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Final Chanukah 2025 Thoughts: וּלְךָ עָשִֽׂיתָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל וְקָדוֹשׁ בְּעוֹלָמֶֽךָ
"Olamecha" also means hidden or invisible. Through the miracle of the oil, an Invisible God became "visible" (so to speak)
9 months, 3 weeks ago
Another Apocryphal "Midrash" on the Chanukah Story, with interesting takes on the discovery of the jar of oil
The jar of oil was located under the altar. Had they not torn down the existing altar (as an act of piety, to replace it with a new, unblemished alta…
9 months, 3 weeks ago
הַפְטָרַת שַׁבַּת חֲנֻכָּה תשפ"ו - The Vision of Zachariah and its relevance to Chanukah
The Menorah that stayed lit for eight days was being fueled by the two (spiritual) olive trees in Zachariah's prophetic vision
https://thechesedfund…
9 months, 3 weeks ago
פָּרָשַׁת מִקֵּץ תשפ"ו - Yosef, the first "Court Jew"
Comparing & Contrasting Yosef with Hasdai ibn Shaprut, Shmuel haNagid, Benjamin Disraeli, and Henry Kissinger
9 months, 3 weeks ago
Chanukah, the Maccabean Wars, and the Civil wars in Seleucid Syria
The Jews' final victory was due to the political disintegration of the Syrian state at that time
9 months, 3 weeks ago
Some thoughts on the Chanukah Story and its historiosophical relation to גָּלוּת יָוָן
Two opposite models: A.) Alexander bows to the Kohen Gadol B.) Antiochus forces the High Priest and the Temple to "bow" to him
https://thechesedfund.…
9 months, 4 weeks ago
Some thoughts on today 24 Kislev and its famous prophecy in סֵפֶר חַגַּי (תְּרֵי עָשָׂר)
Does it prophecy the Maccabean Wars? The Messianic Wars? The current situation in Syria and the Middle East?
9 months, 4 weeks ago
פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּשֶׁב תשפ"ו חֵלֶק ב - Yaakov and Yosef "wake up," but too late!
Yosef was one his way to talk to his brothers in an altogether different tone, but they never gave him a chance.
Yaakov was going to by colored coats…
10 months ago
How the Judith Story in the Apocrypha (or a different version of the story) entered orthodox rabbinic literature AND practice
Some old widespread chanukah customs had no source in REGULAR rabbinic literature, but were accepted (despite some opposition) by basing them on sour…
10 months ago
הַפְטָרַת פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּשֶׁב תשפ"ו - Amos blasts the social injustice prevalent in his time
NOT the idolatry! Although there WAS idolatry, it is the abuse of the poor and helpless that will cause the חֻרְבַּן!
10 months ago