Chanukah 8 Days

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Chanukkah

On the 25th of Kislev are the days of Chanukkah, which are eight... these were appointed a Festival with Hallel [prayers of praise] and thanksgiving. -Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud
Chanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
Chanukkah is probably one of the best known Jewish holidays, not because of any great religious significance, but because of its proximity to Christmas. Many non-Jews (and even many assimilated Jews!) think of this holiday as the Jewish Christmas, adopting many of the Christmas customs, such as elaborate gift-giving and decoration. It is bitterly ironic that this holiday, which has its roots in a revolution against assimilation and the suppression of Jewish religion, has become the most assimilated, secular holiday on our calendar.
The Story
The story of Chanukkah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated much of Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs and the dress of the Greeks, in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society.
More than a century later, a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV was in control of the region. He began to oppress the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, massacring Jews, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs (a non-kosher animal) on the altar. Two groups opposed Antiochus: a basically nationalistic group led by Mattathias the Hasmonean and his son Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim, the forerunners of the Pharisees (no direct connection to the modern movement known as Chasidism). They joined forces in a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Seleucid Greek government. The revolution succeeded and the Temple was rededicated.
According to tradition as recorded in the Talmud, at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Note that the holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil, not the military victory: Jews do not glorify war.
Traditions
Our rabbis taught the rule of Chanukkah: ... on the first day one [candle] is lit and thereafter they are progressively increased ... [because] we increase in sanctity but do not reduce. -Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud
Chanukkah is not a very important religious holiday. The holiday's religious significance is far less than that of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, and Shavu'ot. It is roughly equivalent to Purim in significance, and you won't find many non-Jews who have even heard of Purim! Chanukkah is not mentioned in Jewish scripture; the story is related in the book of Maccabees, which Jews do not accept as scripture.
The only religious observance related to the holiday is the lighting of candles. The candles are arranged in a candelabrum called a menorah (or sometimes called a chanukkiah) that holds nine candles: one for each night, plus a shammus (servant) at a different height. On the first night, one candle is placed at the far right. The shammus candle is lit and three berakhot (blessings) are recited: l'hadlik neir (a general prayer over candles), she-asah nisim (a prayer thanking G-d for performing miracles for our ancestors at this time), and she-hekhianu (a general prayer thanking G-d for allowing us to reach this time of year). See Chanukkah Candle Lighting Blessings for the full text of these blessings. After reciting the blessings, the first candle is then lit using the shammus candle, and the shammus candle is placed in its holder. Candles can be lit any time after dark but before midnight. The candles are normally allowed to burn out on their own after a minimum of 1/2 hour, but if necessary they can be blown out at any time after that 1/2 hour. On Shabbat, Chanukkah candles are normally lit before the Shabbat candles, but may be lit any time before candlelighting time (18 minutes before sunset). Candles cannot be blown out on Shabbat (it's a violation of the sabbath rule against igniting or extinguishing a flame). Because the Chanukkah candles must remain burning until a minimum of 1/2 hour after dark (about 90 minutes total burning time on Shabbat), some Chanukkah candles won't get the job done. On one of the earlier nights, you might want to make sure your candles last long enough. If they don't, you might want to use something else for Chanukkah on Shabbat, such as tea lights or even Shabbat candles.
Each night, another candle is added from right to left (like the Hebrew language). Candles are lit from left to right (because you pay honor to the newer thing first). On the eighth night, all nine candles (the 8 Chanukkah candles and the shammus) are lit. See animation at right for the candlelighting procedure. On nights after the first, only the first two blessings are recited; the third blessing, she-hekhianu is only recited on the first night of holidays.
