(ז) בכ"ה ביה יום חנוכה תמניא יומין דִלָא לְמִסְפָּד:
(ח) כשנכנסו יונים להיכל טמאו כל השמנים שבהיכל וכשגברה יד בית חשמונאי ונצחום בדקו ולא מצאו אלא פך אחד שהיה מונח בחותמו של כהן הגדול שלא נטמא ולא היה בו להדליק אלא יום אחד ונעשה בו נס והדליקו ח' ימים. לשנה אחרת קבעו ח' י"ט. ומה ראו לעשות חנוכה ח' ימים והלא חנוכה שעשה משה במדבר לא עשה אלא שבעה ימים שנא' ומפתח אהל מועד לא תצאו שבעת ימים וגו' ואומר ויהי המקריב ביום הראשון את קרבנו וגו' ובשביעי הקריב אפרים. וכן מצינו בחנוכה שעשה שלמה שלא עשה אלא שבעת ימים שנא' כי חנוכת המזבח עשו שבעת הימים והחג ז' ימים ומה ראו לעשות חנוכה זו ח' ימים אלא בימי מלכות יון נכנסו בית חשמונאי להיכל ובנו את המזבח ושדוהו בשיד ותקנו בו כלי שרת והיו מתעסקין בו ח' ימים. ומה ראו להדליק את הנרות אלא בימי מלכות יון שנכנסו בית חשמונאי להיכל שבעה שפודין של ברזל בידם וחפום בעץ והדליקו בהם את המנורה. ומה ראו לגמור בהם את הלל אלא שכל תשועה ותשועה שהקב"ה עושה להם לישראל היו מקדימין לפניו בהלל בשירה ובשבח ובהודאה כענין שנא' ויענו בהלל ובהודו לה' כי טוב וגו' מצות חנוכה נר איש וביתו והמהדרין נר לכל נפש ונפש והמהדרין מן המהדרין בש"א יום ראשון מדליק שמונה מכאן ואילך פוחת והולך ובה"א יום ראשון מדליק א' מכאן ואילך מוסיף והולך. שני זקנים היו בצידן אחד עשה כדברי ב"ש ואחד עשה כדברי ב"ה זה נותן טעם לדבריו וזה נותן טעם לדבריו זה אומר כפרי החג וזה אומר מעלין בקודש ואין מורידין. מצות הדלקתה משתשקע החמה עד שתכלה רגל מן השוק ומצוה להניחה על פתח ביתו מבחוץ ואם היה דר בעליה מניחה בחלון הסמוכה לרה"ר ואם מתירא מן הלצים מניחה על פתח ביתו מבפנים ובשעת הסכנה מניחה על שלחנו ודיו:
(7) On the twenty fifth of the month is Channuka, eight days on which one does not eulogize
(8) because when the Greeks entered the Temple they defiled all the oil there. When the hand of the Hasmoneans was made strong and they defeat the Greeks, they checked (in the Temple) and only found one jar of oil sealed with the mark of the High Priest which remained undefiled. Though there was only enough in it to light for one day, a miracle occurred through it and they lit the Temple lamps from it for eight days. The following year they decreed these to be eight days of celebration. And what justification did they see for making Channuka eight days? Wasn’t the dedication (channuka) which Moshe did in the wilderness only seven days? As it says “And you shall not leave the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for seven days…” (Vayikra 8:33) And it says “The one who brought his offering on the first day was…” (Bamidbar 7:12) and on the seventh day Ephraim made his offering. So too we find at the dedication which Shlomo made that it only lasted seven days, as it says “…for the inauguration of the altar they made seven days, and the feast seven days.” (Divre HaYamim II 7:9) So what reason did they see to make this dedication eight days? In the days of the kingdom of Greece the Hasmoneans entered the Temple, built the altar, plastered it with plaster and for seven days they were preparing the vessels for service. The re-dedication done by the Hasmoneans it to be marked for all generations. And why is it a practice for all generations? They fixed it when they came out from a narrow place into broad spaces, and they said praises and thanksgiving, lighting lamps in purity. Since the Greeks had gone into the Temple and defiled all the vessels, there was nothing with which to light. When the Hasmoneans were victorious, they brought seven skewers of iron, covered them with tin and began to light.
