Today in Jewish Studies 10 to 11am:
Help Save Tiffany B.
The Last Will of Mattathias (or how this all started)
Time Allowing: Music Break
Time allowing: How we know what we know
Trope and more with Cantor Berke (11 to 11:20am)
Today in Hebrew: 1120am to 11:50am
A quick check in
Kashmoot? Kanooot? Ka-something....
Breakout groups: I shrey, You Shrey, We all Shrey
Big Question to think about: If a Jewish person definitely doesn't belive that Chanukkah's Miracle of the Oil happened (that one cruse of oil was able to fill the Menorah for eight lightings of instead of one), shouldn't they skip latkes or sufganiot on Hannukah? After all, the whole point in eating those foods is to celebrate the miracle of the oil which they don't believe....
Smaller question to think about: Why eat fried foods at all on Hannukah? They are not healthy foods. Why not just have a salad with an olive oil dressing? Shouldn't that be enough to remember the miracle?
Book of the week (ever read this one?)
THE LAST WILL OF MATTATHIAS, FATHER OF THE MACCABEES, OR, how did this whole thing start?
The time: 168 BCE (go back 2000 years, and then go back another 168.)
The place: Modi'in, a small quiet mountain town about a day's walk from Jerusalem.
Many Jews in this time were Hellenized, embracing the Greek culture that had spread with Alexandxer the Great and his empire. Some Jews refused to adopt any Greek customs, but most adapted some of the Greek culture. Some abandoned all things Jewish and replaced them all with pagan (non-Jewish, multiple gods) practices.
1 Maccabees
Chapter 2:
(The Hebrew version of this text of the first of the
four books of the Maccabees has never been found. Only the Greek translation
survived the centuries. The names of
people and places reflects that origin. )
2 During that time, a priest of the Jehoiarib family named
Mattathias, who was the son of John and the grandson of Simeon, moved from
Jerusalem and settled in Modi’in. 2 Mattathias had five sons: John (also called
Gaddi/Lucky), 3 Simon (also called Thassi/the Counselor), 4 Judas
(also called Maccabeus/the Hammer), 5 Eleazar
(also called Avaran/the Spear), and Jonathan (also called Apphus/the
Diplomat).
6 When
Mattathias saw all the sins that were being committed in Judea and
Jerusalem, 7 he said:
Why was I born to see these terrible things,
the ruin of my people and of the holy city?
Must I sit here helpless
while the city is surrendered to enemies
and the Temple falls into the hands of foreigners?
8 The Temple is like someone without honor.
9 Its splendid furnishings
have been carried away as loot.
Our children have been killed in the streets,
and our young men by the sword of the enemy.
10 Every nation in the world has occupied the city
and robbed her of her possessions.
11 All her ornaments have been stripped away;
she is now a slave, no longer free.
12 Look at our Temple, profaned by pagans,
emptied of all its splendor.
13 Why should we go on living?
14 In their
grief, Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and
continued in deep mourning.
15 Then the
king's officials, who were forcing the people to turn from God, came to the
town of Modi’in to force the people there to offer pagan sacrifices. 16 Many of
the Jews came to meet them, including Mattathias and his sons. 17 The
king's officials said to Mattathias, "You are a respected leader in this
town, and you have the support of your sons and relatives. 18 Why not
be the first one here to do what the king has commanded? All the non-Jews, the
people of Judea, and all the people left in Jerusalem have already done so. If
you do, you and your sons will be honored with the title of Friends of the
King, and you will be rewarded with silver and gold and many gifts!”
19 Mattathias answered in a loud voice, “I don't
care if every non-Jew in this empire has obeyed the king and yielded to the
command to abandon the religion of his ancestors. 20 My
children, my relatives, and I will continue to keep the covenant that God made
with our ancestors. 21 With
God's help we will never abandon his Law or disobey his commands! 22 We will
not obey the king's decree, and we will not change our way of worship in the
least.”
23 Just as
he finished speaking, one of the men from Modi’in decided to obey the king's
decree and stepped out in front of everyone to offer a pagan sacrifice on the
altar that stood there. 24 When Mattathias saw him, he became angry enough
to do what had to be done. Shaking with rage, he ran forward and killed the man
right there on the altar. 25 He also killed the royal official who was
forcing the people to sacrifice, and then he tore down the altar. 26 In this
way Mattathias showed his deep devotion for the Law, just as Phinehas had done
when he killed Zimri son of Salu.
27 Then Mattathias went through the town shouting, “Everyone who is faithful to God's covenant and obeys his Law, follow me!” 28 With this, he and his sons fled to the mountains, leaving behind all they owned....
42 Then Mattathias and his friends were joined by a group of devout and patriotic Jews, the strongest and bravest men in Israel, who had all volunteered to defend the Law. 43 In addition, everyone who was fleeing from the persecution joined them and strengthened their forces. 44 Now that they had an army, they gave vent to their anger by attacking the renegade Jews (who were spreading the King's decree). Of these renegades, those who escaped were forced to flee to the Selucids for safety. 45 Mattathias and his friends went everywhere tearing down pagan altars.... 47 They were also successful in hunting down the arrogant Selucid officials. 48 They rescued the Law of Moses from the Pagans and their kings and broke the power of the wicked King Antiochus.
49 When the time came for Mattathias to die, he said to his sons: “These are times of violence and distress. Arrogant people are in control and have made us an object of ridicule. 50 But you, my sons, must be devoted to the Law and ready to die to defend God's covenant with our ancestors. 51 Remember what our ancestors did and how much they accomplished in their day. Follow their example, and you will be rewarded with great glory and undying fame. 52 Remember how Abraham put his trust in the Lord when he was tested and how the Lord was pleased with him and accepted him. 53 Joseph, in his time of trouble, obeyed God's commands and became ruler over the land of Egypt.... 57 David was made king and was given the promise that his descendants would always be kings because of his steadfast loyalty to God. 58 Elijah, because of his great devotion to the Law, was taken up alive into heaven.... 61 Take each of these ancestors of ours as an example, and you will realize that no one who puts his trust in the Lord will ever lack strength.62
Don't be afraid of the threats of a wicked man.
Remember that he will die and all his splendor will end with worms feeding on
his decaying body. 63 Today he may be highly honored, but tomorrow he
will disappear; his body will return to the earth and his scheming will come to
an end. 64 But you, my sons, be strong and courageous in
defending the Law, because it is through the Law that you will earn great
glory.”
65 "Your brother Simon is wise, so always listen to
him as you would to me. 66 Judas Maccabeus has been strong all his life; he
will be your commander and will lead you in battle against the enemy. 67 Call everyone who obeys God's Law to rally around you; then avenge
the wrongs done to your people. 68 Pay back the Pagans for what they have done! And
always obey the Law and its commands!”
69 Then
Mattathias gave them his blessing and died. 70 He was buried
in the family tomb at Modi’in, and all the people of Israel went into deep
mourning for him. This happened in the year 146.[a]
Footnotes:
a. 1 Maccabees 2:70 the year 146: This corresponds
to 166 B.C.E.
MUSIC BREAK
What kind of Chanukah?
How they sang it 500 years ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8Hq_qJDWww
Don’t say you can’t sing it #1 (if they can, why can’t you?)
https://youtu.be/lsY0qJduFN8?si=0g-j0VPSjNMMmZFL
Don’t say you can’t sing it #2 (If he can, can’t you?)
Leslie Odom Jr. - Ma’oz Tzur (feat. Nicolette Robinson)
[Official Audio] - YouTube
CHANNUKAH: HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW?
The Maccabees
led a great revolt against the Seleucid Empire and the evil King Antiochus
IV, and rededicated a Temple that the Seleucids
had ruined. In time, the rededication is celebrated with Hallel,
rejoicing, and the kindling of lights. But where do these stories come from? As
with many parts of Judaism, there is no one perspective that tells us
the story, but several. We find the
stories of the Maccabees in a few places:
□ One Barai'tah, a short section in the Talmud (most holidays get a whole volume of stuff)
□ the 1st
Book Of Maccabees,
□ fragments
of the story in rare texts such as Megilat Taanit
□ the
histories of Josephus, who shared many sources with the Talmud
Each of these texts has a different explanation
for Chanukkah lights, just as different eyewitnesses may explain a daring
rescue in different ways, though they
were all at the same event. For each
text shows a different priority in the telling.
The Book of
Maccabees book does not appear in the Hebrew Bible. It is found in a collection of ancient books
known as the Apocrypha, a
selection of books that were too late, too strange, or otherwise too
problematic to put in the Hebrew bible. We only have the version written in
Greek probabaly written down in the 1st century BCE. The first two of its four books deal with the story of Hannukah and it’s
aftermath. Here’s a section.
1st Book of Maccabees, a chunk of Chapter 4
Then they took whole stones according to the law, and
built a new altar according to the former; And made up the
sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts.
They made also new holy vessels, and
into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings,
and of incense, and the table.
And upon the altar they burned incense,
and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give
light in the temple. Furthermore they
set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the
works which they had begun to make. Now on the five
and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the
hundred forty and eighth year [164 BCE], they rose up betimes in the morning,
And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt
offerings, which they had made.
For at the exact time and day pagans
had ruined it, at the same date was it dedicated with songs, and stringed
instruments, and harps, and cymbals. Then all the
people bowed upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who
had given them good success. And so they kept
the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with
gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise. Moreover
Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the
days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to
year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month
Casleu, with mirth and gladness.
Talmud is the bridge between the
Torah given at Sinai and the Judaism we practice today. It is a combination of the Mishnah, the Gemara and commentaries such as Rashi and the Tosafot. It comes in two flavors, Babalonian and Jerusalem. To be a basically literate Jew is to be able to know what these things are, as well as to find a
source or idea in Talmud and understand its pages. What does the Talmud say about Hanukkah?
Babylonian
Talmud Shabbat 21b
What is
the reason for [the lights of] Hanukkah? Our Rabbis taught: On the twenty-fifth
of Kislev commence the days of Hanukkah, which are eight, on which lamentation
for the dead and fasting are forbidden. For when the Greeks entered the Temple,
they defiled all the oils therein. And when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed
against and defeated them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil which
lay with the seal of the High Priest. It contained enough oil for one day’s
lighting only. Yet a miracle was wrought and they lit the lamp from that jar
for eight days. The following year these [days] were appointed a Festival with
[the recital of] Hallel and thanksgiving.
There are other
sources on the Maccabees, with small notes and ideas strewn here and there. Pesikta Rabati (8th
Century) and Megilat Taanit
(1st Century) share this version of the story.
Peskita Rabati Ch. 2 and Megilat Ta'anit ch. 9
The Hasmoneans entered the Temple and
erected the altar and whitewashed it and replaced all of the ritual utensils.
They were kept busy for eight days. And why do we light candles? Because when
the Hasmoneans entered the Temple there were eight iron lances in their hands.
They covered them with zinc and lit lights on them. They did this each of the
eight days."
Josephus was a Jewish historian writing in the 2nd century for a Roman audience who knew little about the Jews.
Josephus, Antiquities
of the Jews 12.7.323-326
Now Judas celebrated the festival of
the restoration of the sacrifices of the temple for eight days; and omitted no
sort of pleasures thereon: but he feasted them upon very rich and splendid
sacrifices; and he honored God, and delighted them, by hymns and psalms. They
were so very glad at the revival of their customs, when after a long time of
intermission, they unexpectedly had regained the freedom of their worship, that
they made it a law for their posterity, that they should keep a festival, on
account of the restoration of their temple worship, for eight days. And from
that time to this we celebrate this festival and call it Photos/Lights. I suppose
the reason was because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that
thence was the name given to that festival.
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