These Candles: The prayer that went viral

In honor of the Palestinians recently getting UN recognition, I dedicate my article to ancient Palestinian traditions.  :)

On Hanukkah, while lighting candles, we declare we're lighting the candles for Hanukkah, and that we're not allowed to benefit from their light.

This declaration, in Hebrew known as "Ha-Nerot Hallalu" (These Candles) appears in the  "Tractate of the Scribes" (Masechet Sofrim).  In this early Halachik work, written in Israel around the 8th century (the Gaonic Era), we have a description of the ceremony of lighting Hanukkah candles, as it was done in ancient Israel.

On the first day, the person lighting the candles blesses upon lighting them.  He then states the following  declaration (translation based on the Rabbi Birnbaum's siddur):

We light these candles on account of the triumphs and miracles and wonders which You performed for our fathers through Your holy priests.  Throughout these eight days of Hanukkah, these candles are sacred, and we are not permitted to make any use of them, but we should observe them in order to praise Your great name for Your wonders and Your miracles and Your triumphs.

The person lighting then adds two additional blessings: Shehecheyanu and the blessing over the Hanukkah miracle (Al Ha-Nissim).  The  participants repeat the last two blessings.

On the other days of the holiday, the person lighting the candles blesses upon lighting the candles and makes the aforementioned Declaration. The participants say  the blessing for the Hanukkah miracle.

This Israeli custom was generally forgotten and was not mentioned by any other Halachic books in  the centuries following .
    
That is, until the 13th century,  when the Israeli tradition was revived thanks to the custom of a German Rabbi.  Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, also known as the Maharam of Rothenburg, loved the Israeli traditions.  He adopted the custom to say the "These Candles" declaration, based on the language of Masechet Sofrim.

His students reported this custom, and the prayer went viral.  The custom to say "Ha-Nerot Hallalu" was adopted all across the Jewish world by both Ashekanzi and Sephardi communities.

The Maharam of Rothenburg didn't just love Israel from afar.  In 1286 he led dozens of Jewish families towards Israel.  However, he didn't make it.  He was caught in Italy and accused of leading a mass escape from Germany, a crime at the time, as the Jews were by then property of the king.  He was imprisoned and died in a dingy pit, sacrificing his life for the right of return to Palestine!

An edict confiscating the property of the "escaping" Jews, documents that they came from various towns in Germany: Mainz, Worms, Speyer, Oppenheim and Wetterau.

I had often wondered, if Jews love Israel so much, why didn't they just get up and come here.  The Mahram's Aliyah attempt showed that Jews did.   They weren't always successful, many times they perished on the way or soon after they got here, but they continued trying.  Over and over again.

We now have the privilege of retuning to our homeland. We can now adhere to the original Israeli custom of lighting the candle by the door of our homes or the gate of our yard, without fear.  When we recite "Ha-Nerot Hallalu", we should remember its origin in that obscure period of Palestinian history, and the great leader who died in a dark pit but spread the light of hope and salvation around the Jewish world.
    


See here for an archive of articles about our history in Israel.  


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Why Do We Celebrate Chanuka? (part 1)

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Living History

I found the recent article in the NYTimes on what really happened on Chanukah to be quite amusing. The author (and his readers) was upset to learn that Chanukah isn't about Religious Tolerance or whatever as he grew up to believe, but about civil war and the survival of Judaism. He of course paints the Maccabees as a bunch of religious fanatics/Talibanist fighting the moderates who were looking to "synthesize" the Greek and Jewish cultures together, ignoring how (a) the moderates were trying to destroy Judaism and assimilate, and (b) that it is unlikely there would be much of Judaism (or Jews) left today if it weren't for our coreligionists back then.

It seemed appropriate on Chanukah that the JoeSettler family visit something connected to our ideological and national ancestors. There seems to be so much in common between then and now.

So we took a trip to the Maccabean grave site near Modi'in. Now no one is exactly sure where the grave site is, but for a number of reasons, this is currently accepted to be the most likely candidate (though other strongly disagree).



At the location is a modern "Andarta" to soldiers who died in 1948 defending the region against the Jordanian army (there weren't Arabs who could be identified as Palestinians back then). The design of the pyramids is symbolic of the grave markers that were originally on the Maccabbee graves.





If you head out on the path to highway 443 you can see Jewish burial caves that were uncovered as the road was built (you can actually see it on the highway if you drive slow enough). These graves are from around 100 years after the Maccabee victory.







Heading back to the main area, you can see what are considered the most likely candidates for the graves. These graves where carved out of the limestone themselves, and probably a stone pyramid was built over them to cover them up.





There are actually a lot of small caves in the area. Many (but not all) are marked off so you don't fall into them.



