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

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Rav Shaanan Scherer M.A, B.Ed. Licensed Israel Tour Guide

?למהתורה עם דרך ארץ

ישראל!

“There’s 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)

“but you can

never leave, eh?”

HOTEL TORONTO

SHAANAN TOURS

- GUIDING SINCE 2007 IN ISRAELGUIDING SINCE 2007 IN ISRAEL- VIRTUAL GUIDING SINCE 2010 IN USA AND CANADAVIRTUAL GUIDING SINCE 2010 IN USA AND CANADA

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ARIELLA AND TEHILLA

Trip to British Museum January 2012

•EGYPTIAN MUMMIES

BABYLONIAN IDOLS

PERSIAN ARTIFACTS

ANCIENT GREEK EMPIRE

מאי חנוכה

:שבת כא

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.

• 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.

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

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

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.

Miracle of the Oil

Yehudit Hamacabee

“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. Commentary on Shulchan Aruch 670. Laws of Chanukah.

CHANUKAH CHEESECAKES!

You heard it HERE first!

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?

RAMAT RACHEL

December 26th, 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.

“PURE FOR GOD”“DAKA L’YA”

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.

Heliodoros

Stele

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.

HASMONEAN FORTRESSES

MASADA

HASMONEAN FORTRESSES

1) ALEXANDRION

2) DOK

3) JERICHO

4) CYPRUS

5) HYRCANIA

6) MACHAREUS

7) MASADA

Judea under Judah Maccabee

Judea under John Hyrcanus

Judea under Alexander Yannai

MODI’IN

• Established in 1993

• Current population 80 000

• Estimated population by 2030 120 000

MACCABEAN GRAVES

Rechavia Neighbourhood, Jerusalem

Jason the High Priest 175 BCE

JASON’S TOMB

Coin of Matityahu Antigonus

the last survivor of the Hasmonean

family

Competed against Herod the Great to become next ruler of Judea and lost

Why did Mattityahu Antigonus use this image on his coin?

WHY?

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?1920’s American candy companies first introduced gold and silver wrapped chocolate gelt

100 years!

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)

Why do we spin dreidels?

Draydel House, Caesaria

A message from Hatzolah Toronto…

Cover up in order to hide illegal Torah Study from Greeks, or …

… Teetotum?

IRONIC?

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.

משיח = 358 =

?

First night of Chanukah in 1777 was December 24th

- Washington’s troops arrived at Valley Forge on December 19th, 1777

- Story’s origin is from the daughter of Michael Hart, a Jewish businessman from Easton,Pennsylvania who hosted Washington during Chanukah of 1778. Washingtontold his hosts that he already knew about Chanukah and told the story about the Jewish soldier in Valley Forge.

Where are the oldest synagogues discovered in

Israel?GamlaMigdal

MasadaJerichoQumranHerodiumModiin

Menorah engraving discovered in 2009 in Migdal synagogue

Ancient Synagogue of Modiin

What did the original menorah of the Temple look like?

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.

Rashi (France 12th 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.

Original Drawing of the Menorah by Maimonides discovered in the Cairo Genizah

Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra• In his long commentary on Shmot 25:32 write

that the branches were half circles

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.”

The Temple Institute Menorah on display next to Kotel stairs

Height?

Six and a half feetWeight?•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

Discovered in 2011Discovered in 2011 in City of Davidin City of David

How will this presentation enhance my Chanukah this year?

• Historical PerspectiveUnderstanding of Chanukah Celebration

Archaeology of Chanukah

Modern State of Israel and Chanukah

Change your Chanukah Customs (CHANUKAH CHEESECAKES!)

New Stories to shareBut most importantly …

THANK YOU!

RAV SHAANAN SCHERER

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Rav Shaanan Scherer M.A, B.Ed. Licensed Israel Tour Guide

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