Sign up for Weekday J and get the latest on what's happening in the Jewish Bay Area.

Miketz

Genesis 41:1-44:17

Numbers 7:54-8:4

I Kings 7:40-50

The origins of Chanukah are founded in both fact and fiction. Here are the facts:

The death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE resulted in the division of his empire between his generals. Seleucus, headquartered in Syria, controlled southwest Asia and Ptolemy ruled northeast Africa, with his command center in Egypt. Judea, the boundary between these powers, provided a continuous source of tension.

During this period a powerful class of Jews known as the Tobiads pandered to both powers by assuming a Hellenistic outlook on life, changing their names from Hebrew to Greek and speaking Greek instead of Hebrew. They wanted a gymnasium built in Jerusalem, not only because of their love of Greek culture and athletics, but also because cities with such buildings were also allowed to issue coinage, which would further increase their power.

Through bribery, they unseated the faithful high priest, who was replaced by a Hellenized Jew. Once they were in control of the Temple, these assimilationists, who considered themselves to be citizens of Syria rather than of the Jewish nation, built a gymnasium and minted coins.

The situation was exacerbated when Antiochus IV overran Judea on his way to conquering Egypt. He insisted on further Hellenization of Judea by prohibiting Sabbath observance, dietary laws, circumcision and daily Temple sacrifices. He defiled the Temple by ordering the sacrifice of unclean animals on the altar.

Unable to tolerate such restrictions, a group of zealots under the leadership of Mattathias and his son Judah organized an uprising. After three years, during which time Antiochus died, they succeeded in ousting both the Hellenizers and the foreign powers. However, the peace that was made in exchange for religious independence was short-lived.

Now to the fiction: The primary historical sources of the Chanukah story, the Books of Maccabees I and II, contain absolutely no mention of the supposed miracle of the long-lasting oil that burned for eight days instead of one.

Maccabees 14:52-59 simply states: "And Judas and his brethren and the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their seasons from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Kislev, with gladness and joy."

Maccabees II 10:3-8 only mentions a celebration that seems more akin to Sukkot than anything else: "And having cleansed the sanctuary they made another altar of sacrifice; and striking stones and taking fire out of them, they offered sacrifices, after they had ceased for two years, and burned incense, and lighted lamps…bearing wands wreathed with leaves, and fair boughs, and palms also, they offered thanksgiving to Him…and they ordained…that they should keep these days every year."

Josephus, a Jewish historian who lived about 225 years after the Chanukah events, was uncertain why the holiday was called "lights," and offered this explanation: "I suppose the reason was because this liberty beyond our hopes appeared to us; and that hence was the name given to that festival."

Only 400 years after these events was a familiar "official" explanation recorded in the Talmud (Shabbat 21b): "When the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils therein. When the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated them, they made a search and found only one cruse of oil which lay with the seal of the high priest, but which contained sufficient for one day's lighting only.

"Yet, a miracle was wrought therein and they lit the lamp therewith for eight days. The following year these days were appointed a festival."

What is more important than either fact or fiction is that this holiday embodies the literal meaning of the word Chanukah: education and dedication.

The prayer HaNarot HaLalu recited during Chanukah serves as a reminder of God's power to transform lives. Jews teach their children about the historical account of the fight for freedom and the fictional account of the long-lasting oil because they want to demonstrate the importance of dedication to the God who champions freedom.

After these 2,000 years of exile, wandering and return, that is the real miracle for which we continue to give thanks.