The Development of the Chanukah Oil Miracle in Context of Zoroastrian Fire Veneration

(41) Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary. (42) So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law: Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place. (43) And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned; (44) They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down, (45) And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them. (46) Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;

(47) And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts. (48) They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense, and the table. (49) And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple. (50) Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun to make.

(51) Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning, And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made. (52) Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals. (53) Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.

(54) And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise. (55) They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they renewed, and hanged doors upon them. (56) Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away.

(57) Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, with mirth and gladness.

(5) And at the end of all these, they fell on their faces and they pleaded to the Lord God, saying: (6) Please, God, protect us forever from this trouble that's come to us. (7) And if we have sinned against you, punish us with kindness, and do not give us any longer into the hands of strangers who are cursing the name of your holiness. (8) And from the Lord it was this, to purge the House on the same day that the nations defiled it, and it was the twenty-fifth day of the month of Kislev. (9) And they celebrated the Festival to the Lord for eight days, like the festival of Sukkot, and they remembered the previous days when they celebrated of the festival of Sukkot in the mountains and in the caves, and they went out in the desolation/wilderness, like wild beasts. (10) And they took the willows of the brook and the branches of palm trees, they and sang a song of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, who gave them courage and salvation to purify the temple of his holiness. (11) And they sent a voice in all the cities of Judah to celebrate this festival every year.

(6) One who buys two trees [that had grown] in property belonging to his fellow brings bikkurim but does not recite the declaration. Rabbi Meir says: he brings and recites. If the well dried up, or the tree was cut down, he brings but does not recite. Rabbi Judah says: he brings and recites. From Atzeret (Shavuot) until the Festival (of Sukkot) he brings and recites. From the Festival (of Sukkot) and until Hannukah he brings, but does not recite. Rabbi Judah ben Batera says: he brings and recites.

(10) One may not decree a fast on the community on New Moons, on Hanukkah, or on Purim.

(6) On each day of Hanukkah they read selections from the portion of the dedication of the altar by the tribal princes (Num. 7).

(6)...In the case of a camel that was laden with flax and was passing through the public domain, and its flax extended into a store and the flax caught fire from a lamp in the store belonging to the storekeeper, and as a result of the burning flax the camel set fire to the building together with all its contents, the owner of the camel is liable. If the storekeeper placed his lamp outside, the storekeeper is liable. Rabbi Yehuda says: In a case where the lamp placed outside was a Hanukkah lamp, the storekeeper is exempt, since it is a mitzva for a Hanukkah lamp to be placed outside.

(7) On the twenty fifth of the month is Channuka, eight days on which one does not eulogize (8) [because when the Greeks entered the Temple they defiled all the oil there. When the hand of the Hasmoneans was made strong and they defeat the Greeks, they checked (in the Temple) and only found one jar of oil sealed with the mark of the High Priest which remained undefiled. Though there was only enough in it to light for one day, a miracle occurred through it and they lit the Temple lamps from it for eight days. The following year they decreed these to be eight days of celebration. - N.B. This passage does not appear in the earliest versions of Megilat Ta'anit, and appears to be a later addition.]

And what justification did they see for making Channuka eight days? Wasn’t the dedication which Moshe did in the wilderness only seven days? As it says “And you shall not leave the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for seven days…” (Vayikra 8:33) And it says “The one who brought his offering on the first day was…” (Bamidbar 7:12) and on the seventh day Ephraim made his offering. So too we find at the dedication which Shlomo made that it only lasted seven days, as it says “…for the inauguration of the altar they made seven days, and the feast seven days.” (Divrei HaYamim II 7:9)

So what reason did they see to make this dedication eight days? In the days of the kingdom of Greece the Hasmoneans entered the Temple, built the altar, plastered it with plaster, and for eight days they were preparing the vessels for service.

And what reason did they see to light the lamps? In the days of the kingdom of Greece, when the Hasmoneans entered the Temple, seven spears of iron were in their hands, and they covered them with wood, and lit from the menorah.

And what reason did they see to recite a full Hallel? Every time God has saved Israel, they sing in God's presence Hallel with singing and praise and thanksgiving, as it says, "And they responding with singing-praise and gratitude to God, that God is good..."

