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!1
JUDAH VS. BABA
Models of Heroism at the Launch and Demise of the Hasmonean
Dynasty
1) First Book of Maccabees 2:1-28
In those days arose Matityahu, son of Yohanan, son of Shimon, a priest from the sons
of Yehoyariv, from Jerusalem, and lived in Modi’in. He had five sons, Yohanan,
Shimon, Yehuda (called Maccabee), Elazar and Yonatan. When he saw the idolatry
that was committed in Judea and Jerusalem, he said: “Woe is me, that I was born to
see this misery of my people and of the holy city, and to live there when it was
delivered into the hand of the enemy, and the holy of holies into the hand of
strangers!”
Then Matityahu and his sons rent their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned with
deep grief. Meanwhile, the king’s officers came into Modi’in, to force the people to offer
sacrifices… [but] Matityahu answered with a loud voice: “All the nations under the
king’s reign obey him; every one of them has strayed from the religion of their
ancestors… But I and my sons and my nation walk in the covenant of our ancestors.
God forbid we should forsake the Torah and its laws. We will not obey the king’s
words, to stray from our religion, neither to the right nor the left.”
When he finished speaking these words, a Jew went up, in sight of all, to sacrifice on
the altar in Modi’in, according to the king’s commandment. Matityahu saw this and was
enraged with zeal; his body trembled, he could not hold back his anger and he ran and
slew him on the altar. He also killed the king’s commissioner and he destroyed the
altar. He acted in zeal for the Torah …Matityahu cried throughout the city with a loud
voice: “Whoever is zealous for the Torah and observes the covenant, let them follow
me!” And he and his sons fled to the mountains…
2) First Book of Maccabees 4:38-59
When they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, the gates burned down,
and shrubs growing in the courtyards…they rent their clothes…and cried toward
heaven. Yehuda [Maccabee] appointed men to fight those who were in the fortress,
until he had purified the sanctuary… Then they took whole stones according to the
Torah, and built a new altar similar to the former, and rebuilt the sanctuary …and lit the
lamps of the menora, so they would give light in the Temple…
On the 25th day of the ninth month, called Kislev, in the 148th year, they got up in the
morning and offered a sacrifice according to the Torah on the new altar of burnt
offerings, which they had made… Then all the people bowed down, worshipping and
praising the God of heaven, who had delivered them success. They celebrated the
dedication [hanuka] of the altar for eight days and made burnt offerings…
There was great joy among the people, for the reign of the heathen had ended.
Yehuda and his brothers, with the whole nation of Israel, then ordained that the
celebration of the dedication [hanuka] of the altar should be observed at this season
from year to year for eight days, from the 25th day of the month of Kislev, with joy and
gladness.
Yael Unterman
yaelunt@zahav.net.il
!2
‫ אהרון זאב‬,‫אנו נושאים לפידים‬
.‫נס לא קרה לנו‬
.‫פח שמן לא מצאנו‬
,‫ ההרה עלינו‬,‫לעמק הלכנו‬
.‫מעיינות האורות הגנוזים גילינו‬
.‫נס לא קרה לנו‬
.‫פח שמן לא מצאנו‬
– ‫בסלע חצבנו עד דם‬
.‫ויהי אור‬
3) We Carry Torches, by A. Zeev
No miracle happened here.
We never found a jar of oil.
Rather, we descended to the valley,
And we climbed the mountain.
We discovered wellsprings of hidden light.
No miracle happened here.
We never found a jar of oil.
We quarried in the stone until we bled.
And there was light.
4) Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 21b
Why [do we celebrate] Hanuka? Our Rabbis taught: On
the 25th of Kislev [begin] the days of Hanuka, which are
eight, and on which one does not eulogize or fast. For
when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all
the oils of the Temple, and when the Hasmonean
kingdom prevailed against and defeated them, they
searched and found only one jar of oil which had the
seal of the High Priest, but which contained only
enough to light [the menora] for one day. A miracle
happened there and they lit from it for eight days. The
following year these [days] were appointed and
observed as a festival with [the recital of] Hallel and
thanksgiving.
5) Shulchan Aruch, Orah Haim 671 Gloss (R’
Moshe Isserles): And one must take care to place
the candles in a straight line, not a circle, otherwise it
looks like a bonfire.
