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Exploring the Depths of Chanukah An explanation of the history and customs of Chanukah through the lens of archaeology, historiography and a touch of mysticism Virtual Israel Tours A Bible in one hand and an iphone in the other Rav Shaanan Scherer M.A, B.Ed. Licensed Israel Tour Guide

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Theres plenty of room at the Hotel California.. You can check out any time of night, but you can never leave ( followed by great guitar solo)

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but you can never leave, eh? HOTEL TORONTO

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SHAANAN TOURS -GUIDING SINCE 2007 IN ISRAEL -VIRTUAL GUIDING SINCE 2010 IN USA AND CANADA -OVER TEN YEARS OF ISRAEL EXPERIENCE HIKING, BIKING AND HITCHHIKING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY -GUIDED TOURS WITH PASSION, SOUL AND A SENSE OF HUMOUR -IF I CANT BE IN ISRAEL, THEN IVE GOTTA TAKE IT WITH ME

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ARIELLA AND TEHILLA

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Trip to British Museum January 2012

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EGYPTIAN MUMMIES

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BABYLONIAN IDOLS

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PERSIAN ARTIFACTS

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ANCIENT GREEK EMPIRE

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Rambam, Mishneh Torah. Hilchot Chanukah. Chapter 3: Halacha 1 In [the era of] the Second Temple, the Greek kingdom issued decrees against the Jewish people, [attempting to] nullify their faith and refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and its commandments. They extended their hands against their property and their daughters; they entered the Sanctuary, wrought havoc within, and made the sacraments impure. The Jews suffered great difficulties from them, for they oppressed them greatly until the God of our ancestors had mercy upon them, delivered them from their hand, and saved them. The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame [them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand. They appointed a king from the priests, and sovereignty returned to Israel for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Second Temple.

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Halacha 2 When the Jews overcame their enemies and destroyed them, they entered the Sanctuary; this was on the twenty-fifth of Kislev. They could not find any pure oil in the Sanctuary, with the exception of a single cruse. It contained enough oil to burn for merely one day. They lit the arrangement of candles from it for eight days until they could crush olives and produce pure oil. Halacha 3 Accordingly, the Sages of that generation ordained that these eight days, which begin from the twenty- fifth of Kislev, should be commemorated to be days of happiness and praise [of God]. Candles should be lit in the evening at the entrance to the houses on each and every one of these eight nights to publicize and reveal the miracle. These days are called Chanukah. It is forbidden to eulogize and fast on them, as on the days of Purim. Lighting the candles on these days is a Rabbinic mitzvah, like the reading of the Megillah.

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Why do we celebrate Chanukah? Two reasons: 1) Supernatural miracle of the pure oil that lasted 8 days 2) Military victory of Hasmonean army over Greek Empire and return of Jewish sovereignty to Judea for next 200 years

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What is wrong with these reasons? 1) Supernatural miracle of the pure oil that lasted 8 days 2) Military victory of Hasmonean army over Greek Empire and return of Jewish sovereignty of Priests to Judea for next 200 years

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Rambam. Mishne Torah They appointed a king from the priests, and sovereignty returned to Israel for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Second Temple.

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Miracle of the Oil

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Yehudit Hamacabee

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There is a custom to eat cheese on Chanukah to commemorate the miracle that was done with dairy food when Yehudit fed the enemy Rabbi Moshe Isserles. Commenta ry on Shulchan Aruch 670. Laws of Chanukah.

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CHANUKAH CHEESECAKES! You heard it HERE first!

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How can a Torah law (Bikkurim) be based on a Rabbinic Holiday?? From Atzeret to Chag, One should bring (the bikkurim) and recite. From Chag to Chanukah one should bring, but not recite. - Mishna. Bikkurim 1:6 What fruit in ancient Israel was harvested Chanukah time?

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RAMAT RACHEL

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December 26 th, 2011 Israeli archaeologists uncover first artifact confirming written record of Temple worship Button-sized seal believed to designate ceremonially pure provisions for Temple worship, such as that described in the Hanukkah story.

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PURE FOR GOD DAKA LYA

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Shabbat 21b What is [the reason of] Hanukkah? For our Rabbis taught: On the twenty- fifth of Kislev [commence] the days of Hanukkah, which are eight on which a lamentation for the dead and fasting are forbidden. For when the Greeks entered the Temple, they defiled all the oils therein, and when the Hasmonean dynasty prevailed against and defeated them, they made 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 with [the recital of] Hallel and thanksgiving.

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Heliodoros Stele

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According to the story in Maccabees, Heliodorus, as the representative of King Seleucus IV, tried to steal the wealth from the Temple in Jerusalem but instead was severely beaten as a result of divine intervention. Three years later Seleucus IV was assassinated and was succeeded by his brother Antiochus IV, who was the ruler who according to II Maccabees eventually issued an edict of persecution against the Jewish people and desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem leading to the Maccabean Revolt.

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HASMONEAN FORTRESSES

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MASADA

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HASMONEAN FORTRESSES 1)ALEXANDRION 2)DOK 3)JERICHO 4)CYPRUS 5)HYRCANIA 6)MACHAREUS 7)MASADA

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Judea under Judah Maccabee

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Judea under John Hyrcanus

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Judea under Alexander Yannai

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MODIIN Established in 1993 Current population 80 000 Estimated population by 2030 120 000

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MACCABEAN GRAVES

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Rechavia Neighbourhood, Jerusalem

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Jason the High Priest 175 BCE JASON S TOMB

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Coin of Matityahu Antigonus the last survivor of the Hasmonean family Competed against Herod the Great to become next ruler of Judea and lost

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Why did Mattityahu Antigonus use this image on his coin?

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WHY?

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CHANUKAH GELT!? Hasmonean descendants minted national coins to celebrate their freedom? 18th C. E.European tradition to give religious teachers a token of gratitude? Eventually shifted from teachers to children. Gelt/gift giving parallel Christmas customs? 1920s American candy companies first introduced gold and silver wrapped chocolate gelt

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100 years!

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One of the most important lessons we learn from Chanukah is to have Maccabee/Jewish pride. The Maccabees fought for Judaism against Hellenism (Greek Culture)

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Why do we spin dreidels?

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Draydel House, Caesaria

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A message from Hatzolah Toronto

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Cover up in order to hide illegal Torah Study from Greeks, or

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Teetotum? IRONIC?

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the letters nun, gimmel, hey, shin represent the four kingdoms which tried to destroy us [in ancient times]: N = Nebuchadnetzar = Babylon; H = Haman = Persia = Madai; G = Gog = Greece; and S = Seir = Rome. = 358=

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?

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First night of Chanukah in 1777 was December 24th - Washingtons troops arrived at Valley Forge on December 19 th, 1777 - Storys origin is from the daughter of Michael Hart, a Jewish businessman from Easton, Pennsylvania who hosted Washington during Chanukah of 1778. Washington told his hosts that he already knew about Chanukah and told the story about the Jewish soldier in Valley Forge.

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Where are the oldest synagogues discovered in Israel? Gamla Migdal Masada Jericho Qumran Herodiu m Modii n Menorah engraving discovered in 2009 in Migdal synagogue

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Ancient Synagogue of Modiin

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What did the original menorah of the Temple look like?

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Shmot 25:31 - 32 And you shall make a menorah of pure gold. The menorah shall be made of hammered work; its base and its stem, its goblets, its knobs, and its flowers shall [all] be [one piece] with it.. And six branches coming out of its sides: three menorah branches from its one side and three menorah branches from its second side.

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Rashi (France 12 th C.) on Shmot 25:31 - 32 BASE: This refers to the foot on the bottom [of the menorah], which was made like a box with three legs coming out of it [protruding] downwards BRANCHES: coming out of its sides: from here and there [in each direction] diagonally, drawn upwards until [they reached] the height of the menorah, which is the middle stem. They came out of the middle stem, one higher than the others: the bottom one was longest, the one above it was shorter than it, and the highest one shorter than that, because the height of their ends [at their tops] was equal to the height of the seventh, middle stem, out of which the six branches extended.

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Original Drawing of the Menorah by Maimonide s discovered in the Cairo Genizah

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Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra In his long commentary on Shmot 25:32 write that the branches were half circles

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Zechariah 4:1 - 3 "I saw, and behold [there was] a candelabrum all of gold, with its oil-bowl on top of it, and its seven lamps thereon; seven tubes each to the lamps that were on top of it. And [there were] two olive trees near it; one on the right of the bowl, and one on its left.

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The Temple Institute Menorah on display next to Kotel stairs Height? Six and a half feet Weight? one-half ton. It contains forty five kilograms of twenty four karat gold Value in US Dollars? approximately three million dollars. Donor? Vadim Rabinovitch, a leader of the Jewish community of Ukraine

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Discovered in 2011 in City of David in City of David

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How will this presentation enhance my Chanukah this year? Historical Perspective Understanding of Chanukah Celebration Archaeology of Chanukah Modern State of Israel and Chanukah Change your Chanukah Customs (CHANUKAH CHEESECAKES!) New Stories to share But most importantly

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THANK YOU! RAV SHAANAN SCHERER STAY TUNED FOR MORE CLASSES/TOURS

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Stay tuned.. For more Virtual Israel Tours!

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Virtual Israel Tours A Bible in one hand and an iphone in the other Rav Shaanan Scherer M.A, B.Ed. Licensed Israel Tour Guide Buried Treasures of the Land of Israel A survey of Biblical Archaeology. Where the Holy Book meets the Holy Land