Rav M. Elon

One of the most well-known stories recounted in the Midrashim and in Jewish tradition is that referred to as “Chana and her seven sons.” Chana, mother to seven children, who the Greek ruler murders her seven sons, and then she kills herself by throwing herself off the roof.

We will deal with this story at length.

Let us note that the incident of “Chana and her seven sons” originates from Sefer Chashmona’im (“The Book of the Hasmoneans”). In the Babylonian Talmud the narrative refers to “A woman and her seven sons,” while the Jerusalem Talmud portrays the tale of “Miriam and her seven sons.” In the course of the shiur we will also discuss these discrepancies.

Before we begin our study of Chana and her sons, let us first open our discussion with one of the laws of Channuka.

After discussing the basis for lighting the Channuka lights, and the manner of lighting, the Gemara in Tractate Shabbat (20b) - in the sugya of “Mai Channuka” – turns to the nature of the b’racha recited on the lighting of the candles.

The Gemara states:

“What blessing does he recite? He recites ‘Who has commanded us with His mitzvot and Who commanded us to light the lights of Channuka.”

The Gemara continues:

“And where did He command us?”

Rashi notes:

“For this is not a biblical commandment, but rather of Rabbinic origin.”

How may we use the terminology “and Who commanded us” regarding a practice that has no basis in the Torah, but is rather the innovation of the Sages?

The Gemara continues:

“Rav Avya said: from ‘Do not stray’ (Devarim 17:11);

Rav Nechemia said: from ‘Ask your father and let him tell you, and your grandfather, who will explain it,’(Devarim 32:7.)”

We will not consider the differences between the answers offered by Rav Avya and Rav Nechemia. In any event, Channuka represents the archetype of all Rabbinic commandments – and still the blessing recited over these Rabbinic decrees includes the terminology “Who commanded us.” In the wider sense, the Oral Torah begins to appear is all her strength and power in the Festival of Channuka. And if we were to ask: “But Purim preceded Channuka?” Already during the events of Purim we see the Oral Torah playing an active, meaningful role?

Still, however, there is a difference between these two festivals. Purim, was incorporated among the twenty-four books of the Tanach, and thus, despite its basis being of Rabbinic decree, this canonization adds a certain air of the Biblical, Written Torah. Channuka, however, is solely related to the Oral Torah, and thus is the Oral Torah’s great festival.

We may suggest that the question “And where did He command us?” that the Gemara poses relates not only to Channuka, but rather to all the facets and commandments of the Oral Torah. And all these aspects are in fact incorporated within Channuka.

Yet Channuka exemplifies the Oral Torah in more than just the historical realm. The central mitzvah of Channuka is the lighting of the Channukiya.

The Gemara in the Tractate of Shabbat records a number of levels of observance regarding this mitzvah. There is the basic mitzva of “ner ish u’beito,” (literally “a candle for one and his household”); there are the “mehadrin” (lit. “those who beautify”), who light one candle for each member of the household; and there are the “mehadrin min ha’mehadrin” (lit. “those who beautify amongst those who (already) beautify”), who light an additional candle every night.

In practice, the majority of Jews are categorized as the “mehadrin min ha’mehadrin.” There is no other mitzvah similar to that of Channuka where we are told of the various levels of “mehadrin” and “mehadrin min ha’mehadrin.” All these additional features give expression to the nation’s desire to supplement the mitzvah with more and more beautifications.

More than this, the basis for the miracle of Channuka, that small jug of oil, sealed with the seal of the Kohen Gadol, that lasted eight days, and it is for this miracle that we light our channukiya for eight days – this also indicates the clear connection to the Oral Torah that lies at the foundations of this mitzva. That is to say, that prior to the miracle of Channuka there was no mitzva to light the channukiya. A miracle occurred and the Menora remained lit for eight days. This miracle instigated the mitzvah to light the channukiya for eight days, and we, Am Yisra’el turned these days of Channuka into a holiday of thanksgiving for this miacle. A new mitzvah was created – namely, the lighting of the channukiya. The origin of Channuka thus lies in the Oral Torah.

It is the power of the Jews, expressed by the revelation of the Oral Torah through them, their ability to innovate aspects of Torah, that stands at the base of the Festival of Channuka; and it is this that lies hidden behind the incident of Chana and her seven sons.

