by Rabbi Yisrael Rutman

The story of Chanukah is commonly told as a courageous uprising of the Jewish people against foreign oppression, a war for independence in the modern sense. Although armed struggle was undeniably central to the story, and resistance was carried out in the weapons of the time, with sword and spear, there was a spiritual dimension no less integral to those events.

The Talmud records the following chapter of the spiritual drama of Chanukah: “On the third of Tishrei, the name of God was removed from secular documents, for the Greek regime had decreed that the name of Heaven may not be mentioned on their mouths. And when the Hasmoneans became strong and defeated the Greeks, they instituted that the name of Heaven should be mentioned even in documents. And thus they would write in their documents: ‘In the year so-and-so to Yochanan the High Priest, to the Supreme God.’ When the Sages heard about the matter, they said: “Tomorrow this [person] will pay his debt and the [unneeded] document will be found lying in a garbage heap.” So they abrogated the Hasmonean enactment. And that day [when the sages saw that their decision had been accepted by the people] they made that day into a festival” (Rosh Hashana 18b).

The text raises a number of questions: What is meant by the phrase “on their mouths”? Wouldn’t it have been sufficient to say, “that the name of Heaven may not be mentioned”? Secondly, Why weren’t the Hasmoneans concerned about the possibility of documents bearing the name of God being handled in a disrespectful manner? Why did the Sages see fit to proclaim a festival day, a day of rejoicing? And why didn’t the Hasmoneans consult with the Sages before acting?

The answers lie in an understanding of the cultural war taking place in those days. It is a fundamental of Jewish thought that the Creator takes an active interest in His creation. From the Torah account of the Flood to the prophetic experiences of the patriarchs to the Exodus and Sinai, God demonstrates his concern, and intervenes to shape history, sometimes through miraculous events. Furthermore, He is concerned not only with the collective, but with the individual. He wants our prayers, our mitzvot, our constant awareness of His presence.

In Psalms 99:2, it says, “God is great (gadol) in Zion, exalted (ram) above the nations.” We believe that God is great in Zion. He is not remote, but intensely involved with the Jewish people, directing their fate on both a collective and individual level. The word gadol connotes that which stands on the earth and reaches up high; whereas ram refers to that which resides entirely in a high and remote place. The latter was the Greek view. They believed that the Creator is far too exalted to concern Himself with the mundane affairs of humanity.

That’s why they decreed that the name of God be struck from documents, by which everyday business is transacted. They didn’t want the Divine Name “in their mouths.” They could tolerate religion as long as it remained in the temple, or in the heart. But not in the mainstream of life.

When the Hasmoneans re-established Jewish rule, they weren’t interested merely in political power. They sought a restoration of the ancestral heritage. They wanted to bring God-awareness back into everyday life. So they re-instituted the writing of God’s name on secular documents.

Didn’t they foresee that those pieces of paper would eventually be torn up and thrown away? Yes; but the principle at stake was so important, it justified that risk. It has been likened to straightening a crooked stick. You have to bend it to the other extreme before making it straight. After a time, the Sages determined that the correction had indeed been made. Jewish consciousness had been strengthened to the extent that it was no longer necessary to risk the writing of God’s name in documents that would be discarded. It was a spiritual triumph for the Jewish people worthy of celebration.

Although the Talmudic account here generally takes no pains to date events precisely (even the phrase, “when the Sages heard” is misleading; they knew of the Hasmonean decree all along, but only decided to cancel it in due time), the third of Tishrei is mentioned. The Chasan Sofer explains the significance of the third of Tishrei: There is a tradition that the Ten Days of Repentance correspond to the Ten Commandments. The first day corresponds to the first Commandment, the second day to the second Commandment, and so on. On each day, one is supposed to correct one’s moral deficiencies in regard to that Commandment. Now, the third of Tishrei corresponds to the Commandment, You shall not take the name of Hashem, your God, in vain. Thus, that day was the appropriate day to ensure that God’s Name would not be used in a cavalier manner and, when the Sages succeeded in preserving the Name’s sanctity, they made that day a festival.

Sources: Chasan Sofer al HaTorah U’Moadim, quoted in Artscroll Rosh Hashana. K’motzei Shlal Rav, Chanukah, P. 302-3, quoting Even Yechezkel, Moadim, P. 123.

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