בשכר נשים צדקניות שהיו באותו הדור נגאלו ישראל ממצרים
Gemara Sotah 11b
By the merit of the righteous women that generation was worthy to be redeemed from Egypt
(א) ויקח את בת לוי. פָּרוּשׁ הָיָה מִמֶּנָּה מִפְּנֵי גְּזֵרַת פַּרְעֹה, וְהֶחֱזִירָהּ וְעָשָׂה בָהּ לִקּוּחִין שְׁנִיִּים, וְאַף הִיא נֶהֶפְכָה לִהְיוֹת נַעֲרָה; וּבַת ק"ל שָׁנָה הָיְתָה, שֶׁנּוֹלְדָה בְּבוֹאָם לְמִצְרַיִם בֵּין הַחוֹמוֹת, וּמָאתַיִם וָעֶשֶׂר נִשְׁתַּהוּ שָׁם, וּכְשֶׁיָּצְאוּ הָיָה מֹשֶׁה בֶּן שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה, אִם כֵּן כְּשֶׁנִּתְעַבְּרָה מִמֶּנּוּ הָיְתָה בַּת מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וְקוֹרֵא אוֹתָהּ בַּת לֵוִי (עי' סוטה י"ב, בבא בתרא קי"ט ושמות רבה):
Rashi Shmot 2:1 "and he took a daughter of Levi"
he had separated from his wife because of the decree of Pharoh to throw all the baby boys in the Nile. Miriam said to her father: "Your decree is more severe than that of Pharoh. He decreed only against the newborn males, but by separating from your wife, you have removed the possibility of having females as well!!" Because of this counsel he remarried his wife
Rashi Shemot 38:8
The daughters of Israel had in their possession copper mirrors which they would look into when they would beautify themselves. They donated them to the Mishkan. Moshe rejected them because they were made for the Yetzer Hara, the evil inclination. Hakadosh Baruch Hu said to him, "Accept them, because they are the most beloved to Me of all, for with them the women established many legions in Egypt." When their husbands were exhausted by the racking labor, they would go and bring them food and drink, and feed them. Then they would take the mirrors and each one would look at herself and her husband in the mirror, and entice him with words saying, "I am handsomer than you." And through this, they would bring their husbands to desire and would have relations with them and conceive and give birth,
(א) בְּבַיִת שֵׁנִי, כְּשֶמָּלְכָה מַלְכוּת יָוָן, גָּזְרוּ גְזֵרוֹת עַל יִשְֹרָאֵל, וּבִטְּלוּ דָתָם, וְלֹא הִנִּיחוּ אוֹתָם לַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה וּבַמִצְוֹת, וּפָשְׁטוּ יְדֵיהֶם בְּמָמוֹנָם וּבִבְנוֹתֵיהֶם, וְנִכְנְסוּ לַהֵיכָל וּפָרְצוּ בוֹ פְּרָצוֹת, וְטִמְּאוּ אֶת הַטְּהָרוֹת, וְצַר לָהֶם לְיִשְֹרָאֵל מְאֹד מִפְּנֵיהֶם, וּלְחָצוּם לַחַץ גָדוֹל, עַד שֶׁרִחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם אֱלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְהוֹשִׁיעָם מִיָדָם וְהִצִּלָם וְגָבְרוּ בְּנֵי חַשְׁמוֹנַאי הַכֹּהֲנִים הַגְּדוֹלִים וַהֲרָגוּם, וְהוֹשִׁיעוּ אֶת יִשְֹרָאֵל מִיָדָם, וְהֶעֱמִידוּ מֶלֶךְ מִן הַכֹּהֲנִים, וְחָזְרָה מַלְכוּת יִשְֹרָאֵל יוֹתֵר מִמָּאתַיִם שָׁנָה עַד הַחֻרְבָּן הַשֵּׁנִי. וּכְשֶׁגָּבְרוּ יִשְֹרָאֵל עַל אוֹיְבֵיהֶם וְאִבְּדוּם, בַּחֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים בְּחֹדֶשׁ כִּסְלֵו הָיָה. וְנִכְנְסוּ לַהֵיכָל, וְלֹא מָצְאוּ שֶׁמֶן טָהוֹר בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ אֶלָּא פַּךְ אֶחָד, שֶׁהָיָה מֻנָח בְּחוֹתָמוֹ שֶל כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, וְלֹא הָיָה בוֹ לְהַדְלִיק אֶלָּא יוֹם אֶחָד בִּלְבָד, וְהִדְלִיקוּ מִמֶּנּוּ נֵרוֹת הַמַּעֲרָכָה שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים, עַד שֶׁכָּתְשׁוּ זֵיתִים וְהוֹצִיאוּ שֶׁמֶן טָהוֹר. וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה הִתְקִינוּ חֲכָמִים שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַדּוֹר, שֶׁיִהְיוּ שְׁמוֹנַת הַיָמִים הָאֵלּוּ שֶׁמַּתְחִילִין בַּחֲמִשָּׁה וְעֶשְׂרִים בְּכִסְלֵו, יְמֵי שִׂמְחָה וְהַלֵל, וּמַדְלִיקִים