Let us turn to the story of Chana as portrayed in the Babylonian Talmud, Masechet Gittin (57b).

First we must be aware that the discussion in the Gemara deals with the verse in Psalms:

“For it is for your sake that we are killed all day long, we are considered sheep for the slaughter.”

(Psalms 44:23)

The Gemara brings a number of explanations and instances in explanation of this verse. We will consider them one by one, all the while concentrating on the incident of Chana, but at the same time we will consider the entirety of the various explanations and examples.

The Gemara opens with an account of four-hundred children who were taken captive by the Greek Empire at that time. Let us examine this account in its entirety.

“Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shemu’el, or it was stated by Rabi Ami, stating in a Tannaic source: An incident of four-hundred young boys and girls who were captured for shameful purposes, and they understood what was to be required of them.”

Rashi explains what these “shameful purposes” were:

“The boys for homosexuality, and the girls to be concubines.”

The Gemara continues:

“The children said: ‘If we drown in the ocean, we will merit life in the World to Come.’ The oldest among them elucidated the verse ‘God said: I will bring back from the Bashan, I will bring back from the depths of the sea.’

‘I will bring back from the Bashan’ – I will bring back from between the teeth of the lion.

‘From the depths of the sea’ – Those who perish in the sea.

As soon as the girls heard this, they all leapt and fell into the ocean.”

Let us note that the oldest child among them elucidated the verse instructing one to sacrifice one’s life before all of the children. The girls however, were the first to sacrifice themselves. This reminds us that often is was the women who possessed the spirit of self-sacrifice and the strength of faith even more than the men.

The Gemara continues:

“The boys derived a logical a fortiori argument to themselves – these (girls) whose natural manner is thus (heterosexual relations), thus us, whose natural manner is not in this fashion – how much more so (must we sacrifice ourselves.)”

Rashi explains:

“The girls who are required to enter into heterosexual relationships, will be shamed less than we (who will be required to enter into homosexual unions) and still sacrificed their lives – how much more so must we.”

And then the Gemara continues:

“So too did the boys leap into the ocean, and it is about them that the verse states: ‘For it is for your sake that we are killed all day long, we are considered sheep for the slaughter.’”

Before continuing with the Gemara, let us consider the context of this verse in Tehillim. This verse appears in Tehillim in Mizmor 44, where King David describes a very difficult reality that he experiences:

“I am aware of my disgrace the whole day, and I am covered with my shame, at the sound of taunting revilers, in the presence of the vengeful enemy. All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten You, or been false to Your covenant. Our hearts have not retreated backwards, nor have our feet swerved from Your path, though You crushed in a place of snakes, and covered us with extreme darkness. If we forgot the name of our God, and spread our palms to a foreign god. God would surely investigate it, for He knows the secrets of the heart. For it is for your sake that we are killed all day long, we are considered sheep for the slaughter.”

(Tehillim 44:16-23)

Following this appears the call:

“Rouse yourself, why do You sleep O God? Awaken, do not reject us forever. Why do You hide Your face, ignoring our affliction and distress? Our souls lie bent in the dust, our stomachs cling to the ground. Arise and help us, redeem us for the sake of Your benevolence.”

(Tehillim 44:24-27)

The essence of these verses is the verse:

“For it is for your sake that we are killed all day long, we are considered sheep for the slaughter.”

Let us return to the Gemara in Gittin. Rav Yehuda says that this verse is not elucidated to relate to the incident of the four-hundred children, but rather refers to that mother of seven sons.

“And Rav Yehuda says: ‘This is the woman and her seven sons. They brought him (the first son) before the Emperor, and told him: ‘Serve idolatry.’ He replied: ‘The Torah states ‘I am Hashem your God’ – they removed him, and executed him.

They brought the next son before the Emperor, and told him: ‘Serve idolatry.’ He replied: ‘The Torah states ‘You may have no other gods besides me’ – they removed him, and executed him.

They brought the next son and told him: ‘Serve idolatry.’ He replied: ‘The Torah states ‘He who sacrifices to other gods must be put to death’ – they removed him, and executed him.

They brought the next son and told him: ‘Serve idolatry.’ He replied: ‘The Torah states ‘You may not bow down to another god’ – they removed him, and executed him.

They brought the next son and told him: ‘Serve idolatry.’ He replied: ‘The Torah states ‘Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is one’ – they removed him, and executed him.

They brought the next son and told him: ‘Serve idolatry.’ He replied: ‘The Torah states ‘And you shall know today, and you will reply to your hearts that Hashem is the God, in the heavens above and on the land below, there is no other’ – they removed him, and executed him.”

This is the dialogue between the six children and those enforcing the Emperors directives, leading to the children’s execution.

It is important to note a very interesting point. Until this point, the Emperor plays no active role in the drama that unfolds before him. We must note that there is one sentence that is repeated as each child is brought before the Emperor – “and (they) told him (the son): ‘Serve idolatry.’” They, the Emperor’s servants, command the sons to serve idolatry.

Yet when we reach the seventh son, there is a slight change in the entire dialogue. Both the child’s claim and the Emperor’s personal involvement in that which is occurring before him differ from the previous six events.

“They brought the next son and told him: ‘Serve idolatry.’ He replied: ‘The Torah states ‘You have affirmed that Hashem is your God… and God has affirmed you as his treasured people.’ We have already sworn to God that we will not substitute Him with another god, and so too has He sworn that he will not switch us with another nation.’”

Once again it is the Emperor’s servants who command the child to serve idolatry. The seventh child differs from his brothers in that he does not quote a verse that indicates an absolute prohibition to worship idols, but rather he employs one of the methods of the Oral Torah – the “hekesh.” (An inference drawn from two juxtaposed verses.) He parallels the verse “Today you have affirmed that Hashem is your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His laws and statutes, and to listen to His voice,” (Devarim 26:17), with the verse “And today God has affirmed you as His treasured people, as he (already) told you, to keep his commandments,” (ibid. 26:18.)

He draws an inference from the similar words “Today you have affirmed” and “And today God has affirmed you” to indicate that just as we have already sworn to God that we will not substitute Him with another God, so too has He sworn never to swap us with another nation. Let us note that according to our Sages’ tradition this child was all of two and a half years old! Behold the greatness of faith of the young of Israel!

At this point, the Emperor himself involves himself in the proceedings:

“The Emperor said to him: ‘I will throw my royal seal down, and you can bow to pick it up, in this manner people will say that you fulfilled the royal directive.’”

The Emperor tells the child: “Let’s make a ruse. I will throw my royal seal – that has my image impressed upon it – so that it will seem as if you are bowing down to my form. (As explained by Rashi.) In this manner I will be satisfied that my directive has been fulfilled, and you will not really have prostrated yourself before a foreign god – for this was not you intention at all.” But then the child answered him with a powerful retort:

“He said to him: ‘Woe to you O Emperor! Woe to you O Emperor! (You are thus concerned) for your honor? How much more so (must one be concerned) for the honor of God!”

This young child derived an ‘a priori’ argument (‘kal va’chomer’) telling the Emperor – if you are so particular regarding you own honor, how much more should you be particular regarding the honor of God! The Gemara continues with its shocking portrayal:

“They removed him for execution. His mother said to them: ‘Bring him to me so that I may kiss him.’ She said to him: ‘My sons, go and tell Avraham your father: You bound one altar, yet I bound seven altars’. She went up onto the roof, fell off, and also died. A heavenly voice went out saying: ‘A content mother of children,’ (Tehillim 113:9)”

Before we discuss the child’s response, let us first bring the version of Tosfot to the text. This version states that the seventh son did not respond based on verses from the Torah, but rather based his retort purely on the logical premise of the a fortiori argument. (According to Tosfot, the first two verses, “I am Hashem your God” and “You may not have other gods” that we associated to the first two children were in fact quoted solely by the first son, thus the seventh son does not quote any verses, rather he only makes use of a logical argument. We will examine this issue later.)

Let us return to the Gemara as we have it before us. The Emperor intervenes in that which occurs before him, (and that is taking place at his behest), when he turns to the seventh child.

What does this seventh child represent?

In his response, the seventh child reveals the mutual commitment between God and the nation of Israel, revealing that this commitment is not only from us towards God, but also from God to us. (This according to our version of the Gemara text.)

The seventh child reminds us of Shabbat. Shabbat is Am Yisrael’s partner – for what the Shabbat represents in the realm of time, Yisrael represents in the realm of the nations of the world: there exists the seventh point that incorporates within it all those six limits that represent the natural world.

The seventh son is the internal voice of Am Yisra’el. (And according to Tosfot’s version, the child’s silence expresses something deeper – an eternal connection that lies beyond words.)

The children’s responses to the Emperor remind us of Mordechai Ha’Yehudi, (literally “Mordechai the Judean”) who after hearing that the decree had been made, ran to that Torah School for young children. He approached three young children, requesting that each quote him a verse.

The first quotes the verse:

“Do not fear sudden terror, or the holocaust of the wicked when it comes.”

(Mishlei 3:25)

The second child quotes:

“Plan a conspiracy and it will be annulled, speak your piece and it shall not stand, for God is with us.”

(Yeshayahu 8:10)

And the third child quotes the verse:

“I created you, and shall bear you, I shall endure and rescue.”

(ibid. 46:4)

Upon hearing these words, despite that the terrible decree still hung in the air, Mordechai leaves the Bet Midrash smiling. And when Haman sees all that is happening – he understands that despite everything, he stands no chance.

Let us return to the dialogue we have before us. The Emperor sees the seventh son, a child - who according to Tosfot’s textual version does not quote verses – who seemingly can understand logical arguments. Yet it is specifically this child who is the represents the deep, natural faith that is Am Yisra’el – and it is this conversation that becomes the exchange between Yisra’el and Greece.

The seventh son implements the methodology of the Oral Torah – be it the hekesh or the kal va’chomer, (as per our version), or solely the kal va’chomer, (according to Tosfot’s version.) Either way, these are the techniques of the Oral Torah. The Oral Torah is the expression of the special characteristic of the nation of Israel – an expression of Israel’s power to innovate, and these innovations become “Torah.” All this as a result of the special nature of the souls of Israel.

This child stands up to the leader of this mighty empire and says: “Woe to you O Emperor, woe to you O Emperor!” He teaches the emperor, and us, that emperors come and go. But the Nation of Israel exists in the world – and has been promised by He who created the world – that the nation will exist eternally, for this nation has a role to play.

We already mentioned that according to the Jerusalem Talmud’s version of this incident, it was Miriam and her seven sons. The mother of these seven children was recorded as Miriam, not Chana. Either way, the incident is horrifying enough. Yet if the mother’s name was in fact Miriam, we cannot help but recall another Miriam. A Miriam who was the complete contrast to the mother of these children depicted before us.

This is what the Gemara in Tractate Sukka (56b) says:

“Our Rabbis taught, an incident regarding Miriam bat Bilga who converted (her faith) and married a prince of the Greek royal family. When the Greeks entered the Holy of Holies she kicked the altar with her sandal saying: ‘Lukas, Lukas, how long will you demolish the finances of the Jews – and not stand over them in their times of trouble?’”

“Bilga” was the name of one of the groups of Kohanim that served in the Temple. This group was prevented from further serving in the Temple after this incident.

In this portrayal, we have the complete antithesis of Miriam the mother of the seven sons. Here too we have the term “when the Greeks entered the Holy of Holies,” that reminds us of the description of the miracle of Channuka, which also begins with “when the Greeks entered the Holy of Holies.” That same Miriam bat Bilga who converted her faith and married a Greek prince serves as the ‘guide’ for the Greek conquering force as it enters the Temple.

Stemming from a priestly family, she treason of the highest order against her family and against her nation. She approaches the altar and kicks it with disdain shouting:

“Lukas, Lukas, how long will you demolish the finances of the Jews – and not stand over them in their times of trouble?”

“Lukas” means “wolf.” She lodges serious claims against God, accusing God with the destruction of Yisra’el’s finances, and even more severe – she accuses God of abandoning the Jews.

There is also a third Miriam, the daughter of Matityahu the Kohen Gadol, Yehuda ha’Maccabi’s sister. This Miriam adopts a heroic stand in the face of the decrees of the conquering Greeks. She is about to marry, while the Greeks have decreed that on the day of her marriage every virgin bride must first have relations with the Greek ruler. Miriam acts in a most provocative manner in order to rouse her family and her nation.

In the Midrash of Ma’ase Channuka there appears the description of Miriam arriving in her grand wedding carriage. And then, as she is about to descend the carriage, and the everyone’s eyes are fixed on her – she tears her clothes off her body. The narrative continues, telling us that the bystanders lower their gaze in order not to look at her, and her brother’s consider killing her!

She tells them:

“Hear me out my brothers and friends! Why is it that as I stand before you naked, and have not committed a sin – yet you consider killing me; why then does the fact that I am about to be impurified by the Greek ruler not bother you?”

She continues, adding:

“You should have learnt from Shim’on and Levi, Dina’s brothers – they were only two yet they annihilated a city. You are five (her intention being her five brothers) and you have two-hundred priests-in-training together with you –why then will you not annihilate Greece?”

Miriam the Hasmonean then turns to heaven and requests that God avenge her vengeance as well as the retribution of Yisrae’l. Then, according to the Midrash, the brothers meet with Matit’yahu in order to consider their plan of action – deciding finally to begin the rebellion.

We have mentioned these personalities in order to illustrate the extreme contrast between Miriam the mother of the seven sons and Miriam the Hasmonean, and Miriam bat Bilga. The great difference between those two women who are entirely devoted to their God, and that woman , the lowly traitor to her people.

Miriam (or Chana) is termed “the mother of the sons” even though her entire family is destroyed. As opposed to her, we may assume that Miriam bat Bilga was a mother and grandmother, some of her offspring certainly holding positions of authority. However the true “mother” is the Miriam-Chana we have before us, the woman whose name and character exist throughout generations as a source of inspiration and admiration.

Let us return to the story as portrayed in the Babylonian Talmud.

As we saw, each son quoted a different verse in response to the murderous Greeks who attempted to force the sons to renounce their beliefs. We already noted the unique answer of the seventh son, yet in order to further clarify matters, let us consider the queries that the Maharsha raises in his commentary on this Gemara.

He writes:

“‘For it is for your sake that we are killed… a woman and her seven sons’ – we must understand why each child quoted a different verse instead of all quoting one verse. More so, the second son quotes the verse ‘You may have no gods besides Me’ – why did he omit the previous verse: ‘I am Hashem your God?’ Also, the verse that is elucidated in their regard, ‘For it is for your sake that we are killed’ – how does this apply to them more than any other martyrs who died in sanctification of God’s name?”

The Maharsha asks a number of questions:

Firstly, why the brothers quote varying verses. Why did each choose a different verse?

Secondly, why do the sons quote the verses in an order different to the sequence they appear in the Torah?

The Maharsha also questions the entire premise of the Gemara that elucidates the verse “For it is for your sake that we are killed” through the narration of this incident of the seven sons. While certainly no-one denies the immense self-sacrifice of the sons and their mother, which aspect of this incident distinguishes it from countless other stories of martyrdom for the sake of Heaven? It is this final question that is the most essential to our understanding the Gemara.

The Maharsha answers:

“And it would seem that these seven sons were killed on the seven days of the week, and each quoted a verse relating to that day on which he was executed.”

In other words, the Emperors murderous actions took place over an entire week. The first son was killed on Sunday, and the final child, the youngest son was executed on Shabbat. Each child quoted a verse that related to that day of the week on which he was killed.

Before continuing with the Maharsha, let us examine those seven verses that the sons quoted:

1. “I am Hashem your God Who took you out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage.” (Shemot 20:2)

2. “You may have no other gods besides me.” (ibid.)

3. “He who sacrifices to other gods aside from God solely must be put to death.” (Shemot 22:19)

4. “For you may not bow down to another god for the ‘jealous God’ is His name, he is a jealous God.” (Shemot 34:14)

5. “Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is one.” (Devarim 6:4)

6. ‘And you shall know today, and you will reply to your hearts that Hashem is the God, in the heavens above and on the land below, there is no other.” (Devarim 4:39)

7. “Today you have affirmed that Hashem is your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His laws and statutes, and to listen to His voice. And today God has affirmed you as His treasured people, as he (already) told you, to keep his commandments.” (Devarim 26:17,18.)

The Maharsha explains that the first son, executed on first day of the week quotes the verse “I am Hashem your God” for the following reason:

“This hints at the fact that on the first day, the angels and the heavenly hosts had not yet been created, (thus being unable) to mislead the heretics into assigning them Divine powers.”

