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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/76482-0.txt b/76482-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dec3fd7 --- /dev/null +++ b/76482-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,650 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76482 *** + + + + + + TO + + THE MEMORY + + OF + + THE LATE MINA LIPPMAN AARON + + THESE PAGES ARE + + DEDICATED + + + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + THE + STORY OF CHANUKAH + + BY + + BENJAMIN SACKS B. A. + + [Illustration] + + HEBREW INSTITUTE + + PITTSBURGH PA. + + ---- + + 5678 + + ---- + + COPYRIGHT 1913 + + + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + + THE FESTIVAL + +The festival of Chanukah was instituted by Judas Maccabeus and the +elders of the Congregation of Israel in the year 3595 on the 25th day of +Kislev + + + + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + + + +[Illustration] + + THE STORY OF CHANUKA. + + +Upon the death of Alexander the Great, under whose reign the Jews +enjoyed freedom and peace, his kingdom was divided among his generals, +one of whom took Egypt and another, Syria. There was continual strife +between the kings of these two countries, for each wanted to subject the +other to his rule. Palestine, being situated between Syria and Egypt, +became the battlefield upon which their armies fought. At times, the +kings of Syria would be victorious, and at times the kings of Egypt +would gain the upper hand. For a long time the armies of Egypt were +victors, and so it happened that many of the Jews went to live in +Alexandria, where they acquired many of the Greek customs practiced +there. Judea, in the meantime, became a tributary to Egypt. The Jews +were treated well by the Egyptians; they were allowed to appoint their +own governors; and their religion was not interfered with. + +About 100 years after the death of Alexander, Antiochus III., surnamed +the Great, ascended the throne of Syria. He conquered Egypt and with it +Palestine. The position of the Jews, however, was not changed; they were +mildly ruled, and their government was left in their own hands. +Antiochus was succeeded by his oldest son, Seleucus Philopater. + +In the tenth year of the reign of Seleucus, something happened in Judea +that caused him to turn his attention to the treasures deposited in the +Temple at Jerusalem. A violent quarrel broke out between Onias III., who +was at that time the High Priest in Judea, and Simon, who had been +appointed governor of Jerusalem. In order to injure Onias, Simon told +the King that there were great riches in the Temple. Seleucus received +this news with joy, for he was at this time hard pressed for money to +pay his annual tribute to the Romans. He sent out his treasurer, +Heliodorus, to plunder the Temple, and bring back these riches to +Antioch. + + + HELIODORUS IN THE TEMPLE. + +Heliodorus immediately set out for Jerusalem, without acquainting any +one of his purpose. When he arrived there, he told Onias of the King’s +orders, and demanded that he quietly surrender the treasure. The High +Priest replied that there was quite a large treasure in the Temple, but +that it was by no means as large as had been reported; that the greater +part of it consisted of holy gifts consecrated to God; that a +considerable amount was deposited by Hyrcanus, a man high in favor of +the King; and that the remainder was deposited by widows and orphans for +safekeeping. He added that he could not consent to deprive the rightful +owners of their property, and thus profane his high office, which was +holy and revered by all. + +The commands of the King were strict and Heliodorus remained firm in his +purpose. Attended by a large number of armed men, he marched to the +Temple; and when the priests tried to oppose his progress, he ordered +that the outer gates be destroyed. A great mourning arose in the whole +city, and from all sides were heard the cries of the people. But as soon +as Heliodorus attempted to enter the Temple, a wonderful thing happened. +Legend has it that a horse, mounted by a terrible rider, rushed toward +him, and struck him with its fore-foot. Two beautiful youths, who +attended the warrior, then beat Heliodorus with rods until he fainted. +When Heliodorus was carried out of the Temple by the priests, the spark +of life scarcely burned within him. When Onias, the High Priest, saw +this, fearing lest the wrath of the King should be incurred, offered +sacrifices and prayers to God, and thus restored Heliodorus to life. The +treasurer returned to Antioch empty-handed, and told the King of his +failure. + + + ANTIOCHUS CROWNED KING OF SYRIA. + +In the course of the same year, Heliodorus, in hopes of succeeding to +the throne, poisoned Seleucus, the King. When Antiochus, the King’s +brother, who was returning from Rome, heard of this, he immediately +secured the aid of another king, and easily crushed the usurper. +Antiochus IV. now became King of Syria. + + + BUYING THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD. + +Scarcely had Antiochus begun to rule, when from all parts of his empire +came the leading men to pay homage to him. Among them came a younger +brother of the High Priest Onias, Joshua, who called himself by the +Greek name Jason. This Jason was possessed of good manners and polished +address. At the court of Antiochus, he was welcomed; and, by offering +the King a very large bribe, prevailed upon him to depose his brother +Onias, and appoint him in his place. Not only was Onias removed from the +High Priesthood, but he was also forced to take up his residence at +Antioch, where he would not interfere with the new High Priest. Jason +next attempted to gradually make Greeks of the Jews. Accordingly, he +built a place in Jerusalem for such sports and exercises as were +practiced by the Greeks, and established a school in which Jewish youths +could be brought up after the manner of the Greeks. + +Jason remained High Priest for only three years. Menelaus, an ambitious +and dishonest young man, having been sent to Antioch by Jason with +tribute, by offering to pay annually a sum amounting to $300,000 more +than Jason, succeeded in having himself appointed in his place. This +Menelaus was even more corrupt than Jason, and later proved himself +guilty of the most horrible crimes. + + + MENELAUS’ SACRILEGE. + +Menelaus soon found that he was unable to pay the large amount of money +which he had promised to Antiochus. The King, who demanded punctuality +of his subjects in their payment of tribute, summoned him to Antioch. +Fearing that he would be punished or stripped of his office, he sent +secret directions to his brother Lysimachus, who was acting as High +Priest during his absence, to remove some of the holy vessels from the +Temple, and to send him the money obtained by selling them. When Onias, +the deposed High Priest heard of this, his anger was aroused, and he +accused Menelaus of robbing the Temple. Menelaus fearing, that he would +be removed from his office, bribed one of the King’s officers to kill +Onias. When Onias learned of the plot against his life, he escaped; but +later, when the officer induced him to return by assurances of safety, +he was brutally murdered. + +Great was the anger of the Jews when they heard of this new outrage. The +people of Jerusalem rose up against the brother of Menelaus, and put to +route a number of his followers who tried to defend him. Lysimachus, +himself, escaped to the treasury of the Temple, but was pursued and +killed. Menelaus, in the meantime by bribing the King, gained his +support, and continued to remain in the office of High Priest. + + + ANTIOCHUS’S ENTRANCE INTO + JERUSALEM. + +While Antiochus was engaged in attacking Egypt, a report was spread that +he had been killed. This news was received by the Jews with great joy. +Jason, the deposed High Priest, knowing that Menelaus would now be left +without a protector entered Jerusalem, defeated the soldiers of +Menelaus, and put the latter to flight. Jason did not remain there long, +however, for it soon became known that Antiochus was alive and that he +was marching towards Jerusalem with a large army. Antiochus, in the +meantime, had been led to believe that the entire Jewish nation had +revolted; and further angered by the fact that the news of his death had +caused such rejoicing, quickly returned from Egypt; and entered +Jerusalem, where he killed 40,000 of the inhabitants, and took as many +captive. He then robbed the treasury of the Temple, and removed to +Antioch all the sacred vessels, the table of shewbread, the golden +candlestick, and the altar of incense. + + + THE MASSACRE OF THE JEWS. + +Upon his return, two years later from Egypt, where he had been expelled, +Antiochus determined to avenge himself upon the Jews, whom he now hated +bitterly. Appolonius, one of his chief generals, was sent to Judea with +an army. Inasmuch as that general had been sent there before with his +troops as a collector of taxes, his coming caused no alarm. His soldiers +did not trouble the inhabitants, who had not the slightest suspicion of +their intentions. When the Sabbath came, the Syrians, knowing that the +Jews would not