בָּהֶם הַנֵּרוֹת בָּעֶרֶב עַל פִּתְחֵי הַבָּתִּים בְּכָל לַיְלָה וָלַיְלָה בִּשְׁמוֹנַת הַלֵּילוֹת, לְהַרְאוֹת וּלְגַלּוֹת הַנֵס. וְהַיָמִים הָאֵלּוּ, נִקְרָאִים חֲנֻכָּה, רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר, חָנוּ כ"ה, שֶׁבְּיוֹם כ"ה חָנוּ מֵאוֹיְבֵיהֶם. וְעוֹד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁבַּיָּמִים הָאֵלּוּ עָשֹוּ חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת שֶׁהַצּוֹרְרִים טִמְּאוּהוּ. וְלָכֵן יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, שֶׁמִצְוָה לְהַרְבּוֹת קְצָת בִּסְעוּדָה בַּחֲנֻכָּה. וְעוֹד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּלֶאכֶת הַמִֹּשְכָּן נִגְמְרָה בַּיָמִים הָאֵלּוּ. וְיֵשׁ לְסַפֵּר לִבְנֵי בֵיתוֹ עִנְיַן הַנִּסִּים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָמִים הָאֵלּוּ (עַיֵן יוֹסִיפוֹן). וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם לֹא הֲוֵי סְעוּדַת מִצְוָה, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן אוֹמְרִים בַּסְּעוּדָה שִׁירוֹת וְתִשְׁבָּחוֹת. וּמַרְבִּים בִּצְדָקָה בִּימֵי חֲנֻכָּה, כִּי הֵם מְסֻגָּלִים לְתַקֵן בָּהֶם פְּגָמֵי נַפְשׁוֹ עַל יְדֵי הַצְּדָקָה, וּבְיִחוּד לְלוֹמְדֵי תוֹרָה הָעֲנִיִם לְהַחֲזִיקָם.
During the Second Temple, the Greek empire reigned (over Israel),1 and they (the Greeks) passed decrees against the Jews and (tried) to erase their religion, and did not allow them to carry out Torah (study) or the commandments. They put their hands on their property and their daughters. They entered the Temple, destroyed and made the pure unclean. The Jews were in great distress because of them and were much oppressed, until the G-d of their fathers had mercy on them, delivering them from their hands and saving them. Then overcame, the sons of the Hasmonean High Priest, (the Greeks) and killed them and saved the Jews from their hands. They appointed a king from the Priests, and the kingdom of Israel was restored for more than 200 years until the destruction of (the) second (Temple). When the Jews overcame their enemies and destroyed them, it was the 25th of Kislev2 when they entered the Sanctuary (inner room) and did not find pure (olive) oil in the Temple, except one jar sealed with seal of the High Priest, and it did not contain enough to light except for one day only. But they lit from it the lamps of the Menorah3 for eight days, until they could crush olives and produce a (new quantity) of pure oil. For these reasons, decreed the Sages of that generation that these eight days that begin on the 25th Kislev, will be days of joy and praise. One lights on them lamps at evening at the entrance to the houses, every evening of the eight nights to show off and demonstrate the miracle. These days are called ''Hanukah'' that is to say ''they rested'' (chanu) on the ''25'' ('th of the month) because on the 25th they rested from their enemies. and also because of those days they (re)-dedicated the house (Temple) which their foes had defiled. Also some say that it is a commandment to increase slightly the festive meals on Hanukah. Another reason is because the work of (building) the Sanctuary (in the desert) was completed in these days. One should tell one's children the story of the miracles that were done for our fore-fathers in those days, (see Josephus) However, these meals are not considered as part of the commandment unless one says at the meal songs of praise. One should increase charity in these Hanukah days, for this can help mend any defects in our souls. This charity, should be given particularly to poor Torah scholars.
