HISTORY OF HANUKKAH

332 alexander conquers Persia—merging of East and West/ culture ethnicity/universal versus
particular

300-200 Judea ruled by Egyptian Ptolemy (who took Jerusalem on shabbat without any
resistance)

200 Antiochus III Seleucid Dynasty conquers Judea

Hellenistic period is from Alexander the great to Emporer Augustus in 30BCE

During this period the challenge was to adapt to “Hellenist” culture while remaining
particularistic.
This was hard for the Jews: Food, marriage....they were viewed as xenophobic, barbarous

Many Jews, particularly the wealthy, educated, upper class demographic became hellenized

Aniochus IV (Epiphanes) replaces Onias with Jason and then Menelaus-- a hellenist Jews. These
High Priests were the ones who sought royal approval for establishing a Greek community and
Gymnasium in Jerusalem. The priests, Jerusalemites, and the wealthy were the first ones to join in
Greek sports, casting off priestly garments. Jews wanted to be greek, they tried to undo or mask
circumcision.

These activities were frought with pagan rituals and symbols so the High Priests and the leaders of the
Jewish community had a choice: They could accept western culture with its idolatry and universal
thrust freely and relinquish Judaism OR transform Judaism to work within Western culture.

THEY WERE THE FIRST REFORM JEWS! The Greek monarchy endorsed this new approach.

Diodorus writes that in December of 167 BCE Antiochus entered the Kodesh hakodashim and
discovered an image of Moses whom he blamed for creating the misanthropic customs of the Jews so
he sacrificed a pig on the altar which had been moved outside and sprinkled blood on holy books.
Extinguished the Menorah, Ner Tamid. Forced Jews to eat the meat. The idol of Zeus was placed in the
Temple. Antiochus sent soldiers to enforce the abandonment of Toraitic culture and religion.

WHY DID HE DO THIS? Victor Tchernikover

Wanted to introduce into his realm the worship of himself in the form of Zeus Olympus (Not Zeus, but
God of Moses) that was a fusion of Greek and Jewish elements.

166 soldiers enter modiin to enforce civil decrees of Antiochus. Mattathias, a priest, kills him, kills
the soldiers, and tears down the altar. Mattathias was not advocating for freedom of religion. Rather he
saw a conflict between the law of man and the law of God.

Maccabees started as passive resistance. Then became active struggle to return Toraitic law to Jews by
force, would kill Jews who were not following the Torah. They travelled through Judea ripping down
idols and compelling Toraitic practice. They practiced geurilla warfare

Judah takes over from his father who dies in 166 BCE builds army of 3,000
Fall 165, Antiochus rescinds religious persecution at the behest of Menelaus who had asked for it
to begin with! This meant that the reform hellenists still controlled Jerusalem

in December of 164, the 25th of Kislev, Judah took Jerusalem—precisely thre years after the
reform party of Menelaus and Antiochus has offered a pig on the altar. They had an eight day
rededication festival.

THIS WAS AN INNOVATIVE STEP COMPLETELY OUT OF LINE WITH ISRAELITE CULT
RELIGION. IT WAS COMPLETELY HELLENISTIC: greeks would had holidays, not Israelites.

This marked the beginning of a process of making use of Hellenic concepts and notions without
sacrificing Judaism.

162 Judah reaches a peace agreement with Antiochus IV's son in which Jews are required to
abide by strict adherence to Jewish law. Orthodoxy wins!

Menelaus is executed for causing Antiochus to abolish the constitution of the Jews

BALANCING ACT BETWEEN HELLENISM AND JUDAISM

Steinberg: culture (economics, phil. Architecture,)

Independence versus interdependence

abstract intellect versus acknowledgement of bodily needs
aural versus visual
contributions of Hellenism to Judaism (methods of philosophic study in ancient texts, text research)
talmud Torah comes from Ben Sira (Hellenistic influence)

AMBIVALENCE AND HANUKKAH

military heroism and sel-sacrifice as the method for achieving national independence
miracle
martyrdon
fanaticism

number of hanukkiyot
number of candles: 36 (maalin bakodesh)
light at sunset—time when people walk by.
shamash (can't use cnadles of hanukkah for any purpose)
burn for 30 min.
fulfill the mitzvah through lighting not placing hanukkiah
buying a share of candles

Food: latkes, cheese dishes, wine, suf ganiyot, anything fried!