One of the most elusive questions about Chanukkah (other than why the holiday lasts eight nights) is the almost complete absence of discussion about Chanukkah in the Tannaitic literature. While it is a significant festival in the Jewish calendar, it is mostly neglected in the Mishna and Tosefta. It is not until the Talmud asks "מאי חנוכּה" that the traditional Rabbinic texts grapple with the holiday and its laws. In comparison, Purim and communal fast days (each being post-Biblical additions as well) get their own Tractates in which their respective laws are discussed and explicated.
Whatever the case may be, I have identified eight instances where the Mishnah mentions Channukah None of the references speak directly to Halachos of Chanukkah per se. Rather, Chanukkah is a counterpoint to the Halacha under discussion. At times it's used as a time reference, i.e., you can only do such and such up until Chanukkah, while for others, Chanukkah may alter the practice of a different law (determining the particular Torah portion to be read), and for others, it may be included within a broader law (e.g., Hallel).
Each day, we will discuss one of the Mishnayos. We will delve into its meaning and connection to Chanukkah. We will learn the Mishnayos chronologically, i.e., as they appear in Shisha Siderei Mishnah.
For a more detailed discussion surrounding this issue, please see Chanukkah in the Mishnah, available here.
Our fourth Mishnah, is found in Ta'anis 4:4-5
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כָּל יוֹם שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ הַלֵּל, אֵין בּוֹ מַעֲמָד בַּשַּׁחֲרִית.
קָרְבַּן מוּסָף, אֵין בּוֹ בַנְּעִילָה.
קָרְבַּן עֵצִים, אֵין בּוֹ בַמִּנְחָה,
דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא.
אָמַר לוֹ בֶן עַזַּאי, כָּךְ הָיָה רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שׁוֹנֶה,
קָרְבַּן מוּסָף, אֵין בּוֹ בַמִּנְחָה.
קָרְבַּן עֵצִים, אֵין בּוֹ בַנְּעִילָה.
חָזַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא לִהְיוֹת שׁוֹנֶה כְבֶן עַזַּאי:
(4) On any day when there is Hallel there was no maamad at Shaharit; [On the day when] there is a Musaf-offering, there was no [maamad] at Ne'ilah. [On the day of] the wood-offering, there was no [maamad] at Minhah, the words of Rabbi Akiva. Ben Azzai said to him: Thus did Rabbi Joshua learn: [On the day when] there is a Musaf-offering, there was no [maamad] at Minhah; [On the day of] the wood-offering, there was no [maamad] at Ne’ilah. Rabbi Akiva retracted and learned like Ben Azzai.
זְמַן עֲצֵי כֹהֲנִים וְהָעָם, תִּשְׁעָה.
- בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן, בְּנֵי אָרַח בֶּן יְהוּדָה.
- בְּעֶשְׂרִים בְּתַמּוּז, בְּנֵי דָוִד בֶּן יְהוּדָה.
- בַּחֲמִשָּׁה בְאָב, בְּנֵי פַרְעֹשׁ בֶּן יְהוּדָה.
- בְּשִׁבְעָה בוֹ, בְּנֵי יוֹנָדָב בֶּן רֵכָב.
- בַּעֲשָׂרָה בוֹ, בְּנֵי סְנָאָה בֶן בִּנְיָמִין.
- בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר בּוֹ, בְּנֵי זַתּוּא בֶן יְהוּדָה, וְעִמָּהֶם כֹּהֲנִים וּלְוִיִּם וְכָל מִי שֶׁטָּעָה בְשִׁבְטוֹ, וּבְנֵי גוֹנְבֵי עֱלִי בְּנֵי קוֹצְעֵי קְצִיעוֹת.
- בְּעֶשְׂרִים בּוֹ, בְּנֵי פַחַת מוֹאָב בֶּן יְהוּדָה.
- בְּעֶשְׂרִים בֶּאֱלוּל, בְּנֵי עָדִין בֶּן יְהוּדָה.
- בְּאֶחָד בְּטֵבֵת שָׁבוּ בְנֵי פַרְעֹשׁ שְׁנִיָּה.
בְּאֶחָד בְּטֵבֵת לֹא הָיָה בוֹ מַעֲמָד, שֶׁהָיָה בוֹ הַלֵּל וְקָרְבַּן מוּסָף וְקָרְבַּן עֵצִים:
(5) The times of the wood of the priests and the people was nine:On the first of Nisan the family Arah of Yehudah. On the twentieth of Tammuz the family of David of Yehudah. On the fifth of Av the family of Parosh of Yehudah. On the seventh of the same month, the family of Yonadav of Rechav. On the tenth of the same month, the family of Snaah of Benjamin. On the fifteenth of the same month, the family of Zattu of Yehudah, and with them were the priests and Levites and all those who were not certain of their tribe and the family of Gonve Eli and the family of Kotze Ketizot. On the twentieth of the same month the family of Pahat Moav of Yehudah. On the twentieth of Elul the family of Adin of Yehudah. On the first of Tevet the family of Parosh of Yehudah [offered] a second time. On the first of Tevet there was no maamad for there was Hallel, Musaf and the wood-festival.
Color Code: Case: Black; Ruling: Green or Red; Name of opposing Tanna: Gold; Reason: Blue; Condition: Purple; Rule:Fuscia
see siddur tefilasi alecha, for sources that on rosh chodesh they did not say hallel therefore hte only reference in this mishnah is the hallel of chanukkah.