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It was their miracle too
Seattle educator explores women's role in Chanukah.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
What is the miracle that we celebrate at Chanukah? Is it the Maccabees' victory over the Hellenists? Is it the jar of oil that lasted eight days until the destroyed Temple could be reded-icated? Or is it the heroism of a woman? While "all of the above" (and more) is the correct answer, Rivy Poupko Kletenik zeroed in on tiie latter miracle in her Sunday evening talk at Schara Tzedeck called Will the Real Chanukah Hero Please Stand Up? In Search of Judith.
Using a variety of sotmscs - ha-lachah (Jewish law), the Apoc-rjTjha, midrash and poetry -Kletciuk, director of Jewish education services for the Jewish education council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, led the audience in an examination of women's special cormection to Chanukah. It was a lively discussion, involving the contributions of several audience members, representing at least three generations.
In Judaism, women are exempt from the positive, time-bound commandments, explained Kletenik, however, there are exceptions: women are obligated to read the Megillah at Purim, partake in the four cups of wine at Passover and light the candles at Chanukah. Why? Because in all of these instances, she explained, women were involved in the miracles that took place. Esther saved the Jews from being exterminated by Haman, righteous women helped the Jews escape from slavery in Egypt and Yehudit (Judith) helped the Maccabees to victory.
The basic story of Judith is that she, like the other unmarried women of the time, was forced to sleep with a Greek officer before marrying her husband-to-be. This practice was intended to immasculatc the conquered males and to put doubt into their minds as to who fathered their children, said Kletenik. Judith, the daughter of Yochanan the high priest, pretended to go along with this practice but instead fed her ofBcer (or the king of the Greeks) so much cheese and wine that he became drunk and fell into a deep sleep. She then took his sword and chopped off his head. When she showed the head to the Greek soldiers, they fled in fear. - The authenticity of this and other versions of the Judith story was questioned by many people at Kletenik's lecture. She herself said that the heroic
tale "may very well have been manufactured."
To me, it^s less important that it really took place," said Kletenik. "To me, it's more important that it captured the imaginations of our sages."
Schara Tzeileck program direi:tor Ellen Freedman, left, with Rivy Poupko Kletenik.
In the Talmud, Tractate Shab-bat 23a, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi says, "Svomen are obligated in [lighting] the Chanukah candles for they too were in that miracle." Rashi interprets this to mean that it was through the hand of a woman that the miracle was done. Rashi's grandson, the Rashbam, also supports this view, and names Yehudit as the heroine. There.was disagreement with this interpretation from the school of Tosfot, the counter-argument being that "they too were in the miracle" simply meant that women also suffered under the Greeks, as did the men.
In addition to the Talmud, the ShiUchanAruch, Code of Jewish Law, states in the first law of Chanukah that women have the custom of abstaining from work while the candles are burning. While no one - male or female -is supposed to use the candles' light to work by, this extra reminder for women indicates to Kletenik that a woman's role in the celebration of Chanukah is special. Also in the Shulchan Aruch is the directive that, not only docs the woman light the candles, but she "lights for the whole household."
Kletenik read portions of a 12th-century pwuf (poem) that was traditionally read on the Shabbat of Chanukah - it comprises another rendition of Judith's brave actions, which begin with her under the chuppah about to be married. Then there is the story of the widow Judith that is found in the Apocrypha. While this version takes place after the Maccabees won and they are trying to rebuild the Temple, it is again a portrayal of Judith's strength and courage.
"For a tiny little festival," said Kletenik, "there's a lot of women and Yehudit-ness in it." □