Does Chanukah Commemorate War or Peace? - Two Versions of the Timeline of the Maccabee's Victory

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Does Chanukah Commemorate War or Peace?: Two Versions of the Timeline of the Maccabee's Victory

Among the early Talmudic commentaries, there are two opinions about the chronology of events commemorated on Chanukah. One says that the war was won on the 24th of Kislev and that the first day of Chanukah, the 25th of Kislev, is the anniversary of the first day of peace. The other says that on one day, the 25th of Kislev, the Maccabees both won the war and rededicated the Temple.

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Topics:	Maimonides, Miracle of Chanukah, Chanukah

By Moishe New

Rabbi Moishe New heads the Montreal Torah Center. He is a sought out lecturer on Kabbalah and Chassidus, and their relevance in our lives today.

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2 Comments

Michael Ben Tzvi Buenos Aires August 2, 2014

The story didn't end in Chanukah Actually the story of Chanukah didn't end with the lighting of the Menorah, because shortly after the Seleucides sent 100,000 troops (including cavalry and war elephants) to destroy the Jews. That was one of the few times where the Maccabees were defeated. It was then when the episode of Eleazar Avaran's sacrifice took place. However, while the Greeks were laying siege to Jerusalem, God arranged things so the Jews could keep their independence. The Seleucid general, Lysias, was called back by king Antioch to engage his rival, Philip, who took power in Damascus.

After that the fighting continued, both against the Greeks and the neighboring nations who despised the Jewish defiance against the king (Israel was never lucky with its neighbors). Judas Macabbeus was the leader of the Jews, but he was killed in battle. In fact, the first book of the Maccabees ends by telling that Yochanan Hyrcanus, grandson of Matityahu HaKohen, became the new ethnarch when Simon was killed by his son-in-law. Reply

sondra harris powhatan, va December 29, 2011

The temple has no darkness. Fantastic!! Praise the L-RD our G-D. Reply