:‫שבת כא‬
‫ בכ"ה‬:‫מאי חנוכה? דתנו רבנן‬
,‫בכסליו יומי דחנוכה תמניא אינון‬
‫דלא למספד בהון ודלא להתענות‬
‫ שכשנכנסו יוונים להיכל טמאו‬.‫בהון‬
‫ וכשגברה‬,‫כל השמנים שבהיכל‬
‫ בדקו‬,‫מלכות בית חשמונאי ונצחום‬
‫ולא מצאו אלא פך אחד של שמן‬
,‫שהיה מונח בחותמו של כהן גדול‬
,‫ולא היה בו אלא להדליק יום אחד‬
‫נעשה בו נס והדליקו ממנו שמונה‬
‫ לשנה אחרת קבעום ועשאום‬.‫ימים‬
.‫ימים טובים בהלל והודאה‬
‫הגה ולכן יש‬... ‫שו"ע או"ח תרע"א‬
‫ליזהר להעמיד הנרות בשורה בשוה ולא‬
‫בעגול דהוי כמדורה‬
6) First Book of Maccabees 3:17-23 But when they saw the army coming to meet them,
they said to Judas, "How can we, few as we are, fight against so great and strong a
multitude? And we are faint, for we have eaten nothing today." Judas replied, "It is easy for
many to be hemmed in by few, for in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between
saving by many or by few. It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends,
but strength comes from Heaven. They come against us in great pride and lawlessness to
destroy us and our wives and our children, and to despoil us; but we fight for our lives and
our laws. He himself will crush them before us; as for you, do not be afraid of them." When
he finished speaking, he rushed suddenly against Seron and his army, and they were
crushed before him.
Yael Unterman
yaelunt@zahav.net.il
!3
‫בִּימֵ י מַ תִּ תְ י ָהו בֶן יוֹחָ נָן כּ ֹהֵ ן גָּדוֹל‬
7) Al Hanisim …In the days of Matityahu the
‫חַ שְׁ מוֹנָאִ י וּ ָבנָיו כְּשֶׁ עָ מְ דָ ה מַ לְכוּת יָו ָן‬
Hasmonean, son of Johanan the high priest, and his
sons, when the iniquitous Greco-Syrian kingdom rose up ‫הָ ְרשָׁ עָ ה עַ ל עַ מְּ ָך י ִשְׂ ָראֵ ל לְהשַׁ כִּיחָ ם‬
ָ ‫תּוֹרתָ ְך וּלְהַ עֲ ב‬
ָ
‫ִירם מֵ חֻ קֵּ י ְרצוֹנְָך‬
against Your people Israel, to make them forget Your
ָ‫ עָ מַ דְ תּ‬,‫ בּ ְַרחֲ מֶ יָך הָ ַרבִּים‬,‫ו ְאַתָּ ה‬
Torah and to turn them away from the ordinances of Your
‫ ַרבְתָּ אֶ ת ִריבָם‬:‫לָהֶ ם בְּעֵ ת צ ָָרתָ ם‬
will, then You in your abundant mercy rose up for them in
‫דַּ נְתָּ אֶ ת דִּ ינָם נָקַ מְ תָּ אֶ ת נִקְ מָ תָ ם‬
the time of their trouble, pled their cause, executed
ִ ‫מָ סַ ְרתָּ ג‬
‫ִבּוֹרים ְבּי ַד חַ לָּשִׁ ים ו ְַרבִּים‬
judgment, avenged their wrong, and delivered the strong
ִ ְ‫ְבּי ַד מְ עַ טִּ ים וּטְ מֵ אִ ים ְבּי ַד ט‬
‫הוֹרים‬
into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of
‫וּרשָׁ עִ ים ְבּי ַד צַדִּ יקִ ים וְזֵדִ ים ְבּי ַד‬
ְ
few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into
ָ ‫עוֹסְ קֵ י‬
‫תוֹרתֶ ָך וּלְָך עָ שִׂ יתָ שֵׁ ם גָּדוֹל‬
the hands of the righteous, and insolent ones into the
‫ו ְקָ דוֹשׁ בְּעוֹלָמָ ְך וּלְעַ מְּ ָך י ִשְׂ ָראֵ ל‬
hands of those occupied with Your Torah. Both unto
‫עָ שִׂ יתָ תְּ שׁוּעָ ה גְדוֹלָה וּפֻ ְרקָ ן כְּהַ יּוֹם‬
Yourself did you make a great and holy name in Thy
.‫הַ זֶּה‬
world, and unto Your people did You achieve a great
‫ בָּאוּ ָבנֶיָך לִדְ בִיר בֵּיתֶ ָך‬,‫ו ְאַחַ ר כֵּן‬
deliverance and redemption. Whereupon your children
‫מִ קְ דָּ שֶׁ ָך‬-‫וּפִ נּוּ אֶ ת הֵ י ָכלֶָך ו ְטִ הֲ רוּ אֶ ת‬
entered the sanctuary of Your house, cleansed Your
‫ו ְהִ דְ לִיקוּ נֵרוֹת בְּחַ צְרוֹת קָ דְ שֶׁ ָך‬
temple, purified Your sanctuary, kindled lights in Your holy
‫ו ְקָ בְעוּ שְׁ מוֹנַת י ְמֵ י חֲ נֻכָּה אֵ לּוּ‬
courts, and appointed these eight days of Hanukkah in
.‫לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַ לֵּל לְשִׁ מְ ָך הַ גָּדוֹל‬
order to give thanks and praises unto Your holy name.”
