Judah Maccabee, the Lasting Oil, and the Chanukkah Sweater: How do we balance the truths of Chanukkah?

(12) And there came out of them a wicked root, Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, son of Antiochus the king, who had been an hostage at Rome,
(13) and he reigned in the hundred and thirty and seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
(14) In those days went there out of Israel wicked men, who persuaded many, saying,
(15) “Let us go and make a covenant with the heathen that are round about us: for since we departed from them we have had much sorrow.”
(16) So this device pleased them well. Then certain of the people were so forward herein, that they went to the king, who gave them a license to do after the ordinances of the heathen,
(17) whereupon they built a place of exercise at Jerusalem according to the customs of the heathen and made themselves uncircumcised, and forsook the holy covenant, and joined themselves to the heathen, and were sold to do mischief.
(18) Now when the kingdom was established before Antiochus, he thought to reign over Egypt that he might have the dominion of two realms.
(19) Wherefore he entered into Egypt with a great multitude, with chariots, and elephants, and horsemen, and a great navy,
(20) and made war against Ptolemee king of Egypt: but Ptolemee was afraid of him, and fled; and many were wounded to death.
(21) Thus they got the strong cities in the land of Egypt and he took the spoils thereof.
(22) And after that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude,
(23) And entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, And the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.
(24) He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels: also he took the hidden treasures which he found.
(25) And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.

(42) Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people,
(43) And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.
(44) Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.
(45) For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land,
(46) And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:
(47) And pollute the sanctuary and holy people: Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts:
(48) That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation: To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.
(49) And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.
(50) In the selfsame manner wrote he to his whole kingdom, and appointed overseers over all the people, commanding the cities of Juda to sacrifice, city by city.
(51) Then many of the people were gathered unto them, to wit every one that forsook the law; and so they committed evils in the land;
(52) And drove the Israelites into secret places, even wheresoever they could flee for succour.
(53) Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;
(54) And burnt incense at the doors of their houses, and in the streets. And when they had rent in pieces the books of the law which they found, they burnt them with fire.
(55) And whosoever was found with any the book of the testament, or if any committed to the law, the king’s commandment was, that they should put him to death.
(56) Thus did they by their authority unto the Israelites every month, to as many as were found in the cities.
(57) Now the five and twentieth day of the month they did sacrifice upon the idol altar, which was upon the altar of God.
(58) At which time according to the commandment they put to death certain women, that had caused their children to be circumcised.
(59) And they hanged the infants about their necks, and rifled their houses, and slew them that had circumcised them.
(60) Howbeit many in Israel were fully resolved and confirmed in themselves not to eat any unclean thing.
(61) Wherefore the rather to die, that they might not be defiled with meats, and that they might not profane the holy covenant: so then they died
(62) And there was very great wrath upon Israel.

(1) In those days arose Mattathias the son of John, the son of Simeon, a priest of the sons of Joarib, from Jerusalem, and dwelt in Modin.
(2) And he had five sons, Joannan, called Caddis:
(3) Simon; called Thassi: Judas, who was called Maccabeus:
(4) Eleazar, called Avaran: and Jonathan, whose surname was Apphus.
(5) And when he saw the blasphemies that were committed in Juda and Jerusalem,
(6) He said, Woe is me! wherefore was I born to see this misery of my people, and of the holy city, and to dwell there, when it was delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the sanctuary into the hand of strangers?
(7) Her temple is become as a man without glory.
(8) Her glorious vessels are carried away into captivity, her infants are slain in the streets, her young men with the sword of the enemy.
(9) What nation hath not had a part in her kingdom and gotten of her spoils?
(10) All her ornaments are taken away; of a free woman she is become a bondslave.
(11) And, behold, our sanctuary, even our beauty and our glory, is laid waste, and the Gentiles have profaned it.
(12) To what end therefore shall we live any longer?
(13) Then Mattathias and his sons rent their clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourned very sore.
(14) In the mean while the king’s officers, such as compelled the people to revolt, came into the city Modin, to make them sacrifice.
(15) And when many of Israel came unto them, Mattathias also and his sons came together.
(16) Then answered the king’s officers, and said to Mattathias on this wise,
(17) Thou art a ruler, and an honourable and great man in this city, and strengthened with sons and brethren: Now therefore come thou first, and fulfil the king’s commandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea, and the men of Juda also, and such as remain at Jerusalem:
(18) so shalt thou and thy house be in the number of the king’s friends, and thou and thy children shall be honoured with silver and gold, and many rewards.
(19) Then Mattathias answered and spake with a loud voice,
(20) Though all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments:
(21) Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.
(22) God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.
(23) We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.
(24) Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment.
(25) Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment:
(26) wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar. Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.
(27) Thus dealt he zealously for the law of God like as Phinees did unto Zambri the son of Salom.
(28) And Mattathias cried throughout the city with a loud voice, saying, Whosoever is zealous of the law, and maintaineth the covenant, let him follow me.
(29) So he and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that ever they had in the city.

