Exploring the Depths of Chanukah An explanation of the history and customs of Chanukah through the...
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Exploring the Depths of Chanukah An explanation of the history and customs of Chanukah through the lens of archaeology, historiography and a touch of mysticism
Exploring the Depths of Chanukah An explanation of the history
and customs of Chanukah through the lens of archaeology,
historiography and a touch of mysticism Virtual Israel Tours A
Bible in one hand and an iphone in the other Rav Shaanan Scherer
M.A, B.Ed. Licensed Israel Tour Guide
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? !
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Theres plenty of room at the Hotel California.. You can check
out any time of night, but you can never leave ( followed by great
guitar solo)
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but you can never leave, eh? HOTEL TORONTO
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SHAANAN TOURS -GUIDING SINCE 2007 IN ISRAEL -VIRTUAL GUIDING
SINCE 2010 IN USA AND CANADA -OVER TEN YEARS OF ISRAEL EXPERIENCE
HIKING, BIKING AND HITCHHIKING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY -GUIDED TOURS
WITH PASSION, SOUL AND A SENSE OF HUMOUR -IF I CANT BE IN ISRAEL,
THEN IVE GOTTA TAKE IT WITH ME
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ARIELLA AND TEHILLA
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Trip to British Museum January 2012
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EGYPTIAN MUMMIES
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BABYLONIAN IDOLS
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PERSIAN ARTIFACTS
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ANCIENT GREEK EMPIRE
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:
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Rambam, Mishneh Torah. Hilchot Chanukah. Chapter 3: Halacha 1
In [the era of] the Second Temple, the Greek kingdom issued decrees
against the Jewish people, [attempting to] nullify their faith and
refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and its commandments.
They extended their hands against their property and their
daughters; they entered the Sanctuary, wrought havoc within, and
made the sacraments impure. The Jews suffered great difficulties
from them, for they oppressed them greatly until the God of our
ancestors had mercy upon them, delivered them from their hand, and
saved them. The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame
[them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand. They
appointed a king from the priests, and sovereignty returned to
Israel for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Second
Temple.
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Halacha 2 When the Jews overcame their enemies and destroyed
them, they entered the Sanctuary; this was on the twenty-fifth of
Kislev. They could not find any pure oil in the Sanctuary, with the
exception of a single cruse. It contained enough oil to burn for
merely one day. They lit the arrangement of candles from it for
eight days until they could crush olives and produce pure oil.
Halacha 3 Accordingly, the Sages of that generation ordained that
these eight days, which begin from the twenty- fifth of Kislev,
should be commemorated to be days of happiness and praise [of God].
Candles should be lit in the evening at the entrance to the houses
on each and every one of these eight nights to publicize and reveal
the miracle. These days are called Chanukah. It is forbidden to
eulogize and fast on them, as on the days of Purim. Lighting the
candles on these days is a Rabbinic mitzvah, like the reading of
the Megillah.
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Why do we celebrate Chanukah? Two reasons: 1) Supernatural
miracle of the pure oil that lasted 8 days 2) Military victory of
Hasmonean army over Greek Empire and return of Jewish sovereignty
to Judea for next 200 years
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What is wrong with these reasons? 1) Supernatural miracle of
the pure oil that lasted 8 days 2) Military victory of Hasmonean
army over Greek Empire and return of Jewish sovereignty of Priests
to Judea for next 200 years
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Rambam. Mishne Torah They appointed a king from the priests,
and sovereignty returned to Israel for more than 200 years, until
the destruction of the Second Temple.
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Miracle of the Oil
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Yehudit Hamacabee
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There is a custom to eat cheese on Chanukah to commemorate the
miracle that was done with dairy food when Yehudit fed the enemy
Rabbi Moshe Isserles. Commenta ry on Shulchan Aruch 670. Laws of
Chanukah.
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CHANUKAH CHEESECAKES! You heard it HERE first!
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How can a Torah law (Bikkurim) be based on a Rabbinic Holiday??
From Atzeret to Chag, One should bring (the bikkurim) and recite.
From Chag to Chanukah one should bring, but not recite. - Mishna.
Bikkurim 1:6 What fruit in ancient Israel was harvested Chanukah
time?
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RAMAT RACHEL
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December 26 th, 2011 Israeli archaeologists uncover first
artifact confirming written record of Temple worship Button-sized
seal believed to designate ceremonially pure provisions for Temple
worship, such as that described in the Hanukkah story.
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PURE FOR GOD DAKA LYA
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Shabbat 21b What is [the reason of] Hanukkah? For our Rabbis
taught: On the twenty- fifth of Kislev [commence] the days of
Hanukkah, which are eight on which a 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 made search and found
only one cruse of oil which lay with the seal of the High Priest,
but which contained sufficient for one day's lighting only; yet a
miracle was wrought therein and they lit [the lamp] therewith for
eight days. The following year these [days] were appointed a
Festival with [the recital of] Hallel and thanksgiving.
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Heliodoros Stele
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According to the story in Maccabees, Heliodorus, as the
representative of King Seleucus IV, tried to steal the wealth from
the Temple in Jerusalem but instead was severely beaten as a result
of divine intervention. Three years later Seleucus IV was
assassinated and was succeeded by his brother Antiochus IV, who was
the ruler who according to II Maccabees eventually issued an edict
of persecution against the Jewish people and desecrated the Temple
in Jerusalem leading to the Maccabean Revolt.
MODIIN Established in 1993 Current population 80 000 Estimated
population by 2030 120 000
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MACCABEAN GRAVES
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Rechavia Neighbourhood, Jerusalem
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Jason the High Priest 175 BCE JASON S TOMB
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Coin of Matityahu Antigonus the last survivor of the Hasmonean
family Competed against Herod the Great to become next ruler of
Judea and lost
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Why did Mattityahu Antigonus use this image on his coin?
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WHY?
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CHANUKAH GELT!? Hasmonean descendants minted national coins to
celebrate their freedom? 18th C. E.European tradition to give
religious teachers a token of gratitude? Eventually shifted from
teachers to children. Gelt/gift giving parallel Christmas customs?
1920s American candy companies first introduced gold and silver
wrapped chocolate gelt
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100 years!
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One of the most important lessons we learn from Chanukah is to
have Maccabee/Jewish pride. The Maccabees fought for Judaism
against Hellenism (Greek Culture)
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Why do we spin dreidels?
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Draydel House, Caesaria
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A message from Hatzolah Toronto
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Cover up in order to hide illegal Torah Study from Greeks,
or
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Teetotum? IRONIC?
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the letters nun, gimmel, hey, shin represent the four kingdoms
which tried to destroy us [in ancient times]: N = Nebuchadnetzar =
Babylon; H = Haman = Persia = Madai; G = Gog = Greece; and S = Seir
= Rome. = 358=
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?
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First night of Chanukah in 1777 was December 24th - Washingtons
troops arrived at Valley Forge on December 19 th, 1777 - Storys
origin is from the daughter of Michael Hart, a Jewish businessman
from Easton, Pennsylvania who hosted Washington during Chanukah of
1778. Washington told his hosts that he already knew about Chanukah
and told the story about the Jewish soldier in Valley Forge.
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Where are the oldest synagogues discovered in Israel? Gamla
Migdal Masada Jericho Qumran Herodiu m Modii n Menorah engraving
discovered in 2009 in Migdal synagogue
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Ancient Synagogue of Modiin
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What did the original menorah of the Temple look like?
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Shmot 25:31 - 32 And you shall make a menorah of pure gold. The
menorah shall be made of hammered work; its base and its stem, its
goblets, its knobs, and its flowers shall [all] be [one piece] with
it.. And six branches coming out of its sides: three menorah
branches from its one side and three menorah branches from its
second side.
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Rashi (France 12 th C.) on Shmot 25:31 - 32 BASE: This refers
to the foot on the bottom [of the menorah], which was made like a
box with three legs coming out of it [protruding] downwards
BRANCHES: coming out of its sides: from here and there [in each
direction] diagonally, drawn upwards until [they reached] the
height of the menorah, which is the middle stem. They came out of
the middle stem, one higher than the others: the bottom one was
longest, the one above it was shorter than it, and the highest one
shorter than that, because the height of their ends [at their tops]
was equal to the height of the seventh, middle stem, out of which
the six branches extended.
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Original Drawing of the Menorah by Maimonide s discovered in
the Cairo Genizah
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Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra In his long commentary on Shmot 25:32
write that the branches were half circles
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Zechariah 4:1 - 3 "I saw, and behold [there was] a candelabrum
all of gold, with its oil-bowl on top of it, and its seven lamps
thereon; seven tubes each to the lamps that were on top of it. And
[there were] two olive trees near it; one on the right of the bowl,
and one on its left.
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The Temple Institute Menorah on display next to Kotel stairs
Height? Six and a half feet Weight? one-half ton. It contains forty
five kilograms of twenty four karat gold Value in US Dollars?
approximately three million dollars. Donor? Vadim Rabinovitch, a
leader of the Jewish community of Ukraine
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Discovered in 2011 in City of David in City of David
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How will this presentation enhance my Chanukah this year?
Historical Perspective Understanding of Chanukah Celebration
Archaeology of Chanukah Modern State of Israel and Chanukah Change
your Chanukah Customs (CHANUKAH CHEESECAKES!) New Stories to share
But most importantly
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THANK YOU! RAV SHAANAN SCHERER STAY TUNED FOR MORE
CLASSES/TOURS
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Stay tuned.. For more Virtual Israel Tours!
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Virtual Israel Tours A Bible in one hand and an iphone in the
other Rav Shaanan Scherer M.A, B.Ed. Licensed Israel Tour Guide
Buried Treasures of the Land of Israel A survey of Biblical
Archaeology. Where the Holy Book meets the Holy Land