take up arms on that day even in self-defence, fell upon +them and slaughtered them mercilessly. The Jews, obeying the laws of the +Sabbath, which forbade them to fight on that day, meekly submitted to be +butchered. Houses were pulled down and plundered, and the walls of the +city destroyed. + + + THE DESECRATION OF THE TEMPLE. + +The King next issued a decree forbidding the Jews to follow their +religion and their customs, and ordering them to adopt the Greek faith. +The keeping of the Sabbath and the reading of the Law was prohibited on +pain of death. Copies of the Scriptures were written upon with the blood +of swine, torn into pieces, or burnt. Altars were set up all over the +country, and unclean animals sacrificed on them. The Jews were forced to +profane the Sabbath and to eat the flesh of swine. The Temple in +Jerusalem was dedicated to Jupiter Olympus, whose statue was erected on +the altar of burnt offerings, and sacrifices made to it. In order to +escape this terrible persecution, many Jews fled from the holy city to +the mountains. The once beautiful Jerusalem, in which the Jewish people +had for so many years enjoyed happiness and peace, was now laid waste +like a wilderness and became an abode for strangers. + + + ANTIOCHUS THE MADMAN. + +In order to enforce his laws, the cruel king of Syria sent officers to +the various parts of his empire. Of the two names by which Antiochus was +known—Epiphanes, the “Illustrious” and Epimanes, the “Madman”—he was +more often called by the latter name. He frequently indulged in wine, +and while under its influence he became a real madman. His highest +ambition was to make one people of all his subjects. In order to +accomplish this, he thought it best,—and here he was indeed Epimanes, +“the mad”,—to compel them to adopt one faith. The Jews however, were not +going to submit to the rash demands of a madman. They now began a +struggle which has never been equalled in the history of the world. In +the few years that followed, many Jews sacrificed their lives for +refusing to worship heathen idols and gods, many heroes shed their blood +on the field of battle to uphold their religion. + + + ELEAZAR. + +In Antioch, there lived a pious old man in his ninetieth year, named +Eleazar. When the overseers came to see that the commands of the King +were obeyed, this old man refused to eat of the swine’s flesh which was +offered him. The King’s officer not wishing to harm so old a man, +offered to give him meat which he was allowed to eat but which it would +be announced was swine’s flesh. In making this offer, the overseer +thought that if the other people would see the respected Eleazar eating +what they thought was pig’s flesh, that they would readily do as he did. +The brave old man, however, refused to set such an example to the Jews, +some of whom would excuse their weakness by his act. He was then +stripped of his clothes, beaten, and tortured. The last words of the +martyr were: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One”, and then he +died. + + + HANNAH AND HER SEVEN SONS. + +Even more pitiable is the story of Hannah and her seven sons. A widow +and her sons were brought before Antiochus and commanded to bow to his +idols. The King first addressed the oldest of the sons, saying: “Bow to +my gods”. “God forbid”, answered the oldest son, “that I should bow to +your idols”. “Why not?” asked the King. “Because our commandments teach +us, “I am the Lord your God”, and I shall worship no other”. After being +cruelly tortured in the sight of his mother and brothers, he was put to +death. + +“You have seen what was done to your brother for disobeying me. Now, bow +to my gods”, said the King to the second son. “You can torture me as you +will”, said the youth. “I shall not bow to your idols”. “Why not?” asked +the King. “Because we are commanded, “Thou shalt have no other God but +me”, he answered. The King ordered that he, too, be slain. + +“Obey me and your life shall be spared”, said the King to the third son, +after threatening to tear out his tongue and cut off his hands if he +were not obeyed. “Do you seek to terrify me”, cried the brave lad. “Our +religion teaches us, “Thou shalt worship no other Gods”, and like my +brothers I shall not forsake my religion, and like them I shall die”. +Then he was killed. + +“Do not think that God has given us into your hands to add honor to your +name; it is to make known to the world that a more cruel and wicked man +has never lived”, answered the fifth son when commanded to bow to the +King’s gods. “Remove the insolent fellow”, cried the King, full of +wrath. And so the brave boy died. + +The sixth son was then brought before the King. But he, too, suffered +the fate of his brothers. + +Finally, there remained only the mother and her youngest son, a mere +child. When Antiochus saw him, his heart was moved, and he spoke kindly +to the child. “Come, my son,” he said to him, “and bow to my gods”. But +the boy following the noble example set by his brothers, refused to +obey. Then the King tried to induce him to bow by tempting offers of +riches and honor. “If you will but obey me”, the King said to him, “I +shall bring you up in riches and splendor; and, when you are old enough, +I shall make of you a mighty prince, second only to me”. Antiochus could +promise what he would, but the child was not to be tempted. + +The mighty Antiochus was conquered, and now his greatest desire was to +induce the boy to obey him. To accomplish this, he resorted to a trick. +“My son”, he said to him, “you see your brothers lying dead before you; +if you will refuse to do as I ask you, you shall share their fate. But I +do not wish to harm you; you are too young to die. I am going to cast my +ring on the ground, pick it up and your life will be spared”. To kneel +down and pick up the ring was not wrong, it was only a mark of respect +to the King which the Jewish Law permitted. But the boy, young as he +was, quickly saw that if he would do so, the surrounding crowds would +think that he was bowing to the idol. For this reason, he refused to +comply with the King’s request. + +The King was now growing fast impatient, and, as a last resort, turned +to the mother and told her to induce her son to do as he requested of +him. But the mother was as faithful to her religion and brave as her +sons. She took her son to an adjoining room, and there urged him to +remain loyal and firm, that he might soon rejoin his brothers in heaven. +Then, denouncing the cruel King in the strongest terms, she again +encouraged him to remain faithful to the laws of their fathers. But the +boy knew himself what was right to do, and soon told the King that he +would never obey him. + +The King now grew angry indeed, and ordered that the lad be slain. But +the mother, throwing her arms around the boy, begged the King to kill +her instead of her son. “No”, answered the King mockingly, “I cannot do +so because your own laws forbid it; for is it not said, “Whether it be +an ox or a sheep, thou shalt not kill it and its young in one day”. As +the boy was being led away, Hannah cried out, “I have surpassed Abraham. +He built one altar on which to sacrifice one son, whereas I have built +seven altars on which I have sacrificed seven sons”. One by one Hannah +had seen her sons cruelly murdered; and, no longer able to endure her +misery, she jumped down from a roof and was killed. + +Eleazar and Hannah and her seven sons were only a few of the constantly +increasing number of martyrs, who preferred to sacrifice their lives +than to disobey the laws of their fathers. Never before had the Jews +been treated with such great cruelty, but never before did they endure +their misery with greater courage. It was in vain that Antiochus ordered +the Jews to worship heathen idols; it was in vain that he commanded them +to adopt the religion of the Greeks. In many towns the royal officers +found no one to meet them, for the inhabitants had escaped to the +mountains, where they could privately observe their laws. The resistance +which the Jews offered only made the King more angry, and caused him to +increase his cruelties. Houses were plundered; synagogues were +destroyed; and thousands of Jews were put to death, victims of the wrath +of the King. + + + MATTATHIAS AND HIS FIVE SONS. + +And thus, when the Jews were on the verge of being wiped out as a nation +forever, there arose in their midst a family of heroes, who were +destined to free their people from their cruel oppressors, and again +establish their independence. + +In Modin, a small town in Judea, there lived an old man by the name of +Mattathias. He was the head of the priestly family of Hasmoneans named +after Hasmoneus, his great grand-father. Mattathias was the father of +five grown-up sons, Jochanan, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, and Jonathan. He +saw how the holy city was delivered into the hands of strangers, how the +temple was robbed of its treasures and profaned by the Syrians, how men, +women, and children were being killed for observing the Jewish laws, and +he mourned for Israel. He was accustomed to say to his sons that it were +far better to sacrifice their lives for their religion than to submit to +such