Why the shammus candle? The Chanukkah candles are for pleasure only; we are not allowed to use them for any productive purpose. We keep an extra one around (the shammus), so that if we need to do something useful with a candle, we don't accidentally use the Chanukkah candles. The shammus candle is at a different height so that it is easily identified as the shammus.
It is traditional to eat fried foods on Chanukkah because of the significance of oil to the holiday. Among Ashkenazic Jews, this usually includes latkes (pronounced "lot-kuhs" or "lot-keys" depending on where your grandmother comes from. Pronounced "potato pancakes" if you are a goy.) My recipe is included later in this page.
Gift-giving is not a traditional part of the holiday, but has been added in places where Jews have a lot of contact with Christians, as a way of dealing with our children's jealousy of their Christian friends. It is extremely unusual for Jews to give Chanukkah gifts to anyone other than their own young children. The only traditional gift of the holiday is "gelt," small amounts of money.
Another tradition of the holiday is playing dreidel, a gambling game played with a square top. Most people play for matchsticks, pennies, M&Ms or chocolate coins. The traditional explanation of this game is that during the time of Antiochus' oppression, those who wanted to study Torah (an illegal activity) would conceal their activity by playing gambling games with a top (a common and legal activity) whenever an official or inspector was within sight.
A dreidel is marked with four Hebrew letters: Nun, Gimel, Hei and Shin. These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham", a great miracle happened there, referring to the miracle of the oil.
The letters also stand for the Yiddish words nit (nothing), gantz (all), halb (half) and shtell (put), which are the rules of the game! There are some variations in the way people play the game, but the way I learned it, everyone puts in one coin. A person spins the dreidel. If it lands on Nun, nothing happens; on Gimel (or, as we called it as kids, "gimme!"), you get the whole pot; on Hei, you get half of the pot; and on Shin, you put one in. When the pot is empty, everybody puts one in. Keep playing until one person has everything. Then redivide it, because nobody likes a poor winner.
You can play a virtual dreidel game here! Requires JavaScript.
Chanukkah Music
Ma'oz Tzur (Rocky Fortress)
The lyrics of this song date back to approximately the 13th century C.E. It is believed to be written by a man named Mordecai, because that name is encrypted in the first letters of the five stanzas. The music dates back to at least the 18th century, and possibly as far back as the 15th century. Most people are only familiar with the first stanza, which is reproduced below. This very literal translation is not what most people are used to seeing (it is usually translated as "Rock of Ages").
Rocky Fortress of my Salvation
It is delightful to praise You
Restore my House of Prayer
And there we will give thanks with an offering
When you have prepared the slaughter
for the blaspheming foe
Then I will complete with a song of hymn
the dedication of the altar
Then I will complete with a song of hymn
the dedication of the altar Ma'oz tzur y'shuati
L'kha na-eh l'shabei-ach
Tikon beyt t'filati
V'sham todah n'zabei-ach
L'eit tachin matbei-ach
Mitzar ha-m'nabei-ach
Az egmor b'shir mizmor
Chanukat ha-mizbei-ach
Az egmor b'shir mizmor
Chanukat ha-mizbei-ach
A less literal but more singable translation:
Rock of Ages, let our song, Praise Thy saving power
Thou amidst the raging foes, Wast our sheltering tower
Furious they assailed us, But Thine arm availed us
And thy word broke their sword, When our own strength failed us.
And thy word broke their sword, When our own strength failed us.
Mi Y'maleil? (Who Can Retell?)
Although the translation is not quite literal, it's the closest thing to a literal translation I've been able to find. For some reasons, this popular Chanukkah song is usually translated with great liberties.
Who can tell of the feats of Israel
Who can count them?
In every age a hero arose to save the people.
Who can tell of the feats of Israel
Who can count them?
In every age a hero arose to save the people.
Hear! In those days at this time
Maccabee saved and freed us
And in our days the whole people of Israel
Arise united to save ourselves.
Mi y'malel g'vurot Yisrael
Otan mi yimneh?
Hein b'khol dor yakum hagibor, go-el ha-am.
Mi yemalel g'vurot Yisra-el
Otan mi yimneh?
Hen b'khol dor yakum hagibor, go-el ha-am.
Sh'ma! Ba-yamim ha-heim ba-z'man hazeh
Maccabee moshiya u'fodeh
U'v'yameinu kol am Yisrael
Yitacheid yakum l'higa-el.

