SHABBOS CHANUKAH

The Haftorah of Shabbos Chanukah is taken from the prophecy of זכריה Zachariah, commencing in the middle of the second chapter and going forward to the third and fourth chapters.

Rashi commences his commentary on Zachariah with the following words
נבואת זכריה סתומה היא מאד כי יש בה מראות דומות לחלום הניתן לפתרון ואין אנו יכולים לעמוד על אמיתת פתרונו עד יבוא מורה צדק
(Free translation) The prophecy of Zachariah is very deep, esoteric and difficult to understand. It consists of a number of visions which are more like dreams and they can, therefore, be interpreted in various ways. We cannot really be sure of the true interpretation until Moshiach will come. Rashi then comments that he will attempt to interpret as far as he can with the help of other interpretations and the translation of Targum Yonosan.

It, therefore, appears that one is free to interpret the visions oneself, bearing in mind חז''ל.

The time that Zachariah lived and prophesied in was towards the end of the exile of the 70 years, just before the second Bais Hamikdosh was built. The Haftorah commences with the words 'רני ושמחי בת ציון כי הנני בא ושכנתי בתוכך נאום ה
(Free translation) Rejoice and be happy daughters of Zion because I am coming and I will dwell among you, so says Hashem.

The beginning of the third chapter speaks about the Kohen Godol whose name was Yehoshua. The fourth chapter which is towards the end of the Haftorah speaks about a Menorah of gold. This would appear, at a first glance, to be the reason why this Haftorah is read on the Shabbos Chanukah, because of the nes of the oil and the lighting of our menorahs on Chanukah, and this is similar to the Menorah shown to Yehoshua the Kohen Godol.

I believe, however, that substantially the whole Haftorah can be explained as referring to the time of the Chashmonaim and the miracle of Chanukah.

Firstly, as I mentioned earlier on, the Haftorah itself starts with the words
'רני ושמחי בת ציון כי הנני בא ושכנתי בתוכך נאום ה
As translated above, this would refer to the Bais Hamikdosh which had been defiled by the Greeks and Hellenists and was rededicated by the Chashmonaim when they retook Jerusalem and the Bais Hamikdosh. At that time, there was a fresh השראת השכינה, The resting of Hashem’s Shechina on the Holy site. This, of course, caused great simcha and the oil carried on burning miraculously for eight days.

We say in Shemonei Esrai on Chanukah, concerning the actual happenings at that time,
חשמונאי ובניו בימי מתתיהו בן יוחנן כהן גדול,
In the days of Mattisyahu the son of Yochanon the High Priest and his children.
He was the first person who stood up and fought against the Greeks. In the same way, the Haftorah talks about Yehoshua Kohen Hagodol. It is interesting to note that יהושע means salvation. This was represented by Mattisyahu, who raised the flag of revolt which led to the eventual salvation and victory of the Chashmonaim.

Zachariah continues, והשטן עמד על ימינו לשטנו, (Free translation) the Satan stood on his right hand side to accuse him (Yehoshua). This hints at the Greeks who were intent on destroying Yiddishkeit, as we say in davening, להשכיחם תורתך וכ''ו-.

The next verse continues
ויאמר ה' אל השטן יגער ה' בך השטן ויגער ה' בך הבחר בירושלם הלא זה אוד מצל מאש.
And Hashem said to the Satan, May Hashem denounce you O Satan, May Hashem who chose Jerusalem denounce you. Indeed this man (Yehuda Hamaccabee, the son of Mattisyahu, who took over from him) is like a fire brand saved from a fire.

This obviously refers to the Greeks who defiled Yerushalayim and the Bais Hamikdosh and the children of Mattisyahu who recleansed it.

The prophet continues, ויהושע היה לבוש בגדים צואים and Yehoshua was dressed in dirty garments.

This refers to the fact that, instead of wearing the בגדי כהונה, the holy vestments, Mattisyahu and his children changed into warriors’ clothes in order to defeat the Greeks and their Hellenistic Jewish allies.

Zachariah carries on, telling people to remove these dirty garments from him, and says to Yehoshua,
העברתי מעליך עונך והלבש אתך מחלצות I have removed your sins from you and dressed you in clean attire. Implying that Yehuda Hamaccabee should not think that by killing these people, he was, in any way, defiling himself.

The verse continues וישימו הצניף הטהור על ראשו וילבשהו בגדים
And they (the angels) put a pure turban on his head and dressed him in clean clothes.

This, refers again to the donning of the בגדי כהונה, the vestments of the Kohen Godol and that it would continue in the next generations of Kohanim, the Chashmonaim.

The novi then admonishes as follows:
כה אמר ה' צבאו' אם בדרכי תלך ואם את משמרתי תשמר וכ''ו ונתתי לך מהלכים בין העמדים האלה

Hashem said, If you will go in My ways and safeguard My commandments, I will grant you “walking” among the angels who stand.

To understand these phrases, one needs to be aware that whereas an angel, once created, cannot elevate himself but is what is known as an “עומד”, always continuing on one spiritual level, a person can elevate himself in holiness and purity etc. and is therefore referred to as a הולך, going further. The implication is that the future generations of Chashmonaim would only succeed if they continued in a pure unadulterated Torah way.

Zachariah then continues,
שמע נא יהושע הכהן הגדול אתה ורעיך היושבים לפניך כי אנשי מופת המה
(Free translation) Listen now, Yehoshua, the Kohen Godol, you and your friends who are sitting before you, they are people of miracles.

This is referring not only to Mattisyahu as Kohen Godol but his five sons who all had miracles performed, both in war and then at the time that the Menorah was lit.

Zachariah continues, על אבן אחת שבעה עינים, there are seven eyes towards one stone.

This alludes to the fact that there was only enough oil to light the Menorah for one day and the miracle was that it continued to stay alight for a further seven days and could be see by all eyes.

The verse continues
ומשתי את עון הארץ ההיא ביום אחד וכ''ו and I will remove the sin of this land on one day.

This refers to immediately before Chanukah when the evil forces were defeated and the Jews could rest in peace.

The Haftorah then continues with the story of the golden Menorah which Yehoshua saw. This hardly needs any explanation but there are clear indications that this refers to the Menorah lit in the Bais Hamikdosh. Rashi explains that וגלה על ראשה means, and a bowl on the top (of the Menorah). This is obviously a hint to the פך שמן, the crucible of oil that was found and the verse continues regarding the seven lamps and seven ducts for the lamps, meaning that the oil lasted for an extra seven days.

The final words of the novi are to exhort לא בחיל ולא בכח כי אם ברוחי אמר ה' צבאו', Hashem said, Not through an army, and not with strength but through My spirit said Hashem, Master of the legions.

This obviously was a further warning to Mattisyahu and his children that once they had won the war against the Greeks, they should not think that it was anything to do with their own strength but they should, instead, concentrate on spiritual matters keeping Torah and mitzvos.

I believe that I have demonstrated how the whole of the Haftorah can be shown as full of allusions to the story of the Chashmonaim and Chanukah.

כ''ו כסלו תשס''ט