cruel treatment at the hands of the Syrians. + +When the royal officer came to Modin to enforce the commands of the +King, he requested Mattathias, who was the oldest of the community, to +make the first sacrifice to the Greek gods. He indignantly refused, +saying that though every one else were to yield, yet he would rather die +than forsake his religion. He then commanded his sons to follow his +example. When a cowardly apostate stepped forward to offer the +sacrifice, Mattathias could not restrain himself, and killed both the +Jew and the officer. + + + THE ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAINS. + +Mattathias then cried out in a loud voice, “Whosoever is zealous for the +Law, and supporteth the Covenant, follow me”, with his sons and a few of +his followers, Mattathias fled to the mountains. Many Jews who favored +their plan of resistance now joined their numbers. Whenever the +opportunity offered, they would attack the Syrian garrisons, and often +were successful. They drove out the overseers of the King who came to +enforce idol worshipping, and destroyed every heathen altar they gained +access to. They reestablished public worship, and did what was in their +power to restore the government of Israel. The Syrian generals, however, +soon found out how the Jews were occupying themselves. Taking advantage +of their strict observance of the Sabbath, they attacked one thousand +Jews, who, having escaped to a cave, allowed themselves to be +slaughtered without making any attempt to defend themselves. Mattathias, +foreseeing that if the Jews would offer no resistance on the Sabbath, +that they would quickly be wiped out, decided that it was not only +lawful for them to fight on that day, but that it was their duty to do +so. The decision of Mattathias was accepted by all, and the Jews +thereafter did not hesitate to fight on the Sabbath, when their lives +were at stake. + + + THE DEATH OF MATTATHIAS. + +As Mattathias was too old to endure the hardships of war, he found +himself growing weaker each day. Knowing that he was about to die, he +summoned his sons around him, gave them his last blessing, and +encouraged them to continue the noble work which he had begun. He +appointed Judas, who was the bravest of his sons, to be their leader in +battle, and Simon, who was the wisest of them, the counsellor of the +nation. Then Mattathias died, and the whole nation mourned for him. + + + JUDAS MACCABAEUS. + +An abler leader than Judas could not have been chosen. A giant in +stature, it was said of him that when he walked, the earth trembled +beneath him, and that his battle-cry resounded like the roar of a lion. +His bold fearlessness made him the terror of his enemies, who shrunk +from him. But besides his great strength and his remarkable courage, he +possessed that love for his God, that enthusiasm for his religion that +left nothing impossible. No disadvantage was for him too great to +overcome; no army too numerous to defeat. His personal strength and +extraordinary bravery won for him his surname “Maccabee”, a Hebrew word +meaning “Hammerer”. There are many who say that this surname is derived +from the first letters of the Hebrew words מי כּמך בּאלים יי “Who is +like thee, O Lord among the Gods”, which were inscribed on Judas’s +banner. At first, Judas was the only one to be honored by the surname +“Maccabee”; but, later, the name passed to his brothers; and, finally, +to all who fought under his standard. + + + THE DEFEAT OF APPOLONIUS. + +Judas went a step further than his father, fortifying those cities which +he took by surprise. His small troop gradually became a small army, +numbering six thousand. Having assured himself that he could rely on +them, Judas prepared to meet the enemy on the field. Appolonius, the +Syrian general who had recently plundered Jerusalem and murdered its +inhabitants, was soon informed of the revolt, and raised a large army to +crush Judas. But Judas, although his army was only a handful compared +with the large forces of the enemy, marched against Appolonius, and +totally defeated his army and slew him. Judas took the sword of +Appolonius as a trophy, and used it in all his latter battles. + + + THE ROUTING OF SERON. + +Seron, the Syrian lieutenant, aroused by the news of Appolonius’s +defeat, gathered a still larger army than that which had been defeated, +and advanced against Judas. According to their usual custom before +fighting, Judas and his men had fasted; and, weak with hunger and +fatigue, the Jews despaired of success when they saw what a mighty host +was coming to meet them. But Judas encouraged them to fight boldly +against the oppressors of their people, saying that strength came from +heaven and not from large numbers, and reminding them that they fought +for their lives and their laws. When he had finished speaking he rushed +upon the Syrians as they were ascending the rocky hills at Bethoron. +Seron fell early in the battle, and his army, confused and without a +commander, was routed with great loss of life. + + + THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT PLACED + IN CHARGE OF LYSIAS. + +When King Antiochus heard of the victories of Judas, he was greatly +angered and raised a large army to crush him. But along with the news of +the uprising of the Jews came the report that his eastern provinces, +Armenia and Persia, had refused to pay their tribute. Finding his +treasury almost empty, the King was forced to leave Antioch to collect +the tribute from these provinces by force. He gave Lysias, one of the +royal blood, one-half of all the Syrian forces; and placed him in charge +of his kingdom, with orders to destroy the Jewish nation, and people +their land with strangers. + + + JUDAS’S VICTORY OVER NICANOR + AND GORGIAS. + +In obedience to the King’s command, Lysias sent out, on the following +year, forty thousand footmen and five thousand horse, under Nicanor and +Gorgias. These generals set out for Judea, and encamped on the plains of +Emmaus. So confident were the Syrians of victory, that Nicanor, one of +their generals, announced before hand a sale of Jewish captives at +ninety for a talent—about $1000. Many Slave-Merchants were in this way +attracted to the camp, each supplied with large amounts of gold and +silver and chains to lead off their slaves. + +Judas, in the meantime, having heard that the Syrian armies had come to +fight against him, assembled his six thousand men at Mizpah near Emmaus, +where they fasted and prayed as in the days of Samuel. They opened the +books of the Law, upon which the heathens had painted images of their +gods; and they were reminded of the desolation of their holy city, the +profaning of the Temple, and all the wicked deeds of Antiochus. Then +Judas, in strict accordance with the Law, ordered all those who had +recently married, built a house, planted a vineyard, or were afraid, to +return to their homes. His army, as a result, was reduced from six +thousand to three thousand men. Judas then encouraged the remaining men +to fight bravely for their people, and ordered them to prepare for +battle. + +In the meantime, Gorgias with five thousand footmen and one thousand +horse, had set out to surprise the Jewish army by night. But Judas was +soon informed of this movement, and he immediately devised a plan by +which he could take advantage of the separation of the two generals. +Silently and quickly he gathered his men, and set out with them for +Emmaus, where the remainder of the Syrian army under Nicanor lay +encamped. + +It was morning before he arrived; and, encouraging his men not to fear +the large number of the enemy by reminding them how the Jews were saved +from the Egyptians in the Red Sea, he rushed down upon the Syrians. The +Syrian general, thinking that Gorgias would easily crush the small army +of the Jews, had taken no steps to guard against a surprise. The +Syrians, panic-stricken and confused, offered but feeble resistance, and +fled from all sides. Several tents had been set on fire in the +confusion, but Judas wisely forbade the Jews to extinguish the flames or +to plunder the camps, for Gorgias had to be met and defeated. + +Gorgias and his army, meanwhile, finding the camps of the Jews deserted, +thought that they had fled to the mountains, and went to look for them. +But what was their surprise when they beheld the smoke rising from the +tents of their comrades! Thus deceived, the Syrians lost all their +courage; and, upon seeing Judas marching toward them, they too turned +their backs and fled. + +It was a great victory for the Maccabaean soldiers, and they returned +joyfully to the Syrian camps, where they examined their rich plunder, +consisting not only of large quantities of food and clothing, but also +of the large sums of money which the slave dealers had brought along +with them. As a just punishment for the slave dealers who had come to +buy, the Jews sold as many of them as they could find, as slaves. The +next day was the Sabbath, and it was indeed a day of rest and rejoicing +for the brave Jews. + + + THE RETREAT OF LYSIAS. + +Nicanor, who had escaped from Judea disguised as a slave, now returned +to Antioch, where he informed Lysias of his defeat. At this news, Lysias +was aroused; and raised a still larger army than any that had been sent +before against Judea, this time consisting of sixty thousand footmen and +five thousand horse. At the head of this vast multitude, Lysias himself +marched against the Jews. Judas with only ten thousand men met the +Syrian army at Beth-Tsur, where the battle took place. Although Lysias +lost but five thousand men, he was discouraged from continuing battle, +for he saw that the Jews were determined to conquer or die. He therefore +made his retreat from Judea and returned to Antioch. + + + THE PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. + +Now that Lysias, the strongest of the King’s generals, had been driven +from Judea, the victorious Jews could turn their attention to the holy +city, which had been defiled by the Syrians. Judas and his men now +entered Jerusalem. They found the city in ruins, the altar profaned, the +gates of the city burned up, and shrubs growing in the inner courts of +the Temple. At the sight of this desolation, the Jews rent their +clothes, put ashes on their heads, and cried towards heaven. But Judas +did not allow his men to spend too much time in useless lamentation, and +set out at once to cleanse the Temple. He then chose priests to enter +the Temple to repair and purify it. The altar which had been defiled by +the heathens, they set up anew. The holy vessels, which had been +profaned by the Syrians, they replaced with new ones. So zealously was +the work of the restoration carried on, that on the 25th day of the +month of Kislev, the public worship could again be performed. With songs +and thanksgiving, the Jews dedicated the Temple anew on that happy day. + +The Talmud relates that when the purification of the Temple had been +completed, no consecrated oil could be found with which to light the +golden candlestick. After a careful search, however, a small bottle of +oil, with the seal of a former High Priest still on it, was found. But +it contained only a small quantity of oil, hardly sufficient to last for +one day. But lo! a miracle happened. When the oil was lit, not only did +it last for one day but for eight days! This was interpreted as a sure +sign that God was looking upon the work of his people with favor, and +served to increase their happiness. + +What a change the condition of the Jews had undergone! Only three years +before the Temple had been dedicated to Jupiter Olympus, and the flesh +of swine sacrificed on the altar of incense. And now, the most powerful +of the Syrian generals had been driven out from Judea. The bravest of +them feared the terrible Maccabee, whose fame as a warrior was now +spread far and wide. Public worship had been restored, not to be +discontinued again until the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans, several +hundred years later. Although the war continued for many years longer, +yet with the dedication of the Temple and the public observance of the +Jewish Laws, the actual rule of the Syrians may be said to have come to +an end. Judea was now practically independent. + + + THE FESTIVAL OF CHANUKA. + +The restoration of the public worship in the Temple was an event well +worth remembering; and, for this reason, Judas and the Great Council +decided that the eight days beginning with the 25th of Kislev should be +celebrated henceforth, annually, as a festival of rejoicing and +thanksgiving to commemorate the victory of the small band of Jews over +the mighty hosts of the Syrians. To this day, this festival which is +known as חנוכּה the “Feast of Dedication”, is celebrated by the Jews +each year all over the world. On the eight days candles are lit, and +special prayers are offered to the Lord for that He saved his people +from being wiped out as a nation forever. + +[Illustration] + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + + Transcriber’s Notes + + ● The following issues should be noted, along with the resolution: + + 7 was deposited by widows and orphans for Joined. + safe[-]keeping. + + 7 deprive the righ[t]ful owners of their property, and Added. + + 17 was not wrong, it was only a mark of r[e]spect to Added. + + 18 And thus, when the Jews were on [the] verge of Added. + + 28 [with] new ones. So zealously was the work of the Added. + restoration + + 29 The restoration of the pu[p/b]lic worship in the Replaced. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76482 *** diff --git a/76482-h/76482-h.htm b/76482-h/76482-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3341c6a --- /dev/null +++ b/76482-h/76482-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,941 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> + <head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title>The Story of Chanukah | Project Gutenberg</title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + body { margin-left: 8%; margin-right: 10%; } + h1 { text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.4em; } + h2 { text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.2em; } + h3 { text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 1.2em; } + .pageno { right: 1%; font-size: x-small; background-color: inherit; color: silver; + text-indent: 0em; text-align: right; position: absolute; + border: thin solid silver; padding: .1em .2em; font-style: normal; + font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; } + p { text-indent: 0; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; text-align: justify; } + ul.ul_1 {padding-left: 0; margin-left: 4.17%; margin-top: .5em; + margin-bottom: .5em; list-style-type: disc; } + div.pbb { page-break-before: always; } + hr.pb { border: none; border-bottom: thin solid; margin-bottom: 1em; } + .x-ebookmaker hr.pb { display: none; } + .figcenter { clear: both; max-width: 100%; margin: 2em auto; text-align: center; } + .figcenter img { max-width: 100%; height: auto; } + .id001 { width:45px; } + .id002 { width:160px; } + .id003 { width:400px; } + .x-ebookmaker .id001 { margin-left:45%; width:10%; } + .x-ebookmaker .id002 { margin-left:32%; width:35%; } + .x-ebookmaker .id003 { margin-left:7%; width:85%; } + .ig001 { width:100%; } + .table0 { margin: auto; width: 90%; } + .colwidth16 { width:16% ; } + .colwidth5 { width:5% ; } + .colwidth77 { width:77% ; } + .nf-center { text-align: center; } + .nf-center-c0 { text-align: left; margin: 0.5em 0; } + .c000 { margin-top: 4em; } + .c001 { margin-top: 1em; } + .c002 { page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em; } + .c003 { font-size: 150%; } + .c004 { border: none; border-bottom: thin solid; margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 47%; width: 6%; margin-right: 47%; } + .c005 { margin-top: 4em; font-size: 125%; } + .c006 { font-size: 125%; text-indent: 1em; margin-top: 0.37em; + margin-bottom: 0.37em; } + .c007 { page-break-before:auto; margin-top: 4em; } + .c008 { font-size: 125%; } + .c009 { margin-top: 2em; text-indent: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.37em; } + .c010 { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: 0.37em; margin-bottom: 0.37em; } + .c011 { page-break-before: auto; margin-top: 2em; } + .c012 { margin-top: 1em; text-indent: 1em; margin-bottom: 0.37em; } + .c013 { vertical-align: top; text-align: left; padding-right: 1em; } + .c014 { vertical-align: top; text-align: left; } + .tnbox { border:1px solid silver; padding: 0.5em; margin:2em 10% 0 10%; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76482 ***</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c000'> + <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_1'>1</span>TO</div> + <div class='c001'>THE MEMORY</div> + <div class='c001'>OF</div> + <div class='c001'>THE LATE MINA LIPPMAN AARON</div> + <div class='c001'>THESE PAGES ARE</div> + <div class='c001'>DEDICATED</div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/i001.png' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'> + <hr class='pb c000'> +</div> + +<div> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_3'>3</span> + <h1 class='c002'><span class='c003'>THE<br>STORY OF CHANUKAH</span></h1> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>BY</div> + <div class='c001'>BENJAMIN SACKS B. A.</div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='figcenter id002'> +<img src='images/i003.png' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div>HEBREW INSTITUTE</div> + <div class='c001'>PITTSBURGH PA.</div> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='c004'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div>5678</div> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class='c004'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div>COPYRIGHT 1913</div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'> + <hr class='pb c000'> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c005'> + <div><span class='pageno' id='Page_4'>4</span>THE FESTIVAL</div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>The festival of Chanukah was instituted by +Judas Maccabeus and the elders of the Congregation +of Israel in the year 3595 on the +25th day of Kislev</p> + +<div class='pbb'> + <hr class='pb c000'> +</div> + +<div class='figcenter id003'> +<span class='pageno' id='Page_5'>5</span> +<img src='images/i005.jpg' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div> + <h2 class='c007'><span class='c008'>THE STORY OF CHANUKA.