A popular less literal but more singable translation:
Who can retell the things that befell us, who can count them?
In every age a hero or sage came to our aid
Who can retell the things that befell us, who can count them?
In every age a hero or sage came to our aid
Hear! In days of yore in Israel's ancient land
Maccabeus led the faithful band
Now all Israel must as one arise
Redeem itself through deed and sacrifice

Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah
There are many variations on this popular Chanukkah tune. I've provided singable versions in both English and Yiddish. The lyrics of these two versions don't really correspond to each other, but both versions speak of the fun of the secular trappings of the holiday, with slight reference to the religious aspects.
Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah
Come light the menorah
Let's have a party
We'll all dance the hora
Gather round the table, we'll have a treat
Shiny tops to play with, latkes to eat
And while we are playing
The candles are burning low
One for each night, they shed a sweet light
To remind us of days long ago
Chanukkah, O Chanukkah
A yontev a sheyner
A lustiger a freylicher
Nito noch azoyner
Ale nacht in dreydl shpiln mir
Zudigheyse latkes esn mir
Geshvinder tsindt kinder
Di dininke lichtelech on
Zogt "al ha-nisim," loybt G-t far di nisim
Un kumt gicher tantsn in kon

And no list of Chanukkah songs would be complete without a link to the Maccabeats' brilliant music video, Candlelight, a parody of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" that tells the story of Chanukkah. The Maccabeats are an a cappella group from Yeshiva University, so you know they'll get all the details right!
Recipe for Latkes
Makes approximately 12 palm-sized latkes

Watch in full size on YouTube •4 medium potatoes
•1 medium onion
•2 eggs
•1/2 cup matzah meal (flour or bread crumbs can be substituted)
•1 tsp. baking powder
•1 tsp. each salt and black pepper (more or less to taste)
•vegetable oil
Shred the potatoes and onion into a large bowl. Press out all excess liquid.(if using a food processor, use the chopping blade for 2 or 3 seconds after pressing out liquid to avoid stringy fly-aways). Add eggs and mix well. Add matzah meal gradually while mixing until the batter is doughy, not too dry. (you may not need the whole amount, depending on how well you drained the veggies). Add the baking powder, salt and pepper and mix well. (don't taste the batter -- it's really gross!). Don't worry if the batter turns a little orange; that will go away when it fries.
Heat about 1/2 inch of oil to medium-high heat. Form the batter into thin patties about the size of your palm. Fry batter in oil. Be patient: this takes time, and too much flipping will burn the outside without cooking the inside. Flip when the bottom is golden brown.
Place finished latkes on paper towels to drain. Eat hot with sour cream or applesauce. They reheat OK in a microwave, but not in an oven unless you cook them just right.
If you'd like to try something a little different, add some bell peppers, parsley, carrots, celery, or other vegetables to the batter to make veggie latkes! You may need to add a third egg and some more matzah meal for this. For a zesty twist, add some diced jalepeño peppers to the batter! This should definitely be served with sour cream!
I have put a video on YouTube that illustrates some hard-to-describe aspects of latke making: how deep to make the oil, how to tell when the oil is ready, how to tell when the latkes are ready to flip and so forth.
Time-saving substitutions:
Grocery stores now provide many time-saving options for cooking. The substitutions below will save you time in preparing the batter and cleaning up. Sorry, nothing I can do to speed the frying time. You can substitute any or all of these:
•Substitute 3 cups hash-brown style shredded potatoes for the potatoes (Simply Potatoes brand works well and is kosher-certified)
•Substitute 1 cup frozen chopped onions (thawed and drained) for the onion
•Substitute 1/2 cup egg whites from a carton for the eggs
List of Dates
Chanukkah will occur on the following days of the secular calendar:
•Jewish Year 5771: sunset December 1, 2010 - nightfall December 9, 2010
(first candle: night of 12/1; last candle: night of 12/8)
•Jewish Year 5772: sunset December 20, 2011 - nightfall December 28, 2011
(first candle: night of 12/20; last candle: night of 12/27)
•Jewish Year 5773: sunset December 8, 2012 - nightfall December 16, 2012
(first candle: night of 12/8; last candle: night of 12/15)
•Jewish Year 5774: sunset November 27, 2013 - nightfall December 5, 2013
(first candle: night of 11/27; last candle: night of 12/4)
•Jewish Year 5775: sunset December 16, 2014 - nightfall December 24, 2014
(first candle: night of 12/16; last candle: night of 12/23)

The Story of Chanukah

Chanukah 2011: Tuesday December 20 (sundown)

Every year between the end of November and the end of December, Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, but the starting date on the western calendar varies from year to year. The holiday celebrates the events which took place over 2,300 years ago in the land of Judea, which is now Israel

Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away

WHOOPS! Wrong story! :-)

Long ago in the land of Judea there was a Syrian king, Antiochus. The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their G-d, their religion, their customs and their beliefs and to worship the Greek gods. There were some who did as they were told, but many refused. One who refused was Judah Maccabee.The Story of Chanukah

Chanukah 2011: Tuesday December 20 (sundown)

Every year between the end of November and the end of December, Jewish people around the world celebrate the holiday of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, but the starting date on the western calendar varies from year to year. The holiday celebrates the events which took place over 2,300 years ago in the land of Judea, which is now Israel

Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away

WHOOPS! Wrong story! :-)

Long ago in the land of Judea there was a Syrian king, Antiochus. The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their G-d, their religion, their customs and their beliefs and to worship the Greek gods. There were some who did as they were told, but many refused. One who refused was Judah Maccabee.

Judah and his four brothers formed an army and chose as their name the word "Maccabee", which means hammer. After three years of fighting, the Maccabees were finally successful in driving the Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem. The Maccabees wanted to clean the building and to remove the hated Greek symbols and statues. On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the job was finished and the temple was rededicated.

When Judah and his followers finished cleaning the temple, they wanted to light the eternal light, known as the N'er Tamid, which is present in every Jewish house of worship. Once lit, the oil lamp should never be extinguished.

Only a tiny jug of oil was found with only enough for a single day. The oil lamp was filled and lit. Then a miracle occurred as the tiny amount of oil stayed lit not for one day, but for eight days.

Jews celebrate Chanukah to mark the victory over the Syrians and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple. The Festival of the Lights, Chanukah, lasts for eight days to commemorate the miracle of the oil. The word Chanukah means "rededication".

In America, families celebrate Chanukah at home. They give and receive gifts, decorate the house, entertain friends and family, eat special foods, and light the holiday menorah.

Unraveling the Story of Hanukkah for Children

Unraveling the Story of Hanukkah for Children

When I think of Hanukkah rituals, I see my loved-ones bathed in the warm glow of candles, as we sing an ancient prayer (off-key) and grow drowsy from the fat of latkes. The story behind Hanukkah is less warm and fuzzy. I struggle with which parts to share with my small children.
The traditional version of the Hanukkah story is bloody. It goes something like this: long ago in Jerusalem, a cruel emperor, Antiochus IV, forbid the Jews to practice their religion. He slaughtered the Jews who continued to observe Jewish rituals, and desecrated the Temple of Jerusalem with the sacrifice of pigs. Judah the Maccabee (or Judah “the Hammer”) and his brothers had the courage to stand up for their rights: they formed an army and drove the followers of Antiochus from Jerusalem. When the Maccabees sought to rededicate the temple, they only had enough oil to light a lamp for one night. But God sent a miracle, and the light burned brightly for eight days.
It’s not just violent. This often told version of the Hanukkah story diverges from the historical account.
Modern scholars believe the Maccabean revolt was actually a civil war, a struggle between the urbane, Hellenized Jews of Jerusalem who were taking on Greek customs, and the Macabees, traditionalists from the hills, as David Brooks points out in his wonderful editorial on the “adult” complexity of the Chanukah story. Antiochus’ persecutions happened, but this rebellion was also a case of Jews fighting Jews. It’s hard to make an elegant children’s parable out of that, and it feels dishonest to make unequivocal heroes out of the Maccabees.
All of this complexity makes it tempting to sweep the story of Hanukkah under the rug and just get to the presents. I needed help to sort out the Hanukkah story for young ears! So I called Rabbi Steven Kushner, the spiritual leader of Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield, NJ. Rabbi Kushner explained, “It is important to understand that this story is not about genocide or inquisition; but civil war. The miracle of the oil does not appear in the literature of the Maccabees.   Many generations later, the rabbis added the miracle of the oil to transform the holiday into something transcendent and eternal. For Jews, this became a story about religious freedom, and the light became a symbol of the banishment of persecution, hatred, and ignorance; the triumph of enlightenment and tolerance.”
Generations of rabbis have changed the Hanukkah story into a parable that unites Jews and reminds us not to take our freedoms for granted. Sometimes a culture’s fictions contain their greatest truths. Knowing this makes it less intimidating to insert my values and inventions into the Hanukkah story as I tell it to my kids.
This year, I’ll tell the story from the perspective of two fictional Jewish children who lived in the time of the Maccabean revolt, so I can take the emphasis off military heroes and put the focus on communal resistance to religious persecution.   I will tell my children that it is our responsibility to speak out against intolerance, even when it is directed at others. The story I tell my children will be full of opinions, omissions and fictions, yet it will still be, in a way, the truth.

Hanukkah reminds us that even miracles require action

Mai Chanukah? “What is Hanukkah?” our ancient sages ask. For Jews, this season commemorates the miraculous victory of the Maccabees, when a ragtag band of dedicated Israelites rose up to defend their tiny nation against the Assyrian army — the mightiest in the world. This season is a time of great miracles, celebrating the courage that forever shaped the Jewish future. The Maccabees, the heroes of the Hanukkah story, were Jews of faith. But they were impatient believers — trusting deeply in God, but refusing to wait for God to act. Because of their righteous impatience, the Maccabees became partners with God in transforming the world, and their courage and determination teach us that God does not act alone. As the great rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel once wrote, “Pray as if everything depends on God, but act as if everything depends on you.”
The Hanukkah miracle is about more than a grand Jewish victory. The Jewish people today celebrate Hanukkah in their homes by lighting the menorah (the Jewish candelabra symbolizing the eight nights of Hanukkah), and adding one new light with each of the eight passing days. This ritual commemorates the other Hanukkah miracle — the miracle of oil. To crush the Jewish spirit, the Assyrians defiled the sacred Temple and transformed it into a palace of idolatry. After overthrowing the Assyrians, the Maccabees returned to the Temple to discover one unbroken cruse of oil to light the ancient menorah, enough for only one night of light. Yet instead of waiting for more oil to be made, the Maccabees lit the menorah and rededicated the Temple that day, and the oil miraculously lasted for eight nights. This Jewish celebration of light commemorates a miracle seemingly insignificant in comparison to the victory over the Assyrians, but in truth, it is the same miracle. Only after we, God’s partners, take that first step can we ask for God to join us.
The holiness of these days is found in the very origin of the word “Hanukkah”. The root of the word Hanukkah comes from the term chanuch, meaning “dedication.” Just as the Maccabees rededicated the Temple with that one cruse of oil, Hanukkah inspires us to rededicate ourselves to the sacred partnership we each share with God. Hanukkah teaches us that to be men and women of faith, we must become impatient believers — partners in bringing God’s miracles to be.
It is this miracle of human faith and action which sanctifies the Hanukkah season. This holiday reminds us of our sacred task for people of all faiths, that we should dedicate our lives to bring warmth and light to the cold and dark places of our world. Mai Chanukah? Hanukkah is our holiday of rededication, teaching each of us that every miracle in God’s world, big or small, depends upon our taking that first crucial step.

Miracle of the Maccabees

The Chanukah Story

The Bible is not a mere collection of stories. Rather they are prophetically inspired works. The last generation of prophets were those who began to prophesy before the First Holy Temple was destroyed in 423 BCE, though a number of that generation survived the 70-year Babylonian exile and lived to see the building of the Second Temple. It was they who wrote the last books of the Bible, such as Ezra, and Chronicles.

The question remains, however, why there was virtually nothing written on it in the Talmudic work known as the Mishnah. Why was this?

I suggest that you have a look at What Happened to Tractate Chanukah?

Chanah and Her Seven Sons

Heroism and Martyrdom

Yehudit

The Woman Who Saved the Day

It is not clearly known when the story which we are about to tell actually took place. The story first appeared in a very ancient book named after the heroine, Yehudit (Judith), and it was written in Hebrew. However, the original text was lost, and only a Greek translation remained, and not a very accurate one at that.
The story was retold in different versions. According to one version, it happened during the time of the Maccabean revolt against Syrian oppression, and Yehudit was a daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, father of the Hasmonean family.
At any rate, the heroic deed of Yehudit has inspired faith and courage in the hearts of Jews throughout the ages.