... Teach us, our master, from when does the mitzvah of the Channukah lamp begin? Our rabbis taught – from when the sun sets until the majority of people are gone from the marketplace.

And where are they to be lit? If one lives on an upper floor with a window facing the public domain, light there. If it is a time of danger, light within your house [and it is forbidden to do work by its light. R’ Asi said] it is forbidden to see by its light.

Why do we light Channukah lamps? When the Hasmonean High Priest defeated the Greeks, as it says “For I bend Judah for Me like a bow; I filled [the hand of] Ephraim, and I will arouse your children, O Zion, upon your children, O Javan; and I will make you as the sword of a mighty man,” (Zechariah 9:13) they entered the Holy Temple. They found there eight iron stakes, fixed them in the ground and lit lamps upon them.

Why do we read the Hallel psalms of praise? Because it is written “The Lord is God, and gave us light.” (Psalms 118:27) ...When the Holy One destroyed the kingdom of Greece they began to sing hymns and praises and to say that in the past we were servants to Pharoah, servants to Greece and now we are servants to the Holy One “Praise, you servants of the Lord…” (Psalms 113:1)

The Sages taught: The basic mitzva of Hanukkah is each day to have a light kindled by a person, the head of the household, for himself and his household. And the mehadrin, i.e., those who are meticulous in the performance of mitzvot, kindle a light for each and every one in the household. And the mehadrin min hamehadrin, who are even more meticulous, adjust the number of lights daily.

Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree as to the nature of that adjustment. Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Hanukkah, he kindles one light. And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, he kindles eight lights. Ulla said: There were two amora’im in the West, Eretz Yisrael, who disagreed with regard to this dispute, Rabbi Yosei bar Avin and Rabbi Yosei bar Zevida. One said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the incoming days, i.e., the future. On the first day, eight days remain in Hanukkah, one kindles eight lights, and on the second day seven days remain, one kindles seven, etc. The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the outgoing days. Each day, the number of lights corresponds to the number of the days of Hanukkah that were already observed. And one said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the festival of Sukkot: Thirteen were sacrificed on the first day and each succeeding day one fewer was sacrificed (Numbers 29:12–31). The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade. Therefore, if the objective is to have the number of lights correspond to the number of days, there is no alternative to increasing their number with the passing of each day. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were two Elders in Sidon, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel. Each provided a reason for his actions: One gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the Festival. And one gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade.The Sages taught: It is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp at the entrance to one’s house on the outside, so that all can see it. If he lived upstairs, he places it at the window adjacent to the public domain. And in a time of danger, when the gentiles issued decrees to prohibit kindling lights, he places it on the table and that is sufficient to fulfill his obligation. Rava said: One must kindle another light in addition to the Hanukkah lights in order to use its light, as it is prohibited to use the light of the Hanukkah lights. And if there is a bonfire, he need not light an additional light, as he can use the light of the bonfire. However, if he is an important person, who is unaccustomed to using the light of a bonfire, even though there is a bonfire, he must kindle another light.What is Hanukkah?: The Sages taught: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them. What is the reason? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings.