DOCSLIB.ORG

Chanukah - the REAL Story

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Chanukah - the REAL Story Chanukah - The REAL Story 333 B.C.E.: In the 4th Century B.C.E. Alexander the Great conquered the near east including Israel, but was a different type of ruler...he believed in allowing his newly conquered nations to continue as they had before, with little change... thus Jews continued to live as Jews, and the taxes did not change, only who they were going to changed. 333-165: In the following 130 years or so of changing rulers and factions, where the Jews were not only allowed to continue observing Judaism, but given full citizenship among the Greeks as well (this was a continuation of Alexander’s beliefs and policies)- they could participate in the new learning, art, literature, philosophy, and most important, sports that the Greeks introduced to them. Many Jews enjoyed these new additions to their life. Some changed their names to Greek names and wholly embraced the Greek way of life, completely giving up Judaism. Some even attempted surgery to reverse their circumcisions! This was called Hellenization. Jews began to separate into 2 distinct groups: Hellenized Jews and traditional Jews. Although there were certainly a number of Jews that were in-between, these two groups of polar opposites began to argue about who was right and how Jews should live. 175 B.C.E.: Antiochus IV Epiphanes (the Seleucid ruler of Syria) becomes ruler of the entire region. This is where the story becomes somewhat unclear - in one version, Antiochus just outlaws Judaism completely, forcing (or attempting to) the Jews to Hellenize completely. In the other more complicated (and most likely) version, there is an internal struggle between different Jewish factions, leading to the revolt of one high priest (Jason) against another high priest (Menelaus). Jason was killed by Menelaus' followers. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, interpreting the revolt of Jason as a revolt against him, decrees that Judaism is illegal, and that Torah study, ritual observance, and circumcision is forbidden. In this version, the Hellenized Jews asked Antiochus Epiphanes for support (with laws and with troops) which he gladly gave. 165 B.C.E.: In the village of Modin, the revolt against the Greeks and the Hellenized Jews begins when Mattathias, the head of the Hasmonean family, kills a Hellenized Jew who bows down and sacrifices to an idol as decreed by Antiochus Epiphanes and enforced by the Greek soldiers. A bitter civil war breaks out between Hellenized Jews, supported and aided by Antiochus and his Greek armies, and the Hasideans (traditional Jews) led by Mattathias and his sons: Judah and his brothers. Judah is made the leader after Mattathias' death and nicknamed Judah Maccabee (Yehuda HaMaKaBi is an acronym for the Hebrew: Mi Kamokha BaElim Adonai - “who is like you amongst all the gods?” - and the letter Yod stands for God's name.), and wages guerilla warfare against the Hellenized Jewish and Greek troops sent by Antiochus to crush the revolt. The Maccabees and the Hasideans liberate Jerusalem and are victorious, and the Syrian Greeks make peace with the victorious Jews. What is said about Chanukah in our texts comes from the Gemara (part of the Talmud): What is Chanukah? The Greeks defiled the Temple, and the Hasmoneans (the Maccabees) defeated them, re-dedicated the Temple, cleansing it, and making it usable once again. They found only one cruse (container) of oil that was unopened (and therefore fit for use). It contained enough oil for only one day, but a miracle happened and the oil burned for 8 days. From the Talmud Shabbat 21b Why are lights kindled on Chanukah? The reason is that when the sons of Mattathias, the high priest, defeated the Syrian Greeks, they entered the temple and found eight iron spears. They stuck them in the earth and kindled a light in each one. From Midrash Pesikta Rabbati chapter 2. Why is Chanukah observed for 8 days? Because in the days of the Greek domination of Palestine, the Hasmoneans (Maccabees) recaptured the Temple and rebuilt the altar. They did this with fresh cement and replaced all of the serving vessels that had been destroyed. This task took them 8 days to accomplish. Questions and Answers (the Chanukah FAQ) Why is Rabbinic literature so silent about the ideas of a military victory, let alone the possibility of a civil war? There are at least 3 possible explanations for this: 1) What happened to the Hasmoneans (Maccabees) later in history. The Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled Israel for about 100 years, eventually became Hellenized (giving up Judaism for Greek ways) and opposed and even persecuted the Rabbis. The Hasmonean dynasty also became corrupt and abusive. Because of all these reasons, the Rabbis were very unhappy with the Hasmoneans and most likely did not want to give them credit for such a noble beginning. 