8) Ethics of the Fathers chapter 4
Ben Zoma says… Who is strong [heroic]? One who
conquers the evil inclination…
‫פרקי אבות ד‬
‫ הַ כּוֹבֵשׁ‬,‫ אֵ יזֶהוּ גִבּוֹר‬..‫)א( בֶּן זוֹמָ א אוֹמֵ ר‬
...‫אֶ ת יִצְרוֹ‬
Yael Unterman
yaelunt@zahav.net.il
!4
Baba Batra 3b-4a
Herod was a slave of the Hasmonean house. He had
his eye on a certain young girl. One day he heard a
voice from heaven saying, “Any slave that rebels
right now will succeed!” so he got up and killed all
his masters except for that girl. When that girl saw
that he wanted to marry her, she went up on to the
roof and cried out: “Whoever comes and says ‘I am
from the Hasmonean household’ is a slave, because
the only one left is me!” And she fell from the roof
to the ground.
Herod preserved her body in honey for seven years.
Some say he had intercourse with her, some say not.
Those who say he did, think that he preserved her in
honey in order to satisfy his desires. Those that say
he did not, his reason was so that people would say
he had married a king’s daughter.
He said (to himself): “Who teaches that From the
midst of your brothers you shall set up a king over
you? [Devarim 17:15] The Rabbis!” So he got up
and killed all the Rabbis, but left Baba Ben Buta
alive in order to take advice from him.
Herod placed a garland of hedgehog bristles on the
latter’s head and put out his eyes.
One day Herod came and sat before Baba Ben Buta
and said, “Sir, see what this wicked slave does!”
Baba Ben Buta said to him: “What can I do (to
him)?”
He replied: Curse him!”
Baba Ben Buta quoted: “Even in your thoughts
curse not the king” [Kohelet 10:20]
Herod said: “But this is no king.”
Baba Ben Buta replied: “Even if he was just a rich
man (I would not) since it says “And curse not the
rich in your bedchamber [ibid.], and even if he was
just a ruler, as it says, Curse not a ruler among your
people [Exodus 22:28].”
Herod said: “That applies when he acts like one of
your people, but he does not act thus!”
Baba Ben Buta replied: “I am afraid of him!”
Herod said: “But there’s no one here who will go
and tell him, since it is just you and me sitting here.”
.‫ד‬-:‫בבא בתרא ג‬
,‫הורדוס עבדא דבית חשמונאי הוה‬
.‫נתן עיניו באותה תינוקת‬
‫יומא חד שמע ההוא גברא בת‬
‫ כל עבדא דמריד‬:‫קלא דאמר‬
‫ קם קטלינהו לכולהו‬,‫השתא מצלח‬
.‫מרותיה ושיירה לההיא ינוקתא‬
‫כי חזת ההיא ינוקתא דקא בעי‬
‫ סליקא לאיגרא ורמא‬,‫למינסבה‬
‫ כל מאן דאתי ואמר‬:‫ אמרה‬,‫קלא‬
‫ עבדא‬- ‫מבית חשמונאי קאתינא‬
‫ דלא אישתיירא מינייהו אלא‬,‫הוא‬
‫ וההיא ינוקתא נפלה‬,‫ההיא ינוקתא‬
.‫מאיגרא לארעא‬
‫ איכא‬.‫טמנה שבע שנין בדובשא‬
:‫ איכא דאמרי‬,‫ בא עליה‬:‫דאמרי‬
,‫ דאמרי לה בא עליה‬.‫לא בא עליה‬
;‫ ליתוביה ליצריה‬- ‫הא דטמנה‬
‫ האי‬,‫ודאמרי לה לא בא עליה‬
‫ בת מלך‬:‫ כי היכי דנאמרו‬- ‫דטמנה‬
.‫נסב‬
/‫דברים י"ז‬/ ‫ מאן דריש‬:‫אמר‬
?‫מקרב אחיך תשים עליך מלך‬
,‫ קם קטלינהו לכולהו רבנן‬,‫רבנן‬
‫שבקיה לבבא בן בוטא למשקל‬
.‫עצה מניה‬
‫ נקרינהו‬,‫אהדר ליה כלילא דיילי‬
.‫לעיניה‬
:‫ אמר‬,‫יומא חד אתא ויתיב קמיה‬
‫חזי מר האי עבדא בישא מאי קא‬
?‫ מאי אעביד ליה‬:‫עביד! אמר ליה‬
!‫ נלטייה מר‬:‫א"ל‬
‫ גם‬/'‫קהלת י‬/ [:‫ ]כתיב‬,‫אמר ליה‬
:‫ אמר ליה‬.‫במדעך מלך אל תקלל‬
‫ וליהוי‬:‫האי לאו מלך הוא! א"ל‬
/'‫קהלת י‬/ :‫ וכתיב‬,‫עשיר בעלמא‬
,‫ובחדרי משכבך אל תקלל עשיר‬
,‫ולא יהא אלא נשיא‬
‫ ונשיא בעמך‬/‫שמות כ"ב‬/ :‫וכתיב‬
‫ בעושה מעשה‬:‫ א"ל‬.‫לא תאור‬
!‫ והאי לאו עושה מעשה עמך‬,‫עמך‬
Yael Unterman
yaelunt@zahav.net.il
!5
Yael Unterman
yaelunt@zahav.net.il
!6
Herod was a slave of the Hasmonean house. He HAD HIS EYE on a certain young girl.