</span></h2> +</div> + +<p class='c009'>Upon the death of Alexander the Great, under +whose reign the Jews enjoyed freedom and peace, +his kingdom was divided among his generals, one +of whom took Egypt and another, Syria. There +was continual strife between the kings of these +two countries, for each wanted to subject the +other to his rule. Palestine, being situated between +Syria and Egypt, became the battlefield +upon which their armies fought. At times, the +kings of Syria would be victorious, and at times +the kings of Egypt would gain the upper hand. +For a long time the armies of Egypt were victors, +and so it happened that many of the Jews went +to live in Alexandria, where they acquired many +of the Greek customs practiced there. Judea, in +the meantime, became a tributary to Egypt. The +Jews were treated well by the Egyptians; they +were allowed to appoint their own governors; and +their religion was not interfered with.</p> + +<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_6'>6</span>About 100 years after the death of Alexander, +Antiochus III., surnamed the Great, ascended the +throne of Syria. He conquered Egypt and with +it Palestine. The position of the Jews, however, +was not changed; they were mildly ruled, and +their government was left in their own hands. +Antiochus was succeeded by his oldest son, Seleucus +Philopater.</p> + +<p class='c010'>In the tenth year of the reign of Seleucus, +something happened in Judea that caused him +to turn his attention to the treasures deposited +in the Temple at Jerusalem. A violent quarrel +broke out between Onias III., who was at that +time the High Priest in Judea, and Simon, who +had been appointed governor of Jerusalem. In +order to injure Onias, Simon told the King that +there were great riches in the Temple. Seleucus +received this news with joy, for he was at this +time hard pressed for money to pay his annual +tribute to the Romans. He sent out his treasurer, +Heliodorus, to plunder the Temple, and bring +back these riches to Antioch.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>HELIODORUS IN THE TEMPLE.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Heliodorus immediately set out for Jerusalem, +without acquainting any one of his purpose. +When he arrived there, he told Onias of the +King’s orders, and demanded that he quietly surrender +<span class='pageno' id='Page_7'>7</span>the treasure. The High Priest replied that +there was quite a large treasure in the Temple, +but that it was by no means as large as had been +reported; that the greater part of it consisted of +holy gifts consecrated to God; that a considerable +amount was deposited by Hyrcanus, a man high +in favor of the King; and that the remainder +was deposited by widows and orphans for <a id='TN1'></a>safekeeping. +He added that he could not consent to +deprive the <a id='TN2'></a>rightful owners of their property, and +thus profane his high office, which was holy and +revered by all.</p> + +<p class='c010'>The commands of the King were strict and +Heliodorus remained firm in his purpose. Attended +by a large number of armed men, he +marched to the Temple; and when the priests +tried to oppose his progress, he ordered that the +outer gates be destroyed. A great mourning +arose in the whole city, and from all sides were +heard the cries of the people. But as soon as Heliodorus +attempted to enter the Temple, a wonderful +thing happened. Legend has it that a +horse, mounted by a terrible rider, rushed toward +him, and struck him with its fore-foot. Two +beautiful youths, who attended the warrior, then +beat Heliodorus with rods until he fainted. When +Heliodorus was carried out of the Temple by the +priests, the spark of life scarcely burned within +<span class='pageno' id='Page_8'>8</span>him. When Onias, the High Priest, saw this, +fearing lest the wrath of the King should be incurred, +offered sacrifices and prayers to God, +and thus restored Heliodorus to life. The treasurer +returned to Antioch empty-handed, and told +the King of his failure.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>ANTIOCHUS CROWNED KING OF SYRIA.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>In the course of the same year, Heliodorus, +in hopes of succeeding to the throne, poisoned +Seleucus, the King. When Antiochus, the King’s +brother, who was returning from Rome, heard +of this, he immediately secured the aid of another +king, and easily crushed the usurper. Antiochus +IV. now became King of Syria.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>BUYING THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Scarcely had Antiochus begun to rule, when +from all parts of his empire came the leading +men to pay homage to him. Among them came +a younger brother of the High Priest Onias, Joshua, +who called himself by the Greek name +Jason. This Jason was possessed of good manners +and polished address. At the court of Antiochus, +he was welcomed; and, by offering the +King a very large bribe, prevailed upon him to +depose his brother Onias, and appoint him in his +place. Not only was Onias removed from the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_9'>9</span>High Priesthood, but he was also forced to take +up his residence at Antioch, where he would not +interfere with the new High Priest. Jason next +attempted to gradually make Greeks of the Jews. +Accordingly, he built a place in Jerusalem for +such sports and exercises as were practiced by +the Greeks, and established a school in which +Jewish youths could be brought up after the manner +of the Greeks.</p> + +<p class='c010'>Jason remained High Priest for only three +years. Menelaus, an ambitious and dishonest +young man, having been sent to Antioch by +Jason with tribute, by offering to pay annually +a sum amounting to $300,000 more than Jason, +succeeded in having himself appointed in his +place. This Menelaus was even more corrupt than +Jason, and later proved himself guilty of the +most horrible crimes.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>MENELAUS’ SACRILEGE.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Menelaus soon found that he was unable to +pay the large amount of money which he had +promised to Antiochus. The King, who demanded +punctuality of his subjects in their payment of +tribute, summoned him to Antioch. Fearing that +he would be punished or stripped of his office, +he sent secret directions to his brother Lysimachus, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_10'>10</span>who was acting as High Priest during his +absence, to remove some of the holy vessels from +the Temple, and to send him the money obtained +by selling them. When Onias, the deposed High +Priest heard of this, his anger was aroused, and +he accused Menelaus of robbing the Temple. Menelaus +fearing, that he would be removed from his +office, bribed one of the King’s officers to kill +Onias. When Onias learned of the plot against +his life, he escaped; but later, when the officer +induced him to return by assurances of safety, +he was brutally murdered.</p> + +<p class='c010'>Great was the anger of the Jews when they +heard of this new outrage. The people of Jerusalem +rose up against the brother of Menelaus, +and put to route a number of his followers who +tried to defend him. Lysimachus, himself, escaped +to the treasury of the Temple, but was +pursued and killed. Menelaus, in the meantime +by bribing the King, gained his support, and +continued to remain in the office of High Priest.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>ANTIOCHUS’S ENTRANCE INTO<br>JERUSALEM.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>While Antiochus was engaged in attacking +Egypt, a report was spread that he had been +killed. This news was received by the Jews with +<span class='pageno' id='Page_11'>11</span>great joy. Jason, the deposed High Priest, knowing +that Menelaus would now be left without a +protector entered Jerusalem, defeated the soldiers +of Menelaus, and put the latter to flight. +Jason did not remain there long, however, for it +soon became known that Antiochus was alive and +that he was marching towards Jerusalem with +a large army. Antiochus, in the meantime, had +been led to believe that the entire Jewish nation +had revolted; and further angered by the fact +that the news of his death had caused such rejoicing, +quickly returned from Egypt; and entered +Jerusalem, where he killed 40,000 of the +inhabitants, and took as many captive. He then +robbed the treasury of the Temple, and removed +to Antioch all the sacred vessels, the table of +shewbread, the golden candlestick, and the altar +of incense.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE MASSACRE OF THE JEWS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Upon his return, two years later from Egypt, +where he had been expelled, Antiochus determined +to avenge himself upon the Jews, whom +he now hated bitterly. Appolonius, one of his +chief generals, was sent to Judea with an army. +Inasmuch as that general had been sent there +before with his troops as a collector of taxes, his +coming caused no alarm. His soldiers did not +<span class='pageno' id='Page_12'>12</span>trouble the inhabitants, who had not the slightest +suspicion of their intentions. When the Sabbath +came, the Syrians, knowing that the Jews would +not take up arms on that day even in self-defence, +fell upon them and slaughtered them mercilessly. +The Jews, obeying the laws of the Sabbath, +which forbade them to fight on that day, +meekly submitted to be butchered. Houses were +pulled down and plundered, and the walls of the +city destroyed.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE DESECRATION OF THE TEMPLE.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>The King next issued a decree forbidding the +Jews to follow their religion and their customs, +and ordering them to adopt the Greek faith. The +keeping of the Sabbath and the reading of the +Law was prohibited on pain of death. Copies of +the Scriptures were written upon with the blood +of swine, torn into pieces, or burnt. Altars were +set up all over the country, and unclean animals +sacrificed on them. The Jews were forced to +profane the Sabbath and to eat the flesh of swine. +The Temple in Jerusalem was dedicated to Jupiter +Olympus, whose statue was erected on the +altar of burnt offerings, and sacrifices made to +it. In order to escape this terrible persecution, +many Jews fled from the holy city to the mountains. +The once beautiful Jerusalem, in which +<span class='pageno' id='Page_13'>13</span>the Jewish people had for so many years enjoyed +happiness and peace, was now laid waste like a +wilderness and became an abode for strangers.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>ANTIOCHUS THE MADMAN.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>In order to enforce his laws, the cruel king +of Syria sent officers to the various parts of his +empire. Of the two names by which Antiochus +was known—Epiphanes, the “Illustrious” and +Epimanes, the “Madman”—he was more often +called by the latter name. He frequently indulged +in wine, and while under its influence he became +a real madman. His highest ambition was to +make one people of all his subjects. In order to +accomplish this, he thought it best,—and here he +was indeed Epimanes, “the mad”,—to compel +them to adopt one faith. The Jews however, were +not going to submit to the rash demands of a +madman. They now began a struggle which has +never been equalled in the history of the world. +In the few years that followed, many Jews sacrificed +their lives for refusing to worship heathen +idols and gods, many heroes shed their blood on +the field of battle to uphold their religion.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>ELEAZAR.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>In Antioch, there lived a pious old man in his +ninetieth year, named Eleazar. When the overseers +<span class='pageno' id='Page_14'>14</span>came to see that the commands of the +King were obeyed, this old man refused to eat of +the swine’s flesh which was offered him. The +King’s officer not wishing to harm so old a man, +offered to give him meat which he was allowed +to eat but which it would be announced was +swine’s flesh. In making this offer, the overseer +thought that if the other people would see the +respected Eleazar eating what they thought was +pig’s flesh, that they would readily do as he did. +The brave old man, however, refused to set such +an example to the Jews, some of whom would excuse +their weakness by his act. He was then +stripped of his clothes, beaten, and tortured. The +last words of the martyr were: +“Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is One”, and +then he died.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>HANNAH AND HER SEVEN SONS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Even more pitiable is the story of Hannah +and her seven sons. A widow and her sons were +brought before Antiochus and commanded to +bow to his idols. The King first addressed the +oldest of the sons, saying: “Bow to my gods”. +“God forbid”, answered the oldest son, “that I +should bow to your idols”. “Why not?” asked +the King. “Because our commandments teach +<span class='pageno' id='Page_15'>15</span>us, “I am the Lord your God”, and I shall worship +no other”. After being cruelly tortured in +the sight of his mother and brothers, he was +put to death.</p> + +<p class='c010'>“You have seen what was done to your brother +for disobeying me. Now, bow to my gods”, +said the King to the second son. “You can torture +me as you will”, said the youth. “I shall +not bow to your idols”. “Why not?” asked the +King. “Because we are commanded, “Thou shalt +have no other God but me”, he answered. The +King ordered that he, too, be slain.</p> + +<p class='c010'>“Obey me and your life shall be spared”, said +the King to the third son, after threatening to +tear out his tongue and cut off his hands if he +were not obeyed. “Do you seek to terrify me”, +cried the brave lad. “Our religion teaches us, +“Thou shalt worship no other Gods”, and like +my brothers I shall not forsake my religion, and +like them I shall die”. Then he was killed.</p> + +<p class='c010'>“Do not think that God has given us into your +hands to add honor to your name; it is to make +known to the world that a more cruel and wicked +man has never lived”, answered the fifth son +when commanded to bow to the King’s gods. +“Remove the insolent fellow”, cried the King, +full of wrath. And so the brave boy died.</p> + +<p class='c010'><span class='pageno' id='Page_16'>16</span>The sixth son was then brought before the +King. But he, too, suffered the fate of his brothers.</p> + +<p class='c010'>Finally, there remained only the mother and +her youngest son, a mere child. When Antiochus +saw him, his heart was moved, and he spoke +kindly to the child. “Come, my son,” he said to +him, “and bow to my gods”. But the boy following +the noble example set by his brothers, refused +to obey. Then the King tried to induce him to +bow by tempting offers of riches and honor. “If +you will but obey me”, the King said to him, “I +shall bring you up in riches and splendor; and, +when you are old enough, I shall make of you a +mighty prince, second only to me”. Antiochus +could promise what he would, but the child was +not to be tempted.</p> + +<p class='c010'>The mighty Antiochus was conquered, and +now his greatest desire was to induce the boy to +obey him. To accomplish this, he resorted to a +trick. “My son”, he said to him, “you see your +brothers lying dead before you; if you will refuse +to do as I ask you, you shall share their +fate. But I do not wish to harm you; you are +too young to die. I am going to cast my ring on +the ground, pick it up and your life will be +spared”. To kneel down and pick up the ring +<span class='pageno' id='Page_17'>17</span>was not wrong, it was only a mark of <a id='TN3'></a>respect to +the King which the Jewish Law permitted. But +the boy, young as he was, quickly saw that if he +would do so, the surrounding crowds would think +that he was bowing to the idol. For this reason, +he refused to comply with the King’s request.</p> + +<p class='c010'>The King was now growing fast impatient, +and, as a last resort, turned to the mother and told +her to induce her son to do as he requested of him. +But the mother was as faithful to her religion and +brave as her sons. She took her son to an adjoining +room, and there urged him to remain loyal +and firm, that he might soon rejoin his brothers +in heaven. Then, denouncing the cruel King in +the strongest terms, she again encouraged him to +remain faithful to the laws of their fathers. But +the boy knew himself what was right to do, and +soon told the King that he would never obey him.</p> + +<p class='c010'>The King now grew angry indeed, and ordered +that the lad be slain. But the mother, throwing +her arms around the boy, begged the King to +kill her instead of her son. “No”, answered the +King mockingly, “I cannot do so because your +own laws forbid it; for is it not said, “Whether +it be an ox or a sheep, thou shalt not kill it and +its young in one day”. As the boy was being led +away, Hannah cried out, “I have surpassed Abraham. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_18'>18</span>He built one altar on which to sacrifice +one son, whereas I have built seven altars on +which I have sacrificed seven sons”. One by one +Hannah had seen her sons cruelly murdered; and, +no longer able to endure her misery, she jumped +down from a roof and was killed.</p> + +<p class='c010'>Eleazar and Hannah and her seven sons were +only a few of the constantly increasing number +of martyrs, who preferred to sacrifice their lives +than to disobey the laws of their fathers. Never +before had the Jews been treated with such great +cruelty, but never before did they endure their +misery with greater courage. It was in vain that +Antiochus ordered the Jews to worship heathen +idols; it was in vain that he commanded them to +adopt the religion of the Greeks. In many towns +the royal officers found no one to meet them, for +the inhabitants had escaped to the mountains, +where they could privately observe their laws. The +resistance which the Jews offered only made the +King more angry, and caused him to increase his +cruelties. Houses were plundered; synagogues +were destroyed; and thousands of Jews were put +to death, victims of the wrath of the King.