(ג) בַּחֲנֻכָּה, מֻתָּר בַּעֲשִׂיַת מְלָאכָה. אַךְ הַנָּשִׁים נוֹהֲגוֹת שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלָאכָה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַנֵרוֹת בַּבַּיִת דּוֹלְקִים, וְאֵין לְהָקֵל לָהֶן. וְהַטַּעַם שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים מַחְמִירוֹת יוֹתֵר, מִפְּנֵי שֶהַגְּזֵרָה הָיְתָה קָשָׁה עַל בְּנוֹת יִשְֹרָאֵל, שֶׁגָזְרוּ, בְּתוּלָה הַנִשֵּׂאת, תִּבָּעֵל לַהֶגְמוֹן תְּחִלָּה. וְעוֹד, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַנֵּס נַעֲשָׂה עַל יְדֵי אִשָׁה, בַּת יוֹחָנָן כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל הָיְתָה יְפַת תֹּאַר מְאֹד, וּבִקְּשָׁהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ הַצּוֹרֵר שֶתִּשְׁכַּב עִמּוֹ, וְאָמְרָה לוֹ, שֶׁתְּמַלֵּא בַקָּשָׁתוֹ, וְהֶאֱכִילַתּוּ תַּבְשִׁילֵי גְבִינָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִצְמָא וְיִשְׁתֶּה יַיִן וְיִשְׁתַּכֵּר וְיִישַׁן וְיֵרָדֵם. וְכֵן הָיָה, וְחָתְכָה אֶת רֹאשׁוֹ וְהֱבִיאַתּוּ לִירוּשָׁלָיִם. וְכִרְאוֹת שַׂר צְבָאָם כִּי אָבַד מַלְכָּם, וַיָנוּסוּ. וְלָכֵן קְצָת נוֹהֲגִין לֶאֱכֹל מַאַכְלֵי חָלָב בַּחֲנֻכָּה, זֵכֶר לַנֵּס שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה עַל יְדֵי חָלָב.
On Hanukah it is allowed to do work1 but women are accustomed not to do work all the time the candles are lit,2and one should not be lenient about this. The reason why women are stricter about this (than men) is because the decrees (of the Greeks) were harsher on the Jewish women. (For) they decreed that a women getting married for the first time would first have to live with the (Greek) governor. Further, because of the miracle that was done by a woman. The daughter of Yochanan the High Priest,3 was very beautiful. The enemy king asked her to sleep with him, and she said she would agree to his request. She then fed him dishes of cheese produce so that he would become thirsty and drink (much) wine, become drunk and fall asleep, and this did happen. She (then) cut off his head (while he was asleep) and brought it to Jerusalem. When the head of the (Greek) army saw that the king was dead, they (the head and his troops) fled. Therefore some have the custom of eating dairy dishes on Hanukah. to remember the miracle which was done through dairy (dishes).
YEHUDIT’S STORY
A Jewish woman named Yehudit has become an integral part of the psyche of Chanukah. This is her story:
A Greek commander led his army to put down a revolt that was beginning in Jerusalem. The Greek forces encamped around the walls of the city and began a protracted siege. Though Jerusalem was a well-fortified city, the relentless siege by a superior army began to exact a great toll on the citizens of the city. A widow named Yehudit left the city and requested an audience with the commander. Her plan was to seduce him and then to kill him.
Her plan succeeded. The commander gave a feast in honor of Yehudit and he became quite drunk. That night the commander and Yehudit retired to his private tent where he soon fell into a deep sleep. While he was asleep Yehudit took his sword and decapitated him.
Yehudit then brought the commander’s head back to Jerusalem where it was hung on the city walls for everyone to see. The Jews were inspired by the daring heroism of Yehudit, and the Greek forces retreated.
It was a key turning point in the Jewish revolt against the Greeks.