of ingredients expertly blended, to serve as sacred anointing oil. Exodus 30:25 (The Israel BibleTM)

Kohanim (Priests/descendants of the High Priest Aaron) reenact the Paschal offering (Credit: Adam Propp)

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On Monday, December 6, a reenactment of several Temple ceremonies will be held in Mitzpe Yericho. The reenactments will include a demonstration of the anointing of the High Priest, and the lighting of the Temple menorah. A new altar will be dedicated for use on the Temple Mount. Each ceremony is an essential element of the Temple service and practical efforts such as these are intended to prepare for the Third Temple. 

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MENORAH: PURE OIL
As Monday will be the last night of Hanukkah, a demonstration of the lighting of the temple menorah will be carried out. Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple by the Hasmoneans in 164 BCE and the ceremony next week will recreate several aspects of that historic event.

A demonstration of the lighting of the Temple menorah will be held. A Hanukkah menorah (also called a Hanukkiah) has nine branches whereas the one used in the demonstration, made of wood covered in gold and standing at about four feet tall, has seven branches, modeled after the Menorah that stood in the two Jewish Temples as well as the Tabernacle. 

Since it is made of wood, the replica is technically not kosher for use as the menorah in the Temple, which must be made entirely of metal. The gold menorah intended to be installed permanently in the Third Temple upon its construction is on display in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem. Made to Biblical specifications, it is not portable and cannot be used for reenactments. Standing approximately six feet tall, it weighs half a ton, and contains 45 kilograms (approximately 99 lbs) of 24 karat gold valued at approximately three million dollars.

For the purposes of the menorah lighting, special oil has been prepared. Normally, olive oil is made by crushing the olives and then pressing them. As per the Biblical commandment, olive oil for use in the Temple and for anointing is made by smashing the olives by hand and then allowing the oil to drip for several days.

You shall further instruct the Israelites to bring you clear oil of beaten olives for lighting, for kindling lamps regularly. Exodus 27:20

This produces a very small quantity of oil, only about two percent of the volume of the olives as compared to 20 percent by pressing. But the method described in the Bible produces oil that is vastly superior to that produced by any other method. The initial trial run by the United Temple Movement prepared about 450 pounds of olives, producing 25 quarts of oil. The husks are then pressed and the oil can be consumed or used for adding to grain offerings.

As much as possible, the ritual purity of the olives is preserved. As soon as the olives are pounded, they become open to impurity. They are therefore processed in an area open to the sky and the workers wear surgical masks, as saliva can transfer impurity. The hammers are made of plastic and the surface is marble, materials that cannot receive ritual impurity.

Burning the oil in the Temple was considered a sacrifice in every respect, and does not require an actual Temple building to house it. The Biblical commandment could be fulfilled today by placing the Menorah on the Temple Mount, filling it with the oil that has been prepared, and having it lit by a Kohen (a Jewish man from the priestly caste). 

The demonstration will be carried out by Kohanim (priests) wearing garments adhering to Biblical specifications and using silver trumpets, prepared for use in the Holy Temple. 

ANOINTING THE KOHEN GADOL
A demonstration of the anointing of the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) will also be held. Rabbi Baruch Kahana will serve as the Kohen Gadol for the purpose of this demonstration. Rabbi Kahana has served an essential role in educating Kohanim to serve in the Third Temple and has served as the Kohen Gadol in many of the Temple reenactments. 

For this purpose, the pure olive oil is prepared for use in the anointing. The anointing oil was described in the Bible to be used in the consecration of the Tabernacle:

Make of this a sacred anointing oil, a compound of ingredients expertly blended, to serve as sacred anointing oil. Exodus 30:25

It is important to note that the oil was called in Hebrew שמן המשחה (shemen ha-mishchah), literally translated as oil of anointing. The Hebrew word for Messiah is משיח (Mashiach), literally the anointed one though this term is also used in the Bible for anyone who has been anointed. 

Originally, the oil was used exclusively for the priests and the Tabernacle articles, but its use was later extended to include prophets and kings:

Shmuel took a flask of oil and poured some on Shaul‘s head and kissed him, and said, “Hashem herewith anoints you ruler over His own people. I Samuel 10:1

It is expressly forbidden by the Bible to recreate the oil for any other purpose, punishable by kareth, the most severe punishment described in the Bible. The ingredients as described in Exodus 30:23-25 are as follows:

Pure myrrh, 500 shekels weight (about 6 kg)
Sweet cinnamon, 250 shekels weight (about 3 kg)
“fragrant cane” (sometimes translated as calamus) 250 shekels (about 3 kg)
Cassia, 500 shekels (about 6 kg)
Specially prepared olive oil, one hin (about 6 liters, or 5.35 kg)
All of the ingredients must be prepared in total purity. A special jug was made to hold the anointing oil and was marked with a seal. 

DEDICATING THE ALTAR
The event will also feature the dedication of a new altar. The altar adheres to the minimum requirements which will allow it to be used on the Temple Mount. It is hollow and relatively small, designed to be filled with specially selected stones that have already been prepared. This altar is designed to be ready at a moment’s notice and able to be transported and assembled on the Temple Mount.

Alexander the Great and the Jewish High Priest
Dec 24, 2005  |  by Rabbi Doniel Baronprint article
Alexander the Great and the Jewish High Priest
The astonishing connection between the two reflects the deeper meaning of Hanukkah.
https://www.aish.com/h/c/t/dt/48965601.html?s=ac
Encounter at Sunrise

Our tradition attributes the foundation for the Jewish victory over the Greeks to one man who lived about 2,000 years ago: Shimon Hatzadik, a high priest at the beginning of the second Temple period.
The Talmud tells an enigmatic story to illustrate Shimon Hatzadik's monumental greatness. During his lifetime, the legendary Alexander the Great had come to power. He was a master warrior and statesman, and had never lost a battle. Before long he had conquered most of the civilized world, and controlled Jerusalem. He permitted the Jews to live peacefully and continue regular service in the Temple. Yet the enemies of the Jews convinced Alexander that the Jews posed a threat, and persuaded him to destroy the Temple. Together with those enemies and his army, Alexander began the march to Jerusalem with a force so overwhelming that the Jews would not stand a chance.

Word of the approaching danger reached Shimon Hatzadik, who quickly devised a plan. He donned the pure white turban and other striking garments of his position as high priest, assembled a group of elders who carried lit torches, and set off into the Judean night in the direction of Alexander's brigade.

Alexander descended from his chariot and bowed before Shimon Hatzadik.
At daybreak, the band of elders and the fantastically garbed Shimon reached Alexander. Just then, a strange thing happened. Alexander the Great, conqueror of the world and most powerful man in his time, descended from his chariot -- and bowed before Shimon Hatzadik.

Alexander's officers were flabbergasted. "Why does the great king bow down to a... Jew?"

"Before I am victorious at war," Alexander replied, "the very image of this man appears before me in a vision."

The march on Jerusalem was called off, and those who had instigated the attack were handed over to Shimon and his entourage.

End of the Prophetic Era

We must now try to understand why it was specifically the image of Shimon, a man whom Alexander had never met, that flashed before him at times of military victory. And further, how does the story of Shimon Hatzadik form the basis of the Hasmonean victory over the successors of Alexander some 200 years later!

To answer these questions and arrive at the root of Hanukkah, we need to better understand both Shimon and his contribution to Jewish heritage, as well as Alexander the Great and the world view projected by his empire.

Shimon Hatzadik lived at a critical turning point in Jewish history. His leadership coincided with death of Malachi, the last Jewish prophet. He was the leader of a new era in Judaism -- one which saw the flourishing of the Oral Law, a system of interpretation which enables the revelation at Sinai to be applied to all future circumstances and events. The rules governing the Oral Law are highly specific, and rely on the intellect of Torah scholars to apply the principles.

During the prophetic era, it was impossible to create alternative forms of Judaism.
The era of prophecy was a unique period of time in Jewish history. One could always turn to the prophet for definitive guidance -- and there were 1.2 million prophets during the age when prophecy flourished. During the prophetic era, it was impossible to create alternative forms of Judaism since the prophet would immediately expose them as fraudulent. Although rabbinic interpretation based on principles from Sinai existed, the dynamic of God speaking directly to prophets formed the core of Jewish leadership.

With Malachi's death, however, it was now up to the sages to use their wisdom alone. Shimon Hatzadik pioneered the dawn of this new phase of Jewish history, one that would place the intellect at the forefront. Interpretation of the Torah was now exclusively in the domain of the sages, and their conclusion was decisive.

The timing of this era was no coincidence. It was in the year of Malachi's death that Alexander the Great achieved his first victory. Alexander's conquests, therefore, parallel the rise of Shimon Hatzadik, and the ascension of Jewish intellectualism.

Alexander represented the advent of a new world view -- Greek philosophy. It was an approach that saw man's intellect and logic as paramount and absolute, and a system of thought that rejected anything the brain could not understand. Although the two systems are fundamentally incomparable (the Greek system is man-made, while the Oral Torah is divine), they were similar in that both emphasized the importance of human thought.

The Greek outlook, however, could not tolerate the concept of Divine wisdom and law, and encouraged the use of the mind to disqualify, rather than explain, God's continuing role in the world. One might compare the Greek approach to the function of a camera: While the camera is a tool that can be used to understand its surroundings, there is one thing that the camera cannot photograph -- the camera itself. The ancient Greeks left no room for the invisible Creator, and had trouble analyzing how the soul can be connected to God.

Forces and Counterforces

Yet we wonder why Alexander saw an image of Shimon Hatzadik before going on to victorious battle. How could the righteous high priest have been the very source of Alexander's military prowess?

According to Jewish thought, if one finds a force in the world, there is always a corresponding counterforce. Overcoming the counterforce is a condition to the force's ability to take root and bear fruits, and it is through the opposite counterforce that the force is revealed. Ironically, the force is therefore, in a sense, the reason for the counterforce. For example, without night, it would be impossible to appreciate what day, and day occurs through the "conquest" of night. In a similar vein, during the era of prophecy, the world experienced an insatiable thirst for spirituality. The true form of that yearning was expressed in one's connection to God, but the negative manifestation was an almost uncontrollable urge -- one that we in the post-prophetic era simply cannot understand -- to worship idols. The only way to reach true spirituality was to overcome the overwhelming pull of idolatry.

The Jews defeated the Greeks and demonstrated Torah's intellectual superiority.
It was the image of the high priest that appeared before Alexander at every battle. Shimon Hatzadik and the wisdom of the Oral Torah, a new system of connecting back, was the reason for every Greek victory. Greek philosophy was the counterforce that opposed the Jewish use of the intellect. It follows that the only reason the Greeks came to power was so that the Jews could defeat them years later, and demonstrate that Torah's conception of intellect and the mind reflects the truth. This is the root of Hanukkah. The triumph of Hanukkah was more than the military defeat of the Greeks in Jerusalem. It represented the victory of the Oral Torah over the counterforce of Greek philosophy and culture. It affirmed that Judaism is not about blind faith or checking one's brain at the door. On the contrary, Judaism requires one to probe and to think. However, our realm of thought exists within the context of our tradition, and it is our intellect that leads us to conclude there are things which man cannot understand.

The Fight Goes On

The battle continues to this day. The pressure is tremendous to deny the existence of that which we cannot see or grasp, and the temptation to succumb is strong. But as disciples of Shimon Hatzadik, the Jewish people know better. Our challenge is to harness the unfathomable power of the mind, use it to understand the intricacies of our faith, and the limits of our intellect. We no longer have prophets to reveal the truth, but we have the awesome power to use our brains, which, when stripped of our biases to the best of our abilities, brings us to the same place.

The battle of Hanukkah continues, but thanks to the seeds sown so long ago, the future is in our hands.