The town of Bethulia, in the land of Judea, came under siege by Holofernes, a mighty Syrian-Greek general, at the head of a huge army.
Holofernes was notorious for his cruelty in suppressing rebellions. When he captured a rebel stronghold, he showed no mercy to the men, women, and children sheltered there.
Now he was determined to crush the rebellion of the town of Bethulia, whose inhabitants refused to recognize the oppressive rule of the Syrians.
The men of the beleaguered town fought bravely and desperately to repulse the repeated assaults by the superior enemy forces. Seeing that he couldn't take the fortified town by force, Holofernes decided to starve the inhabitants into submission. He cut off the food and water supply, and before long the town was indeed brought to the verge of surrender.
Hungry and thirsty and in utter despair, the townspeople gathered in the marketplace and demanded that, rather than die of hunger and thirst, they should surrender to the enemy.
Uzzia, the commander of the defense forces, and the elders of the town, tried to calm the populace without success. Finally they pleaded, "Give us five more days. If no salvation comes by the end of five days, we will surrender. Just five more days..."
Reluctantly the people agreed, and slowly they dispersed. Only one person, a woman, remained in her place, as if riveted to it, and she addressed Uzzia and the elders, who had also turned to go. Her voice was clear and firm.
"Why do you test G-d, giving Him only five days in which to send us His help? If you truly have faith in G-d, you must never give up your trust in Him. Besides, don't you know that surrender to Holofernes is worse than death?!"
So spoke Yehudit, the noble daughter of Yochanan the High Priest. She was a young widow. It was several years since she had lost her beloved husband Menashe, and had devoted all her time to prayer and acts of charity ever since.
Yehudit was blessed with extraordinary charm, grace, and beauty, but she was particularly respected and admired for her devoutness, modesty, and loving kindness.
Yehudit's words made a deep impression on Uzzia and the Elders.
"You are quite right, daughter," they admitted, "but what can we do? Only a downpour of rain that would fill our empty cisterns could save our people, but it is not the rainy season. We are all suffering the pangs of hunger and thirst. Pray for us, Yehudit, and maybe G-d will accept your prayers..."
"We must all continue to pray, and never despair of G-d's help," Yehudit said. "But I have also thought of a plan. I ask your permission to leave town together with my maid. I want to go to Holofernes..."
Uzzia and the Elders were shocked and dismayed. "Do you know what you are saying, Yehudit? Would you sacrifice your life and honor on the slim chance that you might soften Holofernes's heart? We cannot allow you to make such a sacrifice for us."
But Yehudit persisted. "It had happened before that G-d sent His salvation through a woman. Yael, the wife of Heber, was her name, as you well know. It was in her hands that G-d delivered the cruel Sissera..."
Uzzia and the Elders attempted to discourage Yehudit from such a dangerous mission, but she insisted that she be allowed to try. Finally, they agreed.

