"My children," Chanah said, "tell your ancestor Abraham: You bound one son upon an altar, but I bound seven..."
21 Comments Posted
Only a brood of wily evil unrepenting snakes could be so cruelly savage: stinging & torturing their fatally murderous poison upon holy angels in the flesh for vanity sakes. I salute Hannah and her 7 children whom surrendered their lives with utmost goodly faith, which I have never seen before and I am dwarfed: my words turn to tears... and i become limp.
May this adverse lesson increase our faith daily in Ha-Shem and Torah with a goodly pure contrite heart. Shabat Shalom.
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Channah and her seven sons such belief in G-D we should all have the same as her and the Redemtion shall come right now!! AMEN
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He was the first Jewish "Marine".
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This story was told to me when I was a very little girl by my mother, especially on Tisha Be Av night. It touches the core of the Jewish soul--through thick and thin we love Hashem, His Mitzvot and Torah. May we merit to be redeemed soon. Amen.
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With all my Love for a very Happy Channukah
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This story is abundantly horrific. I share your stories with my grandchildren, but this one is too violent for a child's mind. I hate to think of children's nightmares after reading this.
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Channah was a brave and loving mother. Her devotion to G-d knowing that our children are only loaned to us helped her be at peace with all of her son's sadistic tortures. As the Messiah may come sooner than we think, I pray that i have Channa's faith to hear G-d;s voice in time of need.
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Aghast ! Incumbently I had to re-read & re-narrate about this incomprehensible , disturbing & factual story. Such bravery & vaunted faith is unequalled and unheard of in our contemporary times....
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Was it justifiable? we all know that it happened also in group... but doesnt that show a lack of faith?
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I love being a Jew. And I pass onto my son the same love I have for our faith. But here’s my dilemma: Here we are, all praising the woman for sacrificing her children. None of us stops to ask the basic question – why did things have to get to that point anyway? This is THE All Mighty G-d. Why bring such fait to innocent children? Couldn’t there have been a different way to make His point?
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I don't think G_d was "trying to make a point." It may be hard for some to fathom, but to the Jewish soul, there is no greater privilege, nothing more lofty and noble, than to sacrifice one's life to sanctify G_d's name.
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Do the Sages teach that it is acceptable to G-d to commit suicide? I have always been taught that to take your life into your own hands is to deny G-d. Channah said to her youngest son that," G-d controls your life's breath and can take your soul whenever He desires".Didn't she contradict what she said by throwing herself from a roof? I don't consider her a martyr or one who should be admired.I thought a martyr was someone who was murdered for their beliefs....not somone who commits suiside for them. No doubt it was devestating to see her sons murdered before her, I have lost a child myself, but wouldn't G-d's strength be better shown by making a stand instead of showing defeat? It seems to me that she allowed her son's lives to be taken and than took her own. I am very perplexed by this story . Is there anyone who can offer any insight?
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I found a fascinating article on this topic at http://www.lind.org.il/features/kidhashem_v19.htm. It should answer your question.
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I thought it would end happily but not so. Its just sad that this even ever happened.But it shows how much courage her sons had in the face of Death . Not forsake the Torah.
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yes channah ideally should have started a support group for parents who have outlived their children but we have to face reality. her despair led to her wanting to die and be with her sons again. death is not the worst outcome as noah learned. we are perfect again. but yes channah had choices and hopefully in her next life she will be wiser from her experience and choose life. and compassion for tohers. what if they had all said to antiochus, "we love you." instead of damning him? maybe he might have stopped what he was doing. it happened in concentration camps that way at times.
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Is there a source for this story?
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This simple question can be asked about very many things in our tradition. Answers anyone? "Because it says so in the bible." is not really an answer, is it?
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it is found in the second book of Maccabees, 7; Talmud, Gittin 57b; as well as numerous places in the Medrash.
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when you come to Israel, if you come to safed or tzfat, you can go to the cemetery and find the graves of Chana and her sons. it is one thing to read the story, it is quite another to enter the hidden grave site and see just how small the stones covering the graves of her sons get. A real grave reminds us that this is not just a chanukah tale, but real people with real convictions and commitments.
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our souls are all linked, and when one suffers we all suffer. even the persecutors suffer, and when eventually good does triumph over the evil and darkness that attempts to engulf our world, the evil doers and their kind suffer even more...the story of channah and her sons, tells us of the strength of conviction of the jewish people, and the belief that a life without principle and freedom for many is no life at all, and consequently not even worth living. I hope we all honor their sacrifice.
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I am thrilled to read this story; I am convinced that the GOD of Israel is real; He chooses when and how to deliver His children; as well as how to bring glory to His great name. Thank God for people of faith; real people; people who trust God even in the face of death. I have been to Israel, but I never knew about the story until now; I hope to go back next year if the Lord wills. Then I will be interested in seeing their graves. Their bodies may suffer persecution, but they are at peace with the GOD of their Fathers, Abraham, Issac & Jocob. May their souls rest in Peace.
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