The second son, executed on the second day quoted the verse “You may have no other gods,”

“For on that very day the angels were created, and thus the place for error in believing in secondary (divine) forces.”

From this point onwards we will bring the words of the Maharsha on the remainder of the sons, up until the seventh son:

“On the third day when the various forces of nature were created - ‘let the waters be delineated,’ (Bereshit 1:9), ‘let the land give forth grass,’ (ibid. 1:11) – there was no room to believe in the existence of any divine force on the earth other than God Himself, , and therefore he quotes the verse: ‘He who sacrifices to other gods aside from God…’

On the fourth day the great luminaries and constellations were set in the heavens, illustrating that no divine powers be ascribed to them, and hence he quotes the verse: ‘For you may not bow down to another god…’ For regarding the worship of the stars and constellations the verse states: ‘Lest you raise your eyes to the heavens, and you will see the sun… and you will worship them – those that Hashem your God has proscribed (for worship) to all the nations,’ (Devarim 4:19.)

On the fifth day there were created that which exists between the heavens and the earth: ‘Let the water give forth living beings… and birds will fly over the land…’ (Bereshit 1:20), indicating that there is no life-giving divine force that exists in the interim. Thus the son quoted: ‘Hashem is the God, in the heavens above and on the land below…” – which the Sages elucidated to include even the smallest sea urchin.

On the sixth day when the living beast and man were created, signifying that in the service of God no other entity is to be incorporated as a deity – thus the son quotes the verse: ‘Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God…’”

We now reach the seventh son, who parallels the seventh day, Shabbat. What does this child’s response signify?

“And the seventh day’s significance is that one may not believe that after He created the universe in six days, God withdrew from the world, leaving humanity to its own devices. As the child quoted: ‘Today you have affirmed God…” – ie. we have already sworn to God - this indicates that He continues to oversee us. The mitzva of Shabbat represents this too, as the verse states: ‘It is a sign between Myself and you’ (Shemot 31:17) that we rest on the day when God rested from his creation of the universe.”

The seventh child’s response is thus that the bond between God and Am Yisra’el is eternal, and that God remained in the world after creation.

The Maharsha continues to say that Rav Yehuda quotes the verse “For it is for your sake that we are killed” for it is in this psalm of Tehillim that we see the depiction of a taunting, accusing voice that hints at the Emperor, who himself taunts and accuses.

In the continuation of the psalm we read:

“If we had forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our palms to a foreign god; would not God search this out? For He knows the heart’s hidden secrets.”

(Tehillim 44:21,22)

These verses hint at the ruse that the Emperor attempted to employ with the youngest son – throwing his ring with the royal seal, his form, engraved upon it. If the child were to bend down to lift the ring it would then seem that he is in fact bowing down to the imprint of the Emperor. Hence the young child answers the Emperor:

“Would not God search this out? For He knows the heart’s hidden secrets.”

In other words, God sees through all tricks and ruses, God desires truth and devotion, not deception.

We thus are witness to a theological debate that takes place between Greek culture and Jewish culture, which reaches its climax with the seventh son, who represents Am Yisra’el in its natural, unadulterated state.

This young child removed for execution, and in fact the Midrash describes how Chana implores the Emperor to execute her first in order that she not be required to witness her son’s death. The Emperor refuses this request, making a ‘moral’ argument.

He tells Chana:

“The Torah states: ‘Do not slaughter him and his son on the same day,’ (Vayikra 22:28) – how then may I kill you and your son on the same day?”

Chana responds to this:

“You evil man! Do you observe all the other commandments that all that is left for you to observe is this one?”

Her youngest son is then taken for execution. Chana, seeing in him the representative of herself and her other sons, turns to him and says:

“My sons, go and tell Avraham your father: You bound one altar, yet I bound seven altars.”

The Midrash actually adds that she tells her sons to tell Avraham our forefather:

“You were merely tested, I was in reality (required to sacrifice my sons.)”

The Gemara continues:

“She went up onto the roof, fell off, and also died. A heavenly voice went out saying: ‘A content mother of children.’”

The conclusion of this account is rather surprising, for we would expect the heavenly voice to say “Hashem is a God of vengeance,” (Tehillim 94:1), or “Let the nations sing praise to His people, for He will avenge His servants’ blood,” (Devarim 32:43). What does this conclusion mean? For now she is no longer a “mother,” and there are also no longer any “children.” What then is “A content mother of children?” We will answer this shortly.