Yehudit passed through the gates of Bethulia, dressed in her best clothes, which she had not worn since her husband passed away. A delicate veil all but hid her beautiful face. She was accompanied by her faithful maid, who carried on her head a basket filled with rolls, cheese, and several bottles of old wine.
The sun had already begun to hide behind the green mountains when Yehudit and her maid wound their way toward the enemy's camp, their lips whispering a prayer to G-d. Presently they were stopped by sentries, who demanded to know who they were and who sent them.
"We have an important message for your commander, the brave Holofernes," Yehudit said. "Take us to him at once."
"Who are you, and why are you here?" Holofernes asked, his eyes feasting on his unexpected, charming visitor.
"I am but a plain widow from Bethulia. Yehudit is my name. I came to tell you how to capture the town, in the hope that you will deal mercifully with its inhabitants..."
Yehudit then told Holofernes that life in the beleaguered town had become unbearable for her, and she bribed the watchmen to let her and her maid out. She went on to say that she had heard of Holofernes's bravery and mighty deeds in battle, and wished to make his acquaintance. Finally she told Holofernes, what he already knew, that the situation in the besieged town was desperate, that the inhabitants have very little food and water left. Yet, she said, their faith in G-d remained strong, and so long as they had faith, they would not surrender. On the other hand, she added, before long, every scrap of kosher food would be gone, and in desperation they will begin to eat the flesh of unclean animals, and then G-d's anger will be turned against them, and the town will fall....
"But how will I know when the defenders of the citadel will begin to eat unkosher food, as you say, so that I can then storm the walls and capture the city?" the commander of the besieging army asked.
"I had thought of that," Yehudit answered confidently. "I have arranged with the watchmen at the city's gates that I would come to the gate every evening to exchange information: I will tell them what's doing here, and they will tell me what's doing there."
Holofernes was completely captivated by the charming young Jewish widow who had so unexpectedly entered his life and was now offering him the key to the city. "If you are telling me the truth, and will indeed help me capture the city, you will be my wife!" Holofernes promised. Then he gave orders that Yehudit and her maid were to have complete freedom to walk through the camp, and anyone attempting to molest them in any way would be put to death immediately. A comfortable tent was prepared for the two women, next to his.
The two women, veiled and wrapped in their shawls, could now be seen walking leisurely through the armed camp at any time during the day and evening. Fearful of the commander's strict orders, everyone gave them a wide berth. Soon they attracted little, if any, attention. Yehudit could now walk up to the city's gates after dark, where she was met by a watchman.
"Tell Uzzia that, thank G-d, everything is shaping up according to plan. With G-d's help we shall prevail over our enemy. Keep your trust strong in G-d; do not lose hope for a moment!"
Having delivered this message for the commander of the defense force of the city, Yehudit departed as quietly as she had appeared.
The following evening she came again to the city's gate and repeated the same message, adding that she had won Holofernes' complete confidence.
In the meantime, Holofernes, having nothing special to do, spent most of his time drinking, with and without his aides. When he was not completely drunk, he would send for Yehudit. She always came to his tent in the company of her maid. On the third day he was already getting impatient.
"Well, gracious Yehudit, what intelligence do you bring me today? My men are getting impatient and demoralized doing nothing; they cannot wait to capture the city and have their fun..."
"I have very good news, general. There is not a scrap of kosher food left in the city now. In a day or two, famine will drive them to eat their cats and dogs and mules. Then G-d will deliver them into your hands!"
"Wonderful, wonderful! This surely calls for a celebration. Tonight we'll have a party, just you and I. I shall expect you as my honored guest."
"Thank you, sir," Yehudit said.

That evening, when Yehudit entered Holofernes' tent, the table was laden with various delicacies. The general was delighted to welcome her and bade her partake of the feast. But Yehudit told him she brought her own food and wine that she had prepared especially for that occasion.
"My goat cheese is famous in all of Bethulia," Yehudit said. "I'm sure you'll like it, General."
He did. And he also liked the strong, undiluted wine she had brought. She fed him the cheese, chunk after chunk, and he washed it down with wine. Before long he was sprawled on the ground, dead drunk.
Yehudit propped a pillow under his head and rolled him over on his face. Then she uttered a silent prayer.
"Answer me, O L-rd, as You answered Yael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, when you delivered the wicked general Sissera into her hands. Strengthen me this once that I may bring Your deliverance to my people whom this cruel man vowed to destroy, and let the nations know that You have not forsaken us..."
Now Yehudit unsheathed Holofernes' heavy sword, and taking aim at his neck, she brought the sword down on it with all her might.
For a moment she sat down to compose herself. Then she wrapped up the general's head in rags, concealed it under her shawl, and calmly walked out and into her own tent.
"Come quickly," she said to her maid, "but let's not arouse suspicion."
The two veiled women walked leisurely, as usual, until they reached the gates of the city. "Take me to Uzzia at once," she said to the sentry.
Uzzia could not believe his eyes as he stared at the gruesome prize Yehudit had brought him.
"There is no time to lose," she told the commander. "Prepare your men for a surprise attack at dawn. The enemy's camp is not prepared for it. When they run to their commander's tent, they will find his headless body, and they will flee for their lives..."
This is precisely what happened.
The enemy fled in confusion and terror, leaving much booty behind. It was a wonderful victory, and it was the G-d-fearing and brave daughter of Yochanan the High Priest, the father of the Hasmonean family, that saved the city of Bethulia and all its inhabitants.