If you head over to Latrun tank museum and climb up to the top of the building you can look around and see where the Maccabees fought the Greek-Syrian armies.

Now that's a living history!



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From the Modi'in HANGLO email list

Actually, I wasn't sure whether to inlclude in this post's title "CRANGLO" (ChRristian ANGLOs) or HANGLO, Hellinist ANGLOs. (both based on the "JANGLO" -- Jerusalem Anglo list)

This morning, I was working on a post about the good news that 95% of Jewish Israeli households light Chanuka candles according to a recent Gesher survey. I was going to write about R' Shmuel Eliyahu's article this past Shabbat that "Secular Israelis are Not Hellinists"…and then, I got the following email thread from the Modi'in "anglo" email list.

You know, Modi'in, named for Ancient Modi'in, the place of origin of the Jewish Hasmonean dynasty that ruled Judea in the first and second centuries BCE, and it is where the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Greeks started? THAT Modi'in.

So what was so baffling about this email thread? People on this email list were pining for Christmas Carols to be sung in the Modi'in park -- not by Christians, but by Jews, Anglo-Israelis!

Makes you wonder why a Jew would move from the US to Israel, just to sing Christmas "just to enjoy beautiful" Carols?

Wishing you all a Happy Chanuka, in which we celebrate the affirmation of our Jewish heritage over assimilation with foreign cultures and religions.

--Jameel

PS: To all our friends in Modi'in who want to carol away the night, here's something worthwhile to read as background information on your joyous holiday caroling. (hat-tip, DovBear)

(names changed and email addresses removed to prevent lawsuits)

Email #1

CG wrote:

Hi List!

My wife's hairdresser told her that there will be a Christmas carol service in Park Anabe [in Modi'in] on Wednesday night. Does anyone know what time it starts ?

Happy Holidays Y'all


Email #2:

On Sat, Dec 20, 2008 at 8:43 PM, YG wrote:

Unbelievable!

Email #3:

On Sun, Dec 21, 2008 at 9:17 AM, JB wrote:

What's so unbelievable? I'm curious. Is it so outrageous that someone might want to listen to Christmas carols here in Israel? Perhaps it's equally outrageous that a Jew living in the US might want to light candles on Chanukkah. If it really is being planned, I think it's a wonderful idea!

-JB

Email #4:

Hi

I did not hear of any positive confirmation of christmas carols taking place in park anabe this week

however as there is such an obvious popular demand for christmas carols in modiin, why dont we do an impromtu carols sing along in a park in modiin this wednesday night - any ideas ?

here is a list of carols to get everyone in the mood

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_carols

chag sameach to everyone

Email #5:

Hi,

How many Christians are there in Modi'in to make up a choir? And Xmas carols are not exactly Rudolph and Jingle Bells, they are praises to Jesus the Lord. Modi'in has been created as a Jewish city as most of the cities in Israel. And most of the cities in Israel that were set up in 1948, when the State of Israel was declared as a Jewish country, Ben Gurion and the other secular members of that government declared all the religious and national holidays to be the Jewish holidays. That is so that we would not be like other countries, but a Jewish country. Modi'in, also created as a Jewish city is not comparable to the US or any other city or country in the world. I don't think that singing dreidel songs in Catholic countries like a piazza in an Italian city, or a Spanish city would be appropriate either.

Of course we have Christian and other non-Jewish groups in Israel and they get budgets from the Misrad Hadatot just as synagogues get budgets. If anyone is really interested in hearing Xmas carols, or the midnite mass, my suggestion is to go to Yafo, Nazareth, J'lem or Latrun where there are concentrations of Christians and proper churches, and listen to an authentic rendition.

IMHO, it is not appropriate to have a public singing of Xmas carols right smack in the center of Modi'in. How many of the foreign workers are Christian, and how many of those will actually come?

G.

Email #6:

I beg to differ. Singing dreidel songs in Italy or anywhere else is just as appropriate as caroling in Israel. Modiin is just another city, with people like you that might not want to here carols and are there welcome to stay at home or go to a restaurant and support local businesses, or read a book, etc. There are other people, like me, Jewish, not afraid of other religions, do not believe in the message, just enjoying the beautiful songs. You don't like it, don't show up, it's that simple and it's called freedom of assembly.

S

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Chanuka Legend Deconstructed

Bronze Statue of Matityahu
entitled "מי לה' אלי" by Boris Shatz

Try this at home. (I always wanted to say that)

Ask any kid in your vicinity, "who said ?מי לה' אלי" and I bet that they will answer 99% of the time, "Matityahu" or "Yehuda HaMaccabi". If your kids have a better than average education they may also answer, "Moshe Rabbeinu."

