Some Thoughts For Hanukah

There is a rule that women are not obligated in positive commandments that are bound by time. For example, since tefillin are only worn during the day, women are not obligated in the commandment of tefillin. Lighting Hanukah candles is also a time-bound commandment. They are only lit 8 days a year at night. Therefore, women should be exempt from lighting Hanukah candles. However, lighting Hanukah candles is an exception to the rule because of a woman named Yehudit.
During the time period that the events of Hanukah took place, the Greeks placed an evil decree on the Jewish people. The Greek governor of the province raped every Jewish woman on her wedding night before she could be with her husband. On Yehudit’s wedding night she was supposed to be raped by the General of the Greek army. She got him drunk, took his sword, decapitated him, placed his head on a stick, and took his head outside so everyone could see what she did. This inspired the Jewish people who then joined with the Maccabees in their war with the Greek army. Yehudit’s actions are the reason that women are obligated to light Hanukah candles.
However, a question still remains. Once Yehudit got the general drunk she could have killed him any way she wanted to. I think the more feminine way would be to poison him, or at least something less bloody. Instead she decided to chop off his head and run outside with it on a stick. Obviously the story is written down with this method of killing because that’s how the events took place, but the question is why would she choose to kill the general this way?
To answer this question I am going to ask another one. The Greeks were extremely smart people. Even the Rambam admits that the Greeks were more intelligent than the Jewish Sages in such areas as math, science, and astronomy. If the Greeks were so smart, how could they have such a simple idea of religion? If you look into the story of their gods, it is basically a super-human soap opera!
There is a Gemara in tractate Yoma that relates a meeting between Rabbi Shimon the Righteous and Aristotle. Rabbi Shimon the Righteous was amazed by the intellectual capabilities of Aristotle so much so that he said he knew everything under the sun. However, he also commented that Aristotle knew nothing in matters over the sun. How could he be so smart in matters under the sun, but so foolish in matters over the sun?
To answer that question, we need to know more about the Greeks. The Greeks were very arrogant. They were the cradle of culture so to speak, and they therefore felt that they knew everything. This feeling that they knew everything is the reason Rabbi Shimon the Righteous said that the Aristotle knew nothing over the sun. It is the reason their understanding of religion was basically a super-human soap opera.
When a person feels that he is the smartest, most intelligent person in the world, it will lead to him thinking he can understand everything. Therefore the Jewish concept of a God that is infinite, and therefore incomprehensible, was not an option for the Greeks. Their understanding of religion was based on an assumption of, “since we are so smart, we must be able to understand it.” On the other hand, the Jewish concept that God is infinite and by definition incomprehensible was not hindered by the same lack of arrogance.
This concept is what Yehudit was showing us through decapitating the General of the Greek army. What she was really saying was, “look at the Greek’s head.” They are so smart and intelligent, but when that head is attached to the body, specifically the heart, which is the seat of emotions, it is of no use. If the Greeks only had their intellect they would not have been corrupted by their arrogance. But since, they also had their feeling of arrogance, they knew nothing when it came to matters over the sun.
The Jew is supposed to be humble. He is supposed to look out at the wonderful creation of this world with awe. He is supposed to realize that he does not know everything because there is so much to know. May this Hanukah be a time of reflection for each one of us. May we all merit to realize how complex and amazing this world is and be inspired to learn more about it.

Happy Hanukah