One day he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Any slave that rebels right now will
succeed!” so he got up and killed all his masters except for that girl.
When that girl saw that he wanted to marry her, she went up on to the roof and cried
out:
“Whoever comes and says ‘I am from the Hasmonean household’ is a slave, because
the only one left is me!” And she fell from the roof to the ground.
Herod preserved her body in honey for seven years. Some say he had intercourse with
her, some say not. Those who say he did, think that he preserved her in honey in order
to satisfy his desires. Those that say he did not, his reason was so that people would
say he had married a king’s daughter.
He said (to himself): “Who teach that From the midst of your brothers you shall set up a
king over you? The Rabbis!” So he got up and killed all the Rabbis, but left Baba Ben
Buta alive in order to take advice from him.
Herod placed a garland of hedgehog bristles on the latter’s head and PUT OUT HIS
EYES.
One day Herod came and sat before Baba Ben Buta and said, “Sir, see what this wicked
slave does!” Baba Ben Buta said to him: “What can I do (to him)?” He replied: Curse
him!”
Baba Ben Buta quoted: “Even in your thoughts you should not curse the king”
Herod said: “But this is no king.”
Baba Ben Buta replied: “Even if he was just a rich man (I would not) since it says “and
in your bedchamber you should not curse the rich, and even if he was just a prince, as it
says, A prince among your people you shall not curse.”
Herod said: “That applies when he acts like one of your people, but he does not act like
one of your people!”
Baba Ben Buta replied: “I am afraid of him!”
Herod said: “But there’s no one here who will go and tell him, since it is just you and me
sitting here.”
Baba Ben Buta replied: “The bird of the heavens shall carry the voice and that which
has wings will report the matter.”
Then Herod said to him: “I am he!! And if I had known that the Rabbis were so cautious I
would not have killed them all! Now what can I do to amend this??”
Baba Ben Buta replied: “You extinguished the light of the world (as it says A
commandment is a candle and the Torah is light), so go now and attend to the light of
the world (as it says And all nations shall flow (also: light) to there).”
A different version has it that he replied:
“You BLINDED THE EYE of the world (as it says, and it shall be done unwittingly by the
eyes of the congregation) so go now and ATTEND TO THE EYE of the world (as it says,
my sanctuary... the delight of your eyes).”
Herod objected: “I am afraid of the Government (of Rome)!”
Baba Ben Buta advised him: “Send a messenger, and let him take a year on the way and
stay there a year and take a year coming back; by that time you will have pulled down
the Temple and rebuilt it.” Herod did so.
The Romans sent him a message: “If you have not destroyed it, do not do so; and if you
have destroyed it, do not rebuild it, and if you have both destroyed and rebuilt it then
you are one of those bad servants who do first and ask permission afterwards. Though
you have a sword, your genealogy is here and you are neither a Reka nor the son of a
Reka, but rather Herod the slave who has made himself a free man. What is a Reka? It
means royalty...
People said: “Anyone who has not SEEN Herod’s Temple has never seen a beautiful
building. Of what did he build it? Rabbah said, Of yellow and white marble. Some say, of
blue, yellow and white marble. Alternate rows (of the stones) projected so as to leave a
place for the cement. Herod thought he would cover this up with gold, but the Rabbis
told him: Leave it alone, because it is more beautiful this way - it looks like the waves of
the sea.
Yael Unterman
yaelunt@zahav.net.il
!7
[1] - HAD HIS EYE
A- heard a voice , she cried out, people would say
B- take advice
[2] -PUT OUT HIS EYES.
B -Curse him
C -Even in your thoughts you should not curse the king, I am
afraid of him, The bird of the heavens shall carry the voice and
that which has wings will report the matter
[3] - BLINDED THE EYE, ATTEND TO THE EYE
C - I am afraid of the Government
D- Send a messenger, sent him a message
[4] - SEEN Herod’s Temple
Yael Unterman
yaelunt@zahav.net.il