Today being the last day of Chanuka, I wanted to share an article my father-in-law showed me this past Shabbat from the Makor Rishon newspaper. Unfortunately, this article isn't available on-line, so I scanned it in.

Aryeh Olman presents a fascinating research article on the origin of the Chanuka related phrase "מי לה' אלי" and deduces that the famous phrase said by Moshe Rabbeinu after Chait HaEgel was not said by Matityahu...or even Yehuda HaMaccabi (unless of course, they leined parshat Ki-Tisa at some point).

Olman reviews Modern Jewish and Israeli history books and all include Matityahu saying, "מי לה' אלי" after killing a Hellenistic Jew and a Greek officer.

All the authors of the modern history books are respectable historians, so where did this "mistake" originate?

Olman then scours the all the apocrypha relating to Chanuka:

Sefer Chashmonaim I (also known as Sefer HaMakabim); Chapter 2...

When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Mode'in, according to the king's command. When Mattathias saw it, be burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar. At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. Thus he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas did against Zimri the son of Salu.[1]

Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: "Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!" And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the city.

In Josephus Flavius, "History of the Jewish War", he describes the bravery of Matityahu, but no quote.

Megillat Antiochus brings a different story altogether, but no mention of a quote from Matityahu.

Midrash Chanuka versions 1 and 2...nothing. Olman notes that in Chashmonaim 1, Matityahu imitates Pinchas, and not Moshe.

In the 19th century, Chanuka became a new Zionist holiday...and curiously, the Hellenstic "arts" in the form of Boris Shatz's sculpture, plays and books adopted the legend of Matityahu saying "מי לה' אלי."

The source seems to be based on Zeev Yaavetz's book "Toldot Yisrael" who uses that phrase explicitly. Olman checked Sefer HaDorot, Dor Dor Dorshov, Tzemach David, Sefer Yuchsin, The Meiri, Pachad Yitzchak Sdei Chemed, and other classical Jewish history books, but none attribute this quote to Matityahu (or mention it at all).

It appears that Zeev Yaaevtz based his source on "Sefer Yosifun (Josippon)" -- a historical source of questionable authenticity which first appeared in the 10th century in Italy. Sefer Yosifun has many different versions, each with a different type of quote attributed to Matityahu, but with nothing to do with killing a Hellenistic Jew or Greek officer. Rather, Matityahu sent his son Yehuda HaMaccabi throughout the cities of Judea with the message...

"מי בכם עמי ומי לה' אלי"
"מי בכם מי ומי לה' אלי"
"מי בכם ירא ה' ומי לה' אלי"

So...Yaavetz combined the 2 images together; of Moshe rallying the Levi'im to kill the Jews who worshipped the Golden Calf, and that of Matityahu killing the Hellenized Jew.

And while it's taught to every Jewish child today...its origin is factually incorrect.

The rallying call of מי לה' אלי has galvanized itself into the ethos of religious Zionism, and there are worse things in life that a bit of artistic license.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

The Next Big Thing: Sufganiyot Cola

Forget Dr. Pepper. Throw away your Snapple. Tab? Nee-Hi? Triple-Crown kiddush cola?

It's here -- just what you've been waiting for! Better than Camel Milk Chocolate...its...its...its...Carbonated Kosher Ham Flavored drinks? (under the hashgacha of Star-K)

The Associated Press c/o The Olympian

SEATTLE — It's rare to find kosher ham. Rarer still to find it carbonated and bottled.

Jones Soda Co., the Seattle-based purveyor of offbeat fizzy water, said Friday that it was shelving its traditional seasonal flavors of turkey and gravy this year to produce limited-edition theme packs for Christmas and Hanukkah.

The Christmas pack will feature such flavors as Sugar Plum, Christmas Tree, Egg Nog and Christmas Ham. The Hanukkah pack will have Jelly Doughnut, Apple Sauce, Chocolate Coins and Latkes sodas.

"As always, both packs are kosher and contain zero caffeine," a Jones news release noted.

The packs will go on sale Sunday, with a portion of the proceeds to be given to charity, the company said.

Jones' products feature original label art and frequently odd flavors. Last year's seasonal pack was Thanksgiving-themed, with Green Pea, Sweet Potato, Dinner Roll, Turkey and Gravy, and Antacid sodas. For its contract to supply soda to Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks, Jones came up with Perspiration, Dirt, Sports Cream and Natural Field Turf. The company - fortunately or unfortunately - prides itself on the accuracy of the taste.

Jones also makes more sedate flavors, including root beer, cherry and strawberry sodas.

Just what the Von Treppenwitz sufganiyot aficionado household needs before Chanuka.

Chodesh Tov!

PS: Ever wondered why it's so hard to leave Damascus? See the sign in their airport departure lounge. (With a name like Jameel, it's easy to get around)

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael