Yom Nikanor

Nikanor, general of the Greek kings, when passing through to Alexandria daily would wave his hand against Jerusalem and the Holy Temple blaspheming, insulting and disparaging them, saying ‘when will she fall into my hands that I may destroy her?’ When the hand of the Hasmoneans became strong they went down amongst his soldiers and killed until they came to those closest to him. They cut off their heads and chopped off their thumbs and big toes, and then cut off his head, chopped off his limbs and hung them across from the Holy Temple. They said ‘the mouth that spoke arrogantly and the hand which waved against Yehudah, Jerusalem and the Holy Temple – let this revenge be done to them. They made the day that they did this a day of celebration.

§ It was stated that the Sages disagreed about the following matter: Rav and Rabbi Ḥanina both say: Megillat Ta’anit, a listing of days on which fasting and eulogizing are forbidden, has been nullified, as in the present period of exile there is no reason to celebrate the joyous events that these days commemorate. Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi say: Megillat Ta’anit has not been nullified. The Gemara explains: Rav and Rabbi Ḥanina say that Megillat Ta’anit has been nullified. This is what the prophet is saying: At a time when there is peace in the world, the dates listed will be times of joy and gladness, on which eulogies and fasting are forbidden; but when there is no peace, they are days of fasting. And those days mentioned in Megillat Ta’anit are also like these days of fasting, that is to say, the days of joy listed in Megillat Ta’anit are also nullified when there is no peace. Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi say that Megillat Ta’anit has not been nullified, and they reason as follows: It was those fast days mentioned in the Bible that the Merciful One makes contingent on the building of the Temple, but these festive days listed in Megillat Ta’anit remain as they were and have not been nullified.