What follows in the Gemara is even more astonishing. Let us recall that the first story mentioned in the Gemara is of the four hundred children, followed by the tale of Chana and her sons – and all this in explanation of the verse , “For it is for your sake that we are killed the entire day, we are considered sheep for the slaughter.”

Now the Gemara raises a number of alternate explanations of this verse:

“Rabi Yehoshu’a ben Levi says: This is the (mitzvah of) circumcision that was given on the eighth day.”

According to Rabi Yehoshu’a ben Levi the verse “For it is for your sake that we are killed the entire day” refers to the mitzvah of circumcision, for sometimes the child dies as a result of the circumcision.

“Rabi Shim’on ben Lakish says: These are Talmidei Chachamim (Torah Scholars) that illustrate the laws of sh’chita (ritual slaughter) on themselves; as Rava said: ‘(The teacher) must illustrate everything (he teaches) on himself, except for Sh’chita (Rashi: lest he cut his own throat) and the other thing, (Rashi: leprosy and the various lesions for these pose a danger for him.)”

In other words, “For it is for your sake that we are killed the entire day” relates to that almost negligible danger of the Talmid Chacham injuring himself when he illustrates the method of sh’chita on his own flesh.

The close of this discussion is even more interesting:

“Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: These are Talmidei Chachamim that ‘kill’ themselves (ie. go to extreme efforts) over the words of Torah; in the vein of Rabi Shimon ben Lakish’s teaching, as Rabi Shimon ben Lakish said: The words of Torah will only endure in one who ‘kills’ himself over them, as the verse states: ‘This is the Torah (literally, ‘teaching, instruction’) – (of) one who dies in a tent,’ (Devarim 19:14.)”

The various explanations for the verse “For it is for your sake that we are killed the entire day” are thus as follows:

- The incident of the four hundred children;

- The incident of Chana and her seven sons;

- The mitzva of circumcision;

- The instruction of sh’chita; and,

- The study of Torah.

And now it is impossible not to wonder at the final three explanations (circumcision, sh’chita, Torah study), which seem entirely out of proportion to the first two horrific portrayals (the four hundred children and Chana and her sons.)

Possibly, it is these very questions that we have raised that clarify the high echelon of Am Yisra’el, as well as the revelation of the Oral Torah and the Festival of Channuka.

On Channuka the Jews fought for their souls, for the spirit of the Oral Torah that was within them. Indeed, the Emperor was able to quote the verse “Do not slaughter him and his son on the same day,” (according to the version of the story in the Midrash,) yet he was ignorant with regards the character and essence of the Oral Torah. The Oral Torah is the manifestation of the Torah as it appears through the souls of Yisra’el. The Oral Torah is the proof that there exists a certain nation that is infused with a singular spirit. A nation, that one of its children, even one of two and a half years old, can say to the great emperor “Woe to you O Emperor, woe to you O emperor.”

The Oral Torah is that which reveals the inner strength found in Yisra’el, who are able to innovate more and more Torah. Even a decree made by the nation becomes part of the Divine Torah – and it is thus appropriate to say “Who has commanded us with His mitzvot, and has commanded us…” with regard the blessing made on these human innovations! (As we mentioned at the start of the shiur.)

This is “the mother of the sons is content.” The sons’ mother is Am Yisra’el who is content that her sons sacrifice their lives for her, indicating that despite everything Yisra’el’s spirit triumphs over the most difficult reality and the most problematic circumstances.

The true might of the Jew and of Judaism is that it is the very same Torah that we studied one thousand years ago that we will study in one thousand years’ time. Even the day-to-day routine devoted and dedicated to God represents great strength. It seems that this is the central explanation that lurks behind the various elucidations that the Gemara brings towards its closing, while the climax is those Talmidei Chachamim who ‘kill’ themselves in the tent of Torah.

The strength and heroism to be involved in Torah study to the point of self-sacrifice throughout the generations, despite and inspite of everything. This greatness of spirit is the substance of Channuka, the festival of the Oral Torah, the festival of light.

Translated by Sholem Hurwitz.

Copyright Keren Yishai/Rav M. Elon