Chanukah Handbook
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CHANUKAH HANDBOOK CHABAD OF TARZANA Foreword Chanukah, the eight-day holiday of light and joy, begins this year on Thursday night, December 10. This beloved festival celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materialism. In the second century BCE, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews drove the Greeks from the Land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and rededicated it to the service of G-d. A single cruse of pure olive oil, enough to kindle the Temple’s Menorah for one day, burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared. We commemorate these miracles by kindling our own menorahs for eight nights, infusing our homes with the warmth of Judaism and our hearts with the emotion of joy. As you prepare to celebrate Chanukah this year, this handbook presents you with some of the most noteworthy teachings about this holiday, along with some practical guidance, geared to delight, inform, and inspire, and thus enhance your holiday experience. The symbol of Chanukah will forever be the flame, one that refuses to remain static but expands and grows from one night to the next. As you peruse the contents of this booklet, think about how you can infuse your environment with additional light and warmth, two of the flame’s most notable features. A famous aphorism says that “perfection is the enemy of good.” The steady increase in light over the course of Chanukah reminds us that complacency is the greatest foe of good. While we seek not perfection, we do seek a continuous surge from good to better, and then better yet. With wishes for a holiday of warmth, joy, and good health, Rabbi Mordechai Einbinder Contents THE STORY OF CHANUKAH 4 The Story of Chanukah and the Hasmoneans 4 Chanukah in the Sources 6 Life Lessons from Chanukah 8 Extraordinary Menorahs 10 Menorah Lighting Tutorial 12 EXTRAORDINARY Chanukah Customs 14 MENORAHS 10 Landmark Menorahs 16 Chanukah Recipes 17 8 Warm & Interesting Facts about Chanukah 18 CHANUKAH RECIPES CUSTOMS 17 14 THE STORY OF Chanukah and the Hasmoneans 140 BCE The Hasmonean revolt. 301 BCE Torah-faithful Jews Beginning of the influence of Hellenic revolt against the Greek culture in the Land of Israel. Following suppression of Judaism the death of Alexander the Great, his and their desecration of the empire is split among his generals, with Holy Temple. The rebellion the Land of Israel falling under the rule is led by Matityahu the of the Ptolemaic kings of Egypt. The Hasmonean and his five Ptolemaic rulers build Greek-style sons: Yochanan, Shimon, cities throughout their realm, and build 198 BCE Yehudah, Elazar, and theaters, sports arenas, and temples. The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) Yonatan. Many Jewish “Hellenists” abandon are victorious in their wars traditional Judaism in a desire to against the Egyptian-Greeks, assimilate into the pagan culture of the and the Land of Israel is annexed Greek rulers of the Land. to the Seleucid Empire. 300 290 280 270 260 250 240 230 220 210 200 190 180 170 160 221-246 BCE 145 BCE During the reign of Ptolemy Loss of religious freedom. The Seleucid ruler III, The Jewish Hellenists gain Antiochus Epiphanes (referred to in Jewish power and influence, using sources as “Antiochus the Wicked”) issues decrees bribes to usurp the office compelling all inhabitants of his empire to worship the of the High Priest and other Greek gods and adopt the Greek way of life. This is in positions of authority. contrast to previous Greek rulers, who allowed each nation to follow its own religion and culture. The Jews are singled out and targeted by Antiochus's decrees. The mitzvot of circumcision, Shabbat and the Jewish festivals, and the study of Torah are forbidden on the pain of death, and Jews are forced to bring offerings 139 BCE to pagan gods. A pagan idol is placed in the Holy Matityahu dies. The revolt Temple in Jerusalem, and swine and other impure continues under the leadership animals are offered to it there. of his son, Yehudah the Maccabee. Maccabee means “hammer,” and the word is also an acronym for the phrase Mi kamocha ba’elim Hashem— “Who is like You among the Happy Chanukah! mighty, O G-d”—the banner under which Yehudah led his troops into battle. 3460 3470 3480 3490 3500 3510 3520 3530 3540 3550 3560 3570 3580 3590 3600 YEAR ON THE JEWISH CALENDAR 4 CHANUKAH HANDBOOK 139 BCE The miracle of Chanukah. Though vastly outnumbered, the small Maccabean army drives the Greeks from Jerusalem, liberates the Holy Temple, and rededicates it to the service of G-d. Miraculously, a small cruse of olive oil, sufficient to light seven lamps of the Temple’s menorah for one day, burns for eight days, until new ritually pure oil can be prepared. Jewish independence is established in the Holy Land for the first time since the conquest of the Land by the Babylonians 138 BCE 405 years earlier. In the effort to reassert their dominance over Judea, the Seleucids attack with an army of 61 BCE 100,000 foot soldiers, 20,000 cavalry, and 32 Civil War. The Hasmonean brothers war elephants. Judah’s brother Elazar dies a Aristobulus and Hyrkanos fight over the hero’s death when he dashes under the lead crown, with each enlisting the aid of the war elephant and kills it by driving his spear Romans against the other. This event marks from underneath its belly. In the ensuing havoc, the beginning of Roman influence in the the army disperses in disarray from before the Land of Israel and of the Land’s eventual Jewish fighters. subjugation to Roman rule. 133 BCE Yehudah the Maccabee is killed in battle with the Greeks. His brother Yonatan replaces him as leader. BCE 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 1 127 BCE 36 BCE After Yonatan’s passing, the End of the Hasmonean 64-73 BCE last surviving Maccabee dynasty. The reign of the Reign of Shlomzion. A high point of the brother, Shimon, is crowned Hasmonean kings lasts for Hasmonean Era is the nine-year reign of as king. Shimon also assumes 102 years, until the Edomite Queen Salome Alexandra, also known as the office of High Priest. usurper Herod slaughters “Shlomzion.” She restores the authority the entire royal family of the Torah sages, and the land knows and is installed as king of 138 BCE peace and prosperity in her time. Judea by the Romans. The eight-day festival of Chanukah is instituted to commemorate the miraculous military victory and the miracle of the oil of the previous year. Happy Chanukah! 3620 3630 3640 3650 3660 3670 3680 3690 3700 3710 3720 3730 3740 3750 3760 CHANUKAH HANDBOOK 5 THE START OF THE C H A HASMONEAN REVOLT N U K I Maccabees 2:1–30 IN THE In those days, there was a Priest in Israel, and his A H SOURCES name was Matityahu the son of Yochanan. He dwelt in Modi’in, and he had five sons: Yochanan, Shimon, Yehudah the Maccabee, Elazar, and Yonatan. It came to pass that the king’s officers came to Modi’in to forcefully remove the people from G-d’s Torah and compel them to worship idols and offer sacrifices to them. Many of the people of Israel joined with them, but Matityahu and his sons held strong. ANTIOCHUS’S DECREES The king’s official said to Matityahu, “See, you are a leader and an honored person amongst I Maccabees 1:41–61 your people, and you have many sons and a large family. Now, you come first to carry out the king’s command, as was done in all the provinces of King Antiochus . sent letters by the hands of his kingdom, and by all the people of Judah and messengers to all the cities of Judah; that they should Jerusalem, and you and your sons will find favor follow the law of the Gentile nations. And they should in the king’s eyes, and gold and silver and precious forbid burnt-offerings, sacrifices, and atonements gifts will be awarded to you.” to be made in the Temple of G-d. And they should Matityahu raised his voice and said, “If indeed profane the Sabbath and the festival days. And nation after nation of the king’s subjects have they should pollute the Sanctuary and the priests. turned away from their gods and obeyed his decree to betray the religion of their ancestors, it shall not He commanded altars to be built, and temples, and be so with me and my family! . It is unthinkable for idols, and swine’s flesh to be offered. And that us to transgress the commandments of our G-d they should leave their children uncircumcised and and to violate His covenant with us. .” make their souls abominable with all manners of As he concluded speaking, a Jewish man uncleanness and profanation, to the end that they approached the altar, in sight of all those standing should forget the Torah and should change all the there, to offer a sacrifice in accordance with the ordinances of G-d. They drove the Israelites into king’s command. secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for Matityahu saw this and his heart burned with zeal. succor. They cut to pieces and burned with fire . He ran toward the man and slew him near the the books of the law of G-d.