The Sages taught in a baraita: The basic mitzva of Hanukkah is each day to have a light kindled by a person, the head of the household, for himself and his household. And the mehadrin, i.e., those who are meticulous in the performance of mitzvot, kindle a light for each and every one in the household. And the mehadrin min hamehadrin, who are even more meticulous, adjust the number of lights daily. Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagree as to the nature of that adjustment. Beit Shammai say: On the first day one kindles eight lights and, from there on, gradually decreases the number of lights until, on the last day of Hanukkah, he kindles one light. And Beit Hillel say: On the first day one kindles one light, and from there on, gradually increases the number of lights until, on the last day, he kindles eight lights. Ulla said: There were two amora’im in the West, Eretz Yisrael, who disagreed with regard to this dispute, Rabbi Yosei bar Avin and Rabbi Yosei bar Zevida. One said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the incoming days, i.e., the future. On the first day, eight days remain in Hanukkah, one kindles eight lights, and on the second day seven days remain, one kindles seven, etc. The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the outgoing days. Each day, the number of lights corresponds to the number of the days of Hanukkah that were already observed. And one said that the reason for Beit Shammai’s opinion is that the number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the festival of Sukkot: Thirteen were sacrificed on the first day and each succeeding day one fewer was sacrificed (Numbers 29:12–31). The reason for Beit Hillel’s opinion is that the number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade. Therefore, if the objective is to have the number of lights correspond to the number of days, there is no alternative to increasing their number with the passing of each day. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said that Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There were two Elders in Sidon, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Shammai, and one of them acted in accordance with the opinion of Beit Hillel. Each provided a reason for his actions: One gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights corresponds to the bulls of the Festival. And one gave a reason for his actions: The number of lights is based on the principle: One elevates to a higher level in matters of sanctity and one does not downgrade.
The Sages taught in a baraita: It is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp at the entrance to one’s house on the outside, so that all can see it. If he lived upstairs, he places it at the window adjacent to the public domain. And in a time of danger, when the gentiles issued decrees to prohibit kindling lights, he places it on the table and that is sufficient to fulfill his obligation. Rava said: One must kindle another light in addition to the Hanukkah lights in order to use its light, as it is prohibited to use the light of the Hanukkah lights. And if there is a bonfire, he need not light an additional light, as he can use the light of the bonfire. However, if he is an important person, who is unaccustomed to using the light of a bonfire, even though there is a bonfire, he must kindle another light.
The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah, and why are lights kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught in Megillat Ta’anit: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them. What is the reason? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings. We learned there in a mishna with regard to damages: In the case of a spark that emerges from under a hammer, and went out of the artisan’s workshop, and caused damage, the one who struck the hammer is liable. Similarly, in the case of a camel that is laden with flax and it passed through the public domain, and its flax entered into a store, and caught fire from the storekeeper’s lamp, and set fire to the building, the camel owner is liable. Since his flax entered into another’s domain, which he had no permission to enter, all the damages were caused due to his negligence. However, if the storekeeper placed his lamp outside the store and it set fire to the flax, the storekeeper is liable, as he placed the lamp outside his domain where he had no right to place it. Rabbi Yehuda says: If the flax was set on fire by the storekeeper’s Hanukkah lamp that he placed outside the entrance to his store, he is not liable, as in that case, it is permitted for the storekeeper to place his lamp outside. Ravina said in the name of Rabba: That is to say that it is a mitzva to place the Hanukkah lamp within ten handbreadths of the ground. As if it should enter your mind to say that he may place it above ten handbreadths, why is the storekeeper exempt? Let the camel owner say to the storekeeper: You should have placed the lamp above the height of a camel and its rider, and then no damage would have been caused. By failing to do so, the storekeeper caused the damage, and the camel owner should not be liable. The Gemara rejects this: And perhaps one is also permitted to place the Hanukkah lamp above ten handbreadths, and the reason Rabbi Yehuda exempted the storekeeper was due to concern for the observance of the mitzva of kindling Hanukkah lights. He held that if you burden one excessively, he will come to refrain from performing the mitzva of kindling Hanukkah lights. Since the storekeeper placed the Hanukkah lamp outside at the behest of the Sages, the storekeeper should not be required to take extra precautions. With regard to the essence of the matter Rav Kahana said that Rav Natan bar Manyumi taught in the name of Rabbi Tanḥum:
(לו) הן האויב ניגף לפנינו, ועתה עלה נעלה וטיהרנו את מקדש ה'.
(לז) וייקהלו כל אנשי הצבא ויעלו יחדו על הר ציון.
(לח) ויהי בראותם את המקדש כי שמם, ואת המזבח כי חולל, והדלתות שרופות באש והלשכות נהרסות, ועשב השדה צמח בכל גבולו מסביב.
(לט) ויקרעו את בגדיהם ויזרקו עפר על ראשם ויתאבלו מאוד.
(מ) ויריעו בחצוצרות תרועה, ויפלו על פניהם ותעל שוועתם השמיימה.
(מא) ויצווה יהודה את גדוד אחד מאנשיו לצור על המצודה עד טהרם את המקדש.
(מב) ויבחר מן הכוהנים אשר לא נטמאו ואשר לא עזבו את ברית אלוהיהם, ויצוום לטהר את המקדש ולהשליך את האבנים אשר נטמאו אל מקום טמא.
(מג) ויראו את מזבח העולה כי חולל, ויועצו לב יחדו כדת מה לעשות.
(מד) ותהי העצה היעוצה לנתוץ את המזבח עד רדתו, לבלתי היות להם למכשול, יען כי חיללוהו זרים. וייתצו אתו.
(מה) ויניחו את האבנים על הר הבית אל מקום פלוני אלמוני, עד אשר יקום נביא בישראל להורותם את אשר יעשון.
(מו) ויקחו אבנים שלמות אשר לא עלה עליהן ברזל, ככתוב בתורת ה' ויבנו מזבח חדש כתבנית הראשון.
(מז) וישובו לבנות את פרצי המקדש ואת כל אשר מבית להיכל, ויחטאו את החצר ואת כל אשר בו.
(מח) ויחדשו את כל כלי הקודש, וישימו את המנורה אל ההיכל ואת מזבח הקטורת ואת שולחן הפנים.
(מט) וישימו את הקטורת על המזבח, ועל המנורה העלו את נרותיה להאיר במקדש.
(נ) ויתנו את לחם הפנים על השולחן, ואת הפרוכת המסך על הארון, ותכל כל העבודה כאשר בתחילה.
(נא) ויהי ביום החמישי ועשרים לחדש התשיעי הוא כסלו, בשנת שמונה וארבעים ומאה, וישכימו בבוקר ויעלו עולות על המזבח החדש כמשפט.
(נב) ויחנכו את המזבח בעצם היום אשר טמאו אותו הגויים, ויהללו לה' בשירים ובכינורות בחלילים ובמצלצלים.
(נג) ויפלו על פניהם וישתחוו לה' על אשר נתן להם עוז ותשועה.
(נד) ויחוגו את חנוכת המזבח שמונת ימים, ויעלו עולות ותודות בשמחת לבבם.
(נה) ויפארו את פני ההיכל בעטרות ובמגיני זהב ויחטאו את השערים ואת לשכות הכוהנים, וישימו את הדלתות.
(נו) ותהי שמחה גדולה בכל העם, כי גלל ה' את חרפת הגויים מעליהם.
(נז) ויצווה יהודה ואחיו וכל קהל ישראל לחוג את חנוכת המזבח ביום החמישה ועשרים לחדש כסלו שמונת ימים מדי שנה בשנה בהלל ובתודה לה'.
(נח) ויבנו גם בעת ההיא חומות בצרות ומגדלים גבוהים מסביב למקדש על הר ציון למען לא יוסיפו הגויים עוד לשחתו כבראשונה.
(נט) ויתן יהודה מצב בתוכם, לשמור את המקדש, ויבצר גם את בית צור למען היות להם למבצר מנגד לאדום.
(36) Behold, our enemies are discomfited: let us go up to cleanse and dedicate the sanctuary.
(37) Upon this all the host assembled themselves together, and went up into mount Sion.
(38) And when they saw the sanctuary desolate, and the altar profaned, and the gates burned up, and shrubs growing in the courts as in a forest, or in one of the mountains, yea, and the priests’ chambers pulled down;
(39) They rent their clothes, and made great lamentation, and cast ashes upon their heads,
(40) And fell down flat to the ground upon their faces, and blew an alarm with the trumpets, and cried toward heaven.
(41) Then Judas appointed certain men to fight against those that were in the fortress, until he had cleansed the sanctuary.
(42) So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law: Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place.
(43) And when as they consulted what to do with the altar of burnt offerings, which was profaned;
(44) They thought it best to pull it down, lest it should be a reproach to them, because the heathen had defiled it: wherefore they pulled it down,
(45) And laid up the stones in the mountain of the temple in a convenient place, until there should come a prophet to shew what should be done with them.
(46) Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;
(47) And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts.
(48) They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense, and the table.
(49) And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple.
(50) Furthermore they set the loaves upon the table, and spread out the veils, and finished all the works which they had begun to make.
(51) Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning, And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.
(52) Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals.
(53) Then all the people fell upon their faces, worshipping and praising the God of heaven, who had given them good success.
(54) And so they kept the dedication of the altar eight days and offered burnt offerings with gladness, and sacrificed the sacrifice of deliverance and praise.
(55) They decked also the forefront of the temple with crowns of gold, and with shields; and the gates and the chambers they renewed, and hanged doors upon them.
(56) Thus was there very great gladness among the people, for that the reproach of the heathen was put away.
(57) Moreover Judas and his brethren with the whole congregation of Israel ordained, that the days of the dedication of the altar should be kept in their season from year to year by the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth day of the month Casleu, with mirth and gladness.
(58) At that time also they builded up the mount Sion with high walls and strong towers round about, lest the Gentiles should come and tread it down as they had done before.
(59) And they set there a garrison to keep it, and fortified Bethsura to preserve it; that the people might have a defence against Idumea.
Book of Maccabees II 10:1-8
10 Now Maccabeus and his followers, Adonai leading them on, recovered the temple and the city. 2 and they tore down the altars which had been built in the public square by the foreigner, and also destroyed the sacred precincts. 3. They purified the sanctuary, and made another altar of sacrifice; then striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices after a lapse of two years, and they burned incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence. 4. and when they had done this, they fell prostrate and besought Adonai that they might never again fall into such misfortunes, but that, if they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by God with forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous nations.
5 It happened on that same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners the purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty fifth day of the same month, which was Kislev. 6. And they celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the feast of booths, remembering how not long before, during the feast of booths, they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals. 7 Therefore bearing ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to the One who had given them success to the purifying of God's own holy place. 8 They decreed by public ordinance and vote that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year.
(א) מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי לְךָ נָאֶה לְשַׁבֵּחַ.
(ב) תִּכּוֹן בֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי וְשָׁם תּוֹדָה נְזַבֵּחַ.
(ג) לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ.
(ד) אָז אֶגְמוֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.
(ו) רָעוֹת שָׂבְעָה נַפְשִׁי בְּיָגוֹן כֹּחִי כִּלָה.
(ז) חַיַּי מָרְרוּ בְּקוֹשִׁי בְּשִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכוּת עֶגְלָה.
(ח) וּבְיָדוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה הוֹצִיא אֶת הַסְּגֻלָּה.
(ט) חֵיל פַּרְעֹה וְכָל זַרְעוֹ יָרְדוּ כְאֶבֶן בִּמְצוּלָה.
(יא) דְּבִיר קָדְשׁוֹ הֱבִיאַנִי וְגַם שָׁם לֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי.
(יב) וּבָא נוֹגֵשׂ וְהִגְלַנִי. כִּי זָרִים עָבַדְתִּי.
(יג) וְיֵין רַעַל מָסַכְתִּי כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי.
(יד) קֵץ בָּבֶל, זְרֻבָּבֶל, לְקֵץ שִׁבְעִים נוֹשָׁעְתִּי.
(טז) כְּרוֹת קוֹמַת בְּרוֹשׁ, בִּקֵּשׁ אֲגָגִי בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא.
(יז) וְנִהְיָתָה לוֹ לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ וְגַאֲוָתוֹ נִשְׁבָּתָה.
(יח) רֹאשׁ יְמִינִי נִשֵּׂאתָ וְאוֹיֵב שְׁמוֹ מָחִיתָ.
(יט) רֹב בָּנָיו וְקִנְיָנָיו עַל הָעֵץ תָּלִיתָ.
(כא) יְוָנִים נִקְבְּצוּ עָלַי אֲזַי בִּימֵי חַשְׁמַנִּים.
(כב) וּפָרְצוּ חוֹמוֹת מִגְדָּלַי וְטִמְּאוּ כָּל הַשְּׁמָנִים.
(כג) וּמִנּוֹתַר קַנְקַנִּים נַעֲשָׂה נֵס לַשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים.
(כד) בְּנֵי בִינָה יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים.
(כו) חֲשׂוֹף זְרוֹעַ קָדְשֶׁךָ וְקָרֵב קֵץ הַיְשׁוּעָה.
(כז) נְקֹם נִקְמַת דַּם עֲבָדֶיךָ מֵאֻמָּה הָרְשָׁעָה.
(כח) כִּי אָרְכָה לָנוּ הַשָּׁעָה וְאֵין קֵץ לִימֵי הָרָעָה.
(כט) דְּחֵה אַדְמוֹן בְּצֵל צַלְמוֹן, הָקֵם לָנוּ רוֹעֶה שִׁבְעָה.
(1) O Fortress, Rock of my salvation, unto thee it is becoming to give praise:
(2) let my house of prayer be restored, and I will there offer thee thanksgivings
(3) when thou shalt have prepared a slaughter of the blaspheming foe,
(4) I will complete with song and psalm the dedication of the altar.
(6) Full sated was my soul with ills, my strength was spent with sorrow;
(7) they embittered my life by hardship during my subjection to the dominion of Egypt,
(8) but God with his great power brought forth the chosen race,
(9) while the host of Pharaoh and all his seed sank like a stone into the deep.
(11) To his holy oracle he brought me, yet there also I found no peace,
(12) for the oppressor came and led me captive, because I had served strange gods:
(13) I had to quaff the wine of bewilderment; well nigh had I perished,
(14) when Babylon's end drew near; through Zerubbabel I was saved after seventy years.
(16) The Agagite (Haman), the son of Hammedatha, sought to cut down the lofty fir tree (Mordecai);
(17) but his design became a snare to himself, and his pride was brought to an end.
(18) The head of the Benjamite thou didst exalt, but the enemy's name thou Midst blot out:
(19) the many sons he had gotten thou didst hang upon the gallows.
(21) The Grecians were gathered against me in the days of the Hasmoneans;
(22) they broke down the walls of my towers, and defiled all the oils;
(23) but from one of the last remaining flasks a miracle was wrought for thy beloved,
(24) and their men of understanding appointed these eight days for song and praises.
(26) Bare Your holy arm and hasten the End of salvation –
(27) Avenge the vengeance of Your servants’ blood from the wicked nation.
(28) For the time has delayed and there is no end to the days of evil,
(29) Push away the Red One in the lowest shadow and establish for us the seven shepherds.