The commandment of Hanukkah is a lamp, and those who are "taking it up a notch" does one lamp for each member of the house, and "those to take it up to 11" - Beit Shammai light on the first day eight lamps and reduce by one each night, while Beit Hillel light on the first day one lamp and add one more each night.

May one use oil for burning on Hanukkah? They said in the name of Rebbi Yannai: One uses oil for burning on Hanukkah. Rebbi Nasa said, I never knew my father. My mother told me, your father said that he who has no profane oil may use oil for burning on Hanukkah.

How does one recite the benediction for the Ḥanukkah light? Rav said: "praised to the One who sanctified us by God's commandments and commanded us the commandment [to kindle] the light of Ḥanukkah."

What did Rav say for the lulav? Since for Ḥanukkah, which is a rabbinic matter, he is saying about the commandment of the light of Ḥanukkah, for lulav, which is from the Torah, is it not much more so? What did Rebbi Joshua ben Levi say on Ḥanukkah? Since for lulav, which is from the Torah, he is saying, about commandments of the Elders, for Ḥanukkah which is from their words not so much more?

(1) O Fortress, Rock of my salvation, to you it is fitting to sing praise: (2) let my house of prayer be restored, and there I will offer You thanksgiving (3) when You will have prepared a slaughter of the blaspheming foe, (4) I will joyfully sing a psalm of the dedication of the altar.

The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah? The Sages taught in Megillat Ta’anit: 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.

1) 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, 2) they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. 3) 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. 4) The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings.

The Gemara asks: And does Rav really hold in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda that it is prohibited to move an object that is set-aside? Didn’t they raise a dilemma before Rav: What is the ruling with regard to moving a Hanukkah candle from before the ḥabarei, Persian Zoroastrian fire priests, on Shabbat? Those priests prohibited lighting fires on certain days. In order to prevent them from discovering that he lit Hanukkah candles it was necessary to quickly move them. And he said to them: One may well do so.

(21) And now there is in our lives reason to celebrate the Day of the Dedication of the Altar on the 25th of the month of Kislev. We did not refrain from making it known to you to celebrate it with us. (22) You shall celebrate it like the days of the festival of Sukkot, and like the day that on it Nehemiah found the holy fire during his return to build the temple and the altar. He offered on it burnt offerings and sacrifices to God. (23) For when our forefathers were exiled to Persia, the holy priests secretly took the fire from upon the altar, and they hid it in a deep pit; he was careful to keep it safe. No one knew its location.

(24) It was at the end of many days, when the Eternal send God's kindness upon us, and the king sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem. (25) He took descendants of the priests who hid the fire, and he sent them to search for it.

(26) But when it was told to us that they didn't find the fire, rather a thick liquid beneath it, Nehemiah commanded [them] to draw the liquid and to bring it. (27) It was when they were offering the sacrifices of the Eternal, he commanded them to throw the liquid on the wood and on the sacrifice that was on the altar. They did so. (28) After they finished [pouring the liquid], the sun came out over the land, and the clouds scattered. Behold a fire of God consumed the sacrifice! The entire crowd around was awe struck.

(29) The priests and the people fell and they prostrated, until the sacrifice was consumed.

(30) Jonathan prayed to the Eternal, and Nehemiah and the people responded after him...

(37) When they finished supplicating, the priests sang praise and thanks to the Eternal.

(38) It was when the sacrifice was consumed, Nehemiah commanded [them] to spill the remaining liquid on the floor, a flame burned and the fire from on the altar swallowed it. (39) It was told to the king of Persia that a liquid was found in the place that the exiled priests hid the fire, and that fire burned a sacrifice that Nehemiah offered. He searched and investigated to see if it was true. (40) He found that it was true. He sanctified the place and fenced it off, and he gave expensive gifts to all who found favor in his eyes. (41) Nehemiah called that place Hefter, saying that it is holy. Others called it Nifter.

(1) We kindle these lights on account of the miracles, the wonders, the deliverances and the wars, which You did for our ancestors, by means of Your holy priests. During all the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred, neither is it permitted us to make any profane use of them; but we are only to look at them, in order that we may give thanks to Your name for Your miracles, and for Your wonders, and for You acts of deliverance.