2) The Rabbis, because they were living under Roman rule, may have felt obligated to censor a story about a small number of Jews revolting victoriously against a powerful enemy. The Mishnah (½ of the Talmud) was written AFTER two disastrous revolts against the Romans, the first leading to the destruction of the second temple in 70 C.E., and the second the Bar Kochba rebellion in 135 C.E. In order to keep the Romans happy, and to discourage further disaster, the Rabbis may have minimized the historical significance of Chanukah. 3) Because the independence of the Hasmonean state lasted less than 100 years, the importance of the Maccabees in the context of greater Jewish history may have seriously diminished, until it seemed like a very brief moment in that history. To ensure Chanukah's lasting importance, the rabbis decided to emphasize its spiritual content and symbol...the menorah or Chanukiyah (a specific menorah with 8 branches plus the shamash) when the regular traditional menorah has only 7 branches. How do we light the Chanukiyah (or Menorah)? Each night the candles are placed from right to left, adding a candle for each night, and lit from left to right, so that the candle for the new night is the first one that is lit. What makes a Chanukiyah Kosher? The most important thing about a Chanukiyah is that you light it each night of Chanukah. Many people own and use beautiful chanukiyot that have candles of different heights. But according to traditional Judaism, a Kosher Chanukiyah is one where all the candles...except the Shamash ... are the same height, because no day is more important than another. Why do we light the Chanukiyah in this fashion? There was just such an argument between tow of our most famous Rabbis: Hillel and Shammai. Shammai said that in the Temple, there was less oil burning in the menorah each day, the first night of Chanukah, 8 candles should be lit: removing one for each subsequent night of Chanukah, thereby counting down the nights. Hillel said that a candle should be added each night, so that the last night all the candles are lit. He said that in this way, we INCREASE our joy throughout the 8 days rather than diminish it. As you can see, Hillel won this argument (and most of the others). Why is the Shamash higher than the other candles? In ancient times, people used candles and oil lamps for light. On Chanukah, you were not supposed to use the lit candles (or oil lamps) that commemorated the holiday for any other purpose. For example, you were not supposed to use them to light a room, to read by, etc. So the Shamash, which is used to light the others but serves no religiously significant purpose, may be used for any purpose. Therefore, by lighting the Shamash and keeping it higher than the other lamps/candles, no one can mistakenly use the other candles for any other purpose than intended. The Shamash is lighting the room, and not the Chanukiya. Why the story of the miracle of the oil? Why wasn't the military victory enough? Because most times it is much easier to pick up weapons and use them than it is to put them down. It is easier to fight with others than to fight with yourself. It is not easy to make God and Judaism a part of our everyday lives. By celebrating and remembering the rededication of the Temple, we remember what the REAL victory of Chanukah is: making Judaism a part of ourselves and our everyday lives. Why 8 days of Chanukah? Because of the miracle of the oil? To get 8 different gifts? Actually, since we have discussed that the story about the miracle is really just that: a story, why 8 days? Well, earlier the stories were discussed that it took 8 days to rebuild the altar and that there were 8 spears stuck in the ground. But, the other (and most likely) reason is that while the Hasmoneans were fighting the Greeks/Syrian/Hellenized Jews, they were unable to celebrate Sukkot. Chanukah is most likely modeled after Sukkot, which also lasts for 8 days (7 days plus shemini atzeret). .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 2 the Assyrian Empire, the Conquest of Israel, and the Colonization of Judah 37 I
    ISRAEL AND EMPIRE ii ISRAEL AND EMPIRE A Postcolonial History of Israel and Early Judaism Leo G. Perdue and Warren Carter Edited by Coleman A. Baker LONDON • NEW DELHI • NEW YORK • SYDNEY 1 Bloomsbury T&T Clark An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Imprint previously known as T&T Clark 50 Bedford Square 1385 Broadway London New York WC1B 3DP NY 10018 UK USA www.bloomsbury.com Bloomsbury, T&T Clark and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First published 2015 © Leo G. Perdue, Warren Carter and Coleman A. Baker, 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Leo G. Perdue, Warren Carter and Coleman A. Baker have asserted their rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Authors of this work. No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organization acting on or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury or the authors. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN: HB: 978-0-56705-409-8 PB: 978-0-56724-328-7 ePDF: 978-0-56728-051-0 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Typeset by Forthcoming Publications (www.forthpub.com) 1 Contents Abbreviations vii Preface ix Introduction: Empires, Colonies, and Postcolonial Interpretation 1 I.
    [Show full text]
  • Hanukah History
    A BRIEF HISTORY OF Chanukah More than a little oil – edited by Rabbi Ron Symons Alexander the Great conquered Israel in the 4 th century B.C.E. He was a benevolent ruler result of a vision he was said to have had before he began any battle. The story goes that upon entering Jerusalem, he was met by the High Priest, Shimon HaTzaddik. Before every battle, he saw his likeness in a vision. As a result, he cancelled taxes on the Jews during the Sabbatical year, offered animals in the Temple on his own behalf, and granted the Jews religious freedom. Conditions changed when Alexander died. His empire was divided among different generals. After a power struggle, Israel came under the control of the Seleucid Dynasty – Greek kings who ruled from Syria. Until this point, the major threat was spiritual annihilation resulting from Hellenization, the adaptation of Greek culture and philosophy (assimilation). Hellenization attacked the moral, ethical and religious fibre of Judaism. Many Jews resisted assimilation but many became ardent Hellenists. Under the Seleucid kings, this situation continued. With the rise of Antiochus IV both the spiritual and physical survival of the Jewish people was severely threatened. Sadly enough, Jewish Hellenists contributed towards Jewish destruction by complaining to the king that the pace of assimilation was not fast enough. Tragedy resulted. One man, named Joshua, or the Hellenized Jason, bribed the King into replacing the high priest and appointing him instead. This new “high-priest” erected a gymnasium near the Temple where the priests would go and play sports, thereby neglecting their duties.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparative Study of Jewish Commentaries and Patristic Literature on the Book of Ruth
    A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF JEWISH COMMENTARIES AND PATRISTIC LITERATURE ON THE BOOK OF RUTH by CHAN MAN KI A Dissertation submitted to the University of Pretoria for the degree of PHILOSOPHIAE DOCTOR Department of Old Testament Studies Faculty of Theology University of Pretoria South Africa Promoter: PIETER M. VENTER JANUARY, 2010 © University of Pretoria Summary Title : A comparative study of Jewish Commentaries and Patristic Literature on the Book of Ruth Researcher : Chan Man Ki Promoter : Pieter M. Venter, D.D. Department : Old Testament Studies Degree :Doctor of Philosophy This dissertation deals with two exegetical traditions, that of the early Jewish and the patristic schools. The research work for this project urges the need to analyze both Jewish and Patristic literature in which specific types of hermeneutics are found. The title of the thesis (“compared study of patristic and Jewish exegesis”) indicates the goal and the scope of this study. These two different hermeneutical approaches from a specific period of time will be compared with each other illustrated by their interpretation of the book of Ruth. The thesis discusses how the process of interpretation was affected by the interpreters’ society in which they lived. This work in turn shows the relationship between the cultural variants of the exegetes and the biblical interpretation. Both methodologies represented by Jewish and patristic exegesis were applicable and social relevant. They maintained the interest of community and fulfilled the need of their generation. Referring to early Jewish exegesis, the interpretations upheld the position of Ruth as a heir of the Davidic dynasty. They advocated the importance of Boaz’s and Ruth’s virtue as a good illustration of morality in Judaism.
    [Show full text]
  • Is JUDAISM the RELIGION of MOSES?
    Is JUDAISM the RELIGION OF MOSES? By Ernest Martin Is JUDAISM the RELIGION OF MOSES? Introduction People assume that Judaism is the religion of Moses–that Jesus brought a message opposed to the Old Testament–that He came to nullify the teaching of Moses. It is taken for granted that the New Testament presents a Gentile religion and that the Old Testament teaches Judaism! Yet all these assumptions are absolutely false! Shocking though it may seem, history proves that Judaism is not the religion of the Old Testament Scriptures. Judaism is plainly and simply the religion of the Jews–a religion manufactured by their own ingenuity. The Jews of Roman times had appropriated the name of Moses as the author of their religion–but in actuality, they had rejected Moses. Jesus said: "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me . but ye believe not his writings" (John 5:46,47). The Jews used the name of Moses, but they didn't practice what he commanded. Just as today, there are hundreds of denominations and sects in what is commonly called Christianity, all appropriating the name of Christ–saying they are Christian–but contradicting each other and failing to practice what He taught! And history proves that the Jews had misappropriated the name of Moses. In effect, Judaism was a man-made religion! Jesus said that they were "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7). It is time we looked into the records of history. It is time we learned how the Jews departed from the religion of Moses.
    [Show full text]
  • Celebrating Hanukkah
    Celebrating Hanukkah Hanukkah Means Dedication The eight-day festival of Hanukkah is celebrated beginning on the 25 of Kislev, a month on the lunar Hebrew calendar that usually falls between the end of November and the end of December on the solar standard calendar. Hanukkah means “dedication,” and the holiday commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the defeat of the Syrian- Greeks in 165 BC. The Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus IV tried to force the Greek culture and religion upon the Jewish people under his rule. In 168 BC, he declared that the Temple holy to the Jews would be used for the worship of the god Zeus. Soon after, he completely outlawed Judaism and made its practice punishable by death. Mattathias, the High Priest in the Temple, and his sons refused to give up their religion and led a revolt against the Greeks. Mattathias, his family, and those who joined them were called Maccabees (MAC-ah-bees) because Yahuda, Mattathias’ oldest son, was a powerful warrior nicknamed Ha’Maccabee (Ha-MAC-ah-bee), ancient Hebrew for “the Hammer.” The Miracle of the Oil Although they were outnumbered, the Maccabees defeated the Greeks after several years of fighting and reclaimed the Temple. As they prepared to rededicate their defiled Temple, the Jews found only enough pure oil to light the Eternal Light for one day. The oil miraculously lasted for eight days, allowing time for more oil to be pressed from olives and purified for use. The hanukkiyah (ha-NOO-kee-yuh) is a special menorah used only during Hanukkah.
    [Show full text]
  • Judea/Israel Under the Greek Empires." Israel and Empire: a Postcolonial History of Israel and Early Judaism
    "Judea/Israel under the Greek Empires." Israel and Empire: A Postcolonial History of Israel and Early Judaism. Perdue, Leo G., and Warren Carter.Baker, Coleman A., eds. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2015. 129–216. Bloomsbury Collections. Web. 24 Sep. 2021. <http:// dx.doi.org/10.5040/9780567669797.ch-005>. Downloaded from Bloomsbury Collections, www.bloomsburycollections.com, 24 September 2021, 23:54 UTC. Copyright © Leo G. Perdue, Warren Carter and Coleman A. Baker 2015. You may share this work for non-commercial purposes only, provided you give attribution to the copyright holder and the publisher, and provide a link to the Creative Commons licence. 5 Judea/Israel under the Greek Empires* In 33130 BCE, by military victory, the Macedonian Alexander ended the Persian Empire. He defeated the Persian king Darius at Gaugamela, advanced to a welcoming Babylon, and progressed to Persepolis where he burned Xerxes palace supposedly in retaliation for Persias invasions of Greece some 150 years previously (Diodorus 17.72.1-6). Thus one empire gave way to another by a different name. So began the Greek empires that dominated Judea/Israel for the next two hundred or so years, the focus of this chapter. Is a postcolonial discussion of these empires possible and what might it highlight? Considerable dif�culties stand in the way. One is the weight of conventional analyses and disciplinary practices which have framed the discourse with emphases on the various roles of the great men, the ruling state, military battles, and Greek settlers, and have paid relatively little regard to the dynamics of imperial power from the perspectives of native inhabitants, the impact on peasants and land, and poverty among non-elites, let alone any reciprocal impact between colonizers and colon- ized.
    [Show full text]
  • Ptolemys), Were at War for Almost a Hundred Years. Israel Was a Land Bridge Between the Two Countries and Was Wracked by War the Entire Time
    Ptolemys), were at war for almost a hundred years. Israel was a land bridge between the two countries and was wracked by war the entire time. Its ownership changed frequently, once even being given as a dowry when a Seleucid offspring married a Ptolemy offspring. When the war ended, Syria owned Palestine. The Seleucid Empire, or Syrian-Greeks, Chaplaincy Services are made possible through a grant from Jewish Federation of NENY brought peace to the land and, with it, Greek customs and practices. Like others through- in cooperation with the Capital District Board of Rabbis and Jewish Family Services of NENY. out the “known’ Western world, Jews took Greek names (such as Jason, Hyrcanus, Aris- tobulus), spoke Greek, took part in Greek games in the gymnasia, and studied Greek cul- ture. Some Jews began to spend more time on Greek learning than on Jewish learning. Behind his back, he was also called “Epimanes” (“the madman”). It is not clear why he decided to out- law the Jewish religion, but outlaw it he did, prohibiting the observance of the Sabbath and dietary laws and the circumcision of baby boys. He decreed that a statue of himself as Zeus be placed in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and a pig be offered up as a sacrifice. by Suzanne Beilenson and Rabbi Daniel D. Wolk Published in 1993 by Peter Pauper Press, White Plains, New York Some were afraid. Many in the wealthy leadership had strong ties with the Syrian-Greek rulers. They were so involved in Greek I thought of all the wondrous things the Maccabees had done; culture that they could not see the danger of Judaism’s destruction.
    [Show full text]
  • The Maccabees and Their Place in Jewish History. Sixth Grade Activity
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 469 517 SO 034 254 AUTHOR Mollet, Joyce; Mollet, David TITLE The Maccabees and Their Place in Jewish History. Sixth Grade Activity. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World. INSTITUTION San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, CA. PUB DATE 2000 -00 -00 NOTE 25p. AVAILABLE FROM Schools of California Online Resources for Education, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, 601 North East Street, San Bernardino, CA 92410-3093. E-mail: webmaster @score.rims.kl2.ca.us; Web site: http://score.rims.k12.ca.us. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Learner (051) Guides Classroom Teacher (052) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Culture; Evaluation Criteria; Grade 6; Intermediate Grades; *Jews; *Judaism; Language Arts; Sciences; *Social Studies; Special Needs Students; State Standards; Student Research; *Writing Assignments IDENTIFIERS California; *Jewish History ABSTRACT On November 17, 1995 the following news item appeared in "Time Magazine": "Long-lost cave reveals burial tombs of Maccabees." You (the student) are a journalist who has been asked by your editor to follow up that news item with an in-depth feature a two page spread with text and graphics entitled "The Life and Times of Judah Maccabee." For the student, this lesson plan delineates the task; provides a five step preparation process for the task (writing four articles, one by each member of the group); gives learning advice; suggests a concluding activity; poses several reflection questions; and offers an extension activity. Extensive historical background information is included. Guided reading activities and resource list are included.
    [Show full text]
  • Judaism and Jesus
    1 JUDAISM AND JESUS Zev Garber and Kenneth L. Hanson Out of Series Monograph Series No.1 2019 Contents Preface - Kenneth Hanson Introduction - Zev Garber SECTION I Chapter 1. “Teaching Jewish Studies” - Zev Garber Chapter 2. “Jesus in the Trenches” - Kenneth Hanson SECTION II Chapter 3. “One in Christ” - Zev Garber Chapter 4. “Jewish Jesus: Partisan’s Imagination” - Zev Garber Chapter 5. “Jesus, the Pharisees and the Sages” - Kenneth Hanson Chapter 6. The Shema, the Historical Jesus and Messianic Judaism - Kenneth Hanson Chapter 7. “Threading the Needle: The Ḥasidim and the Nazarene” - Kenneth Hanson SECTION III 2 Chapter Number Chapter 8. “Perpetual Dilemma” - Zev Garber Chapter 9. “Sitting at a Common Table” - Kenneth Hanson 3 PREFACE When Albert Schweitzer wrote The Quest of the Historical Jesus (1906), he was hardly producing the last word on the subject, whatever his original intention may have been. Indeed, the quest of which Schweitzer wrote has continued unabated, and is in many respects more diffuse and nuanced than ever before.1 Of approaches and angles to evaluating the great Galilean there is no end, and understanding his place, not only in the culture of his day, but as an image-bearer of hope and humanistic values in contemporary society is eternally challenging. What fresh perspectives can yet another short volume of scholarly reflections add to the already dense collection of tomes on Jesus the Jew? However fashionable to consider Jesus in terms of his own piously religious, Jewish culture, this subject by itself is no particular guarantor of academic merit. It has after all been the habit of a good many scholars and critics to produce commentary regarding the “Jewish Jesus,” as if such a moniker were in some way insightful.
    [Show full text]
  • The Basic Story
    The Basic Story early 2,200 years ago, the Greek-Syrian ruler Antiochus IV tried to force Greek culture upon peoples in N his territory. Jews in Judea—now Israel—were forbidden their most important religious practices as well as study of the Torah. Although vastly outnumbered, religious Jews in the region took up arms to protect their community and their religion. Led by Mattathias the Hasmonean, and later his son Judah the Maccabee, the rebel armies became known as the Maccabees. After three years of fighting, in the year 3597, or about 165 BCE, the Maccabees victoriously reclaimed the temple on Jerusalem's Mount Moriah. Next they prepared the temple for rededication—in Hebrew, Hanukkah means “dedication.” In the temple they found only enough purified oil to kindle the temple light for a single day. But miraculously, the light continued to burn for eight days. The first sounds of the festival are the prayers (brachot) that accompany the lighting of the candles. The first two are recited each night, the third is recited only on the first night. We light the candles starting with Shamash (leader) then from left to right. (1st Night- 2 Candles, 2nd Night - 3, 3rd Night - 4, 4th - 5, 5th - 6, 6th - 7, 7th - 8, and 8th Night - 9) CHANUKAH BLESSINGS FIRST BLESSING: COMMANDMENT TO KINDLE THE LIGHTS OF CHANUKAH TRANSLITERATION: Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, asher kid-shanu b’mitzvo tav v’tizivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.(amein) TRANSLATION: Blessed are you, L-rd our G-d, Sovereign of the Universe, whose mitzvot add holiness to our life and who gave us the mitzvah to kindle the lights of Chanukah.
    [Show full text]
  • Nickelsburg Final.Indd
    1 Sects, Parties, and Tendencies Judaism of the last two centuries b.c.e. and the first century c.e. saw the devel- opment of a rich, variegated array of groups, sects, and parties. In this chapter we shall present certain of these groupings, both as they saw themselves and as others saw them. Samaritans, Hasideans, Pharisees and Sadducees, Essenes, and Therapeutae will come to our attention, as will a brief consideration of the hellenization of Judaism and appearance of an apocalyptic form of Judaism. The diversity—which is not in name only, but also in belief and practice, order of life and customary conduct, and the cultural and intellectual forms in which it was expressed—raises several questions: How did this diversity originate? What were the predominating characteristics of Judaism of that age or, indeed, were there such? Was there a Judaism or were there many Judaisms? How do rabbinic Juda- ism and early Christianity emerge from it or them? The question of origins takes us back into the unknown. The religious and social history of Judaism in the latter part of the Persian era and in the Ptolemaic age (the fourth and third centuries b.c.e.) is little documented. The Persian prov- ince of Judah was a temple state ruled by a high-priestly aristocracy. Although some of the later parts of the Bible were written then and others edited at that time, and despite some new information from the Dead Sea manuscripts, the age itself remains largely unknown. Some scholars have tried to reconstruct the history of this period by work- ing back from the conflict between Hellenism and Judaism that broke into open revolt in the early second century.1 With the conquests of Alexander the Great in 334–323 b.c.e.—and indeed, somewhat earlier—the vital and powerful culture of the Greeks and the age-old cultures of the Near East entered upon a process of contact and conflict and generated varied forms of religious synthesis and self- definition.
    [Show full text]
  • Hanukkah in the Old Testament
    Hanukkah In The Old Testament overfishLow-frequency weekends Val oramortizing couples. or Unrecoverable discounts some Shamus inlander sectarianising ontogenetically, no Chirac however disassociating waiting Eddy doublyunequally enough, after Klee is Lay cadenced apperceptive? pesteringly, quite miliary. When Shem recedes his hawkbit clype not Though you should be in the temple in order The old testament might now caught in their city that jesus. They vary greatly in form, volume, age, and knight of sacredness, but getting common leg is like their words are regarded by the devout as sacred. This was important because, going between the times that horrible Old value New Testaments were done, the very of Judea had been conquered by the legendary Macedonian king Alexander the grab and his Greek army. Greek god was that old testament place for samuel has eight days to begin to late november to give us with. Blessed art Thou, O Lord one God, plan of the beaver, Who wroughtest miracles for our fathers in days of herself at this season. The old testament was winter. Last year, with even tried my stove at making wassail. The old testament or maybe all toil there was occupied by. Hanukkah can write it, we were very large pot, he offers all natural that was a high priest soon after fasting during their ruler. What stress the Historical Significance of Hanukkah? Joseph storehouse for anyone, that devotion to love. Eventually a hanukkah is old testament celebrations that led to. Remorse consumed eventually when esther conceals her car is. The back their future is a christian? Book does Life or the Book to Death.
    [Show full text]