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>MATTATHIAS AND HIS FIVE SONS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>And thus, when the Jews were on <a id='TN4'></a>the verge of +being wiped out as a nation forever, there arose +<span class='pageno' id='Page_19'>19</span>in their midst a family of heroes, who were destined +to free their people from their cruel oppressors, +and again establish their independence.</p> + +<p class='c010'>In Modin, a small town in Judea, there lived +an old man by the name of Mattathias. He was +the head of the priestly family of Hasmoneans +named after Hasmoneus, his great grand-father. +Mattathias was the father of five grown-up sons, +Jochanan, Simon, Judas, Eleazar, and Jonathan. +He saw how the holy city was delivered into the +hands of strangers, how the temple was robbed +of its treasures and profaned by the Syrians, how +men, women, and children were being killed for +observing the Jewish laws, and he mourned for +Israel. He was accustomed to say to his sons +that it were far better to sacrifice their lives for +their religion than to submit to such cruel treatment +at the hands of the Syrians.</p> + +<p class='c010'>When the royal officer came to Modin to enforce +the commands of the King, he requested +Mattathias, who was the oldest of the community, +to make the first sacrifice to the Greek +gods. He indignantly refused, saying that though +every one else were to yield, yet he would rather +die than forsake his religion. He then commanded +his sons to follow his example. When +a cowardly apostate stepped forward to offer +<span class='pageno' id='Page_20'>20</span>the sacrifice, Mattathias could not restrain himself, +and killed both the Jew and the officer.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAINS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Mattathias then cried out in a loud voice, +“Whosoever is zealous for the Law, and supporteth +the Covenant, follow me”, with his sons +and a few of his followers, Mattathias fled to +the mountains. Many Jews who favored their +plan of resistance now joined their numbers. +Whenever the opportunity offered, they would +attack the Syrian garrisons, and often were successful. +They drove out the overseers of the +King who came to enforce idol worshipping, and +destroyed every heathen altar they gained access +to. They reestablished public worship, and +did what was in their power to restore the government +of Israel. The Syrian generals, however, +soon found out how the Jews were occupying +themselves. Taking advantage of their strict +observance of the Sabbath, they attacked one +thousand Jews, who, having escaped to a cave, +allowed themselves to be slaughtered without +making any attempt to defend themselves. Mattathias, +foreseeing that if the Jews would offer +no resistance on the Sabbath, that they would +quickly be wiped out, decided that it was not only +<span class='pageno' id='Page_21'>21</span>lawful for them to fight on that day, but that it +was their duty to do so. The decision of Mattathias +was accepted by all, and the Jews thereafter +did not hesitate to fight on the Sabbath, +when their lives were at stake.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE DEATH OF MATTATHIAS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>As Mattathias was too old to endure the hardships +of war, he found himself growing weaker +each day. Knowing that he was about to die, +he summoned his sons around him, gave them +his last blessing, and encouraged them to continue +the noble work which he had begun. He +appointed Judas, who was the bravest of his +sons, to be their leader in battle, and Simon, who +was the wisest of them, the counsellor of the +nation. Then Mattathias died, and the whole nation +mourned for him.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>JUDAS MACCABAEUS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>An abler leader than Judas could not have +been chosen. A giant in stature, it was said of +him that when he walked, the earth trembled +beneath him, and that his battle-cry resounded +like the roar of a lion. His bold fearlessness +made him the terror of his enemies, who shrunk +from him. But besides his great strength and +his remarkable courage, he possessed that love +<span class='pageno' id='Page_22'>22</span>for his God, that enthusiasm for his religion +that left nothing impossible. No disadvantage +was for him too great to overcome; no army too +numerous to defeat. His personal strength and +extraordinary bravery won for him his surname +“Maccabee”, a Hebrew word meaning “Hammerer”. +There are many who say that this surname +is derived from the first letters of the +Hebrew words <span lang="he">מי כּמך בּאלים יי</span> “Who is like +thee, O Lord among the Gods”, which were inscribed +on Judas’s banner. At first, Judas was +the only one to be honored by the surname “Maccabee”; +but, later, the name passed to his brothers; +and, finally, to all who fought under his +standard.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE DEFEAT OF APPOLONIUS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Judas went a step further than his father, +fortifying those cities which he took by surprise. +His small troop gradually became a small army, +numbering six thousand. Having assured himself +that he could rely on them, Judas prepared +to meet the enemy on the field. Appolonius, the +Syrian general who had recently plundered Jerusalem +and murdered its inhabitants, was soon +informed of the revolt, and raised a large army +to crush Judas. But Judas, although his army +<span class='pageno' id='Page_23'>23</span>was only a handful compared with the large forces +of the enemy, marched against Appolonius, +and totally defeated his army and slew him. Judas +took the sword of Appolonius as a trophy, +and used it in all his latter battles.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE ROUTING OF SERON.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Seron, the Syrian lieutenant, aroused by the +news of Appolonius’s defeat, gathered a still larger +army than that which had been defeated, +and advanced against Judas. According to their +usual custom before fighting, Judas and his men +had fasted; and, weak with hunger and fatigue, +the Jews despaired of success when they saw +what a mighty host was coming to meet them. +But Judas encouraged them to fight boldly against +the oppressors of their people, saying that +strength came from heaven and not from large +numbers, and reminding them that they fought +for their lives and their laws. When he had finished +speaking he rushed upon the Syrians as +they were ascending the rocky hills at Bethoron. +Seron fell early in the battle, and his army, confused +and without a commander, was routed with +great loss of life.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT PLACED<br>IN CHARGE OF LYSIAS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>When King Antiochus heard of the victories +<span class='pageno' id='Page_24'>24</span>of Judas, he was greatly angered and raised a +large army to crush him. But along with the +news of the uprising of the Jews came the report +that his eastern provinces, Armenia and +Persia, had refused to pay their tribute. Finding +his treasury almost empty, the King was forced +to leave Antioch to collect the tribute from these +provinces by force. He gave Lysias, one of the +royal blood, one-half of all the Syrian forces; +and placed him in charge of his kingdom, with +orders to destroy the Jewish nation, and people +their land with strangers.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>JUDAS’S VICTORY OVER NICANOR<br>AND GORGIAS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>In obedience to the King’s command, Lysias +sent out, on the following year, forty thousand +footmen and five thousand horse, under Nicanor +and Gorgias. These generals set out for Judea, +and encamped on the plains of Emmaus. So +confident were the Syrians of victory, that Nicanor, +one of their generals, announced before +hand a sale of Jewish captives at ninety for a +talent—about $1000. Many Slave-Merchants +were in this way attracted to the camp, each +supplied with large amounts of gold and silver +and chains to lead off their slaves.</p> + +<p class='c010'>Judas, in the meantime, having heard that +<span class='pageno' id='Page_25'>25</span>the Syrian armies had come to fight against him, +assembled his six thousand men at Mizpah near +Emmaus, where they fasted and prayed as in +the days of Samuel. They opened the books of +the Law, upon which the heathens had painted +images of their gods; and they were reminded of +the desolation of their holy city, the profaning +of the Temple, and all the wicked deeds of Antiochus. +Then Judas, in strict accordance with +the Law, ordered all those who had recently married, +built a house, planted a vineyard, or were +afraid, to return to their homes. His army, as +a result, was reduced from six thousand to three +thousand men. Judas then encouraged the remaining +men to fight bravely for their people, +and ordered them to prepare for battle.</p> + +<p class='c010'>In the meantime, Gorgias with five thousand +footmen and one thousand horse, had set out to +surprise the Jewish army by night. But Judas +was soon informed of this movement, and he immediately +devised a plan by which he could take +advantage of the separation of the two generals. +Silently and quickly he gathered his men, and set +out with them for Emmaus, where the remainder +of the Syrian army under Nicanor lay encamped.</p> + +<p class='c010'>It was morning before he arrived; and, encouraging +his men not to fear the large number +of the enemy by reminding them how the Jews +<span class='pageno' id='Page_26'>26</span>were saved from the Egyptians in the Red Sea, +he rushed down upon the Syrians. The Syrian +general, thinking that Gorgias would easily crush +the small army of the Jews, had taken no steps +to guard against a surprise. The Syrians, panic-stricken +and confused, offered but feeble resistance, +and fled from all sides. Several tents had +been set on fire in the confusion, but Judas +wisely forbade the Jews to extinguish the flames +or to plunder the camps, for Gorgias had to be +met and defeated.</p> + +<p class='c010'>Gorgias and his army, meanwhile, finding the +camps of the Jews deserted, thought that they +had fled to the mountains, and went to look for +them. But what was their surprise when they +beheld the smoke rising from the tents of their +comrades! Thus deceived, the Syrians lost all +their courage; and, upon seeing Judas marching +toward them, they too turned their backs and +fled.</p> + +<p class='c010'>It was a great victory for the Maccabaean +soldiers, and they returned joyfully to the Syrian +camps, where they examined their rich plunder, +consisting not only of large quantities of food +and clothing, but also of the large sums of money +which the slave dealers had brought along with +them. As a just punishment for the slave dealers +who had come to buy, the Jews sold as many +<span class='pageno' id='Page_27'>27</span>of them as they could find, as slaves. The next +day was the Sabbath, and it was indeed a day +of rest and rejoicing for the brave Jews.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE RETREAT OF LYSIAS.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Nicanor, who had escaped from Judea disguised +as a slave, now returned to Antioch, where +he informed Lysias of his defeat. At this news, +Lysias was aroused; and raised a still larger +army than any that had been sent before +against Judea, this time consisting of sixty +thousand footmen and five thousand horse. At +the head of this vast multitude, Lysias himself +marched against the Jews. Judas with only ten +thousand men met the Syrian army at Beth-Tsur, +where the battle took place. Although Lysias +lost but five thousand men, he was discouraged +from continuing battle, for he saw that the Jews +were determined to conquer or die. He therefore +made his retreat from Judea and returned to +Antioch.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>Now that Lysias, the strongest of the King’s +generals, had been driven from Judea, the victorious +Jews could turn their attention to the holy +city, which had been defiled by the Syrians. +Judas and his men now entered Jerusalem. They +found the city in ruins, the altar profaned, the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_28'>28</span>gates of the city burned up, and shrubs growing +in the inner courts of the Temple. At the sight +of this desolation, the Jews rent their clothes, +put ashes on their heads, and cried towards heaven. +But Judas did not allow his men to spend +too much time in useless lamentation, and set +out at once to cleanse the Temple. He then chose +priests to enter the Temple to repair and purify +it. The altar which had been defiled by the heathens, +they set up anew. The holy vessels, which +had been profaned by the Syrians, they replaced +<a id='TN5'></a>with new ones. So zealously was the work of the restoration +carried on, that on the 25th day of the +month of Kislev, the public worship could again +be performed. With songs and thanksgiving, +the Jews dedicated the Temple anew on that happy +day.</p> + +<p class='c010'>The Talmud relates that when the purification +of the Temple had been completed, no +consecrated oil could be found with which to light +the golden candlestick. After a careful search, +however, a small bottle of oil, with the seal of a +former High Priest still on it, was found. But +it contained only a small quantity of oil, hardly +sufficient to last for one day. But lo! a miracle +happened. When the oil was lit, not only did it +last for one day but for eight days! This was +interpreted as a sure sign that God was looking +<span class='pageno' id='Page_29'>29</span>upon the work of his people with favor, and +served to increase their happiness.</p> + +<p class='c010'>What a change the condition of the Jews had +undergone! Only three years before the Temple +had been dedicated to Jupiter Olympus, and the +flesh of swine sacrificed on the altar of incense. +And now, the most powerful of the Syrian generals +had been driven out from Judea. The bravest +of them feared the terrible Maccabee, whose +fame as a warrior was now spread far and wide. +Public worship had been restored, not to be discontinued +again until the capture of Jerusalem +by the Romans, several hundred years later. Although +the war continued for many years longer, +yet with the dedication of the Temple and the +public observance of the Jewish Laws, the actual +rule of the Syrians may be said to have come +to an end. Judea was now practically independent.</p> + +<h3 class='c011'>THE FESTIVAL OF CHANUKA.</h3> + +<p class='c012'>The restoration of the <a id='TN6'></a>public worship in the +Temple was an event well worth remembering; +and, for this reason, Judas and the Great Council +decided that the eight days beginning with the +25th of Kislev should be celebrated henceforth, +annually, as a festival of rejoicing and thanksgiving +to commemorate the victory of the small +band of Jews over the mighty hosts of the Syrians. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_30'>30</span>To this day, this festival which is known as +<span lang="he">חנוכּה</span> the “Feast of Dedication”, is celebrated +by the Jews each year all over the world. On the +eight days candles are lit, and special prayers +are offered to the Lord for that He saved his +people from being wiped out as a nation forever.</p> + +<div class='figcenter id001'> +<img src='images/i030.png' alt='' class='ig001'> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'> + <hr class='pb c001'> +</div> + +<div class='tnbox'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> + <div class='nf-center'> + <div><b>Transcriber’s Notes</b></div> + </div> +</div> + + <ul class='ul_1'> + <li>The following issues should be noted, along with the resolution: +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth5'> +<col class='colwidth77'> +<col class='colwidth16'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#TN1'>7</a></td> + <td class='c013'>was deposited by widows and orphans for safe[-]keeping.</td> + <td class='c014'>Joined.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#TN2'>7</a></td> + <td class='c013'>deprive the righ[t]ful owners of their property, and</td> + <td class='c014'>Added.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#TN3'>17</a></td> + <td class='c013'>was not wrong, it was only a mark of r[e]spect to</td> + <td class='c014'>Added.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#TN4'>18</a></td> + <td class='c013'>And thus, when the Jews were on [the] verge of</td> + <td class='c014'>Added.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#TN5'>28</a></td> + <td class='c013'>[with] new ones. So zealously was the work of the restoration</td> + <td class='c014'>Added.</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c013'><a href='#TN6'>29</a></td> + <td class='c013'>The restoration of the pu[p/b]lic worship in the</td> + <td class='c014'>Replaced.</td> + </tr> +</table> + </li> + </ul> + +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76482 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with ppgen.py 3.57e (with regex) on 2025-07-11 04:43:31 GMT --> +</html> + diff --git a/76482-h/images/cover.jpg b/76482-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e13f738 --- /dev/null +++ b/76482-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76482-h/images/i001.png b/76482-h/images/i001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a81c8ed --- /dev/null +++ b/76482-h/images/i001.png diff --git a/76482-h/images/i003.png b/76482-h/images/i003.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..336a31d --- /dev/null +++ b/76482-h/images/i003.png diff --git a/76482-h/images/i005.jpg b/76482-h/images/i005.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..88ca24c --- /dev/null +++ b/76482-h/images/i005.jpg diff --git a/76482-h/images/i030.png b/76482-h/images/i030.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7db0ad9 --- /dev/null +++ b/76482-h/images/i030.png diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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