Translated and produced by www.torahlab.

org
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‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬ TORAHLAB
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Rabbi Yaacov Haber

PRESIDENT
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RESEARCH
Rabbi David Sedley
Rabbi Tanchum Burton

EDITOR
Bayle Haber

GRAPHIC DESIGN
Translated by Rayzel Broyde
Daniella Sopher
Rabbi David Sedley
First published 2007
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Printed in Israel
FOREWORD you are the minority of the nations.” (Devarim 7:7). Our ability to
be a ‘light unto the nations’ is in direct proportion to the purity of
Like the story of Esther, The Scroll of Antiochus is a story that light.
about heroes. In it we learn of individuals who, with their
great dedication and conviction, were able to save the Jewish The scroll that we put before you in this short volume is an
community in Israel, delay the destruction of Yerushalayim ancient historical account of the Chanukah story. The Scroll of
by 200 years, and topple the powerful Greek army. The sons Antiochus was originally written in Aramaic. Rabbi Saadia Gaon
of Mattisyahu, grandsons of Yochanan the Kohein Gadol, (ninth century) claimed that the earliest written copy of this
waged war against Antiochus and his governors and eventually scroll can be traced back to the period of Bais Hillel and Bais
succeeded in toppling the Greek forces. Shamai, Talmudic scholars who lived one hundred years before
the destruction of the Second Beis HaMikdash; approximately 30
On Chanukah we celebrate the miracle of quality over BCE. However, in his opinion, the scroll originated one hundred
quantity. The Talmud (Shabbos 21b), emphasizes the miracle of years before that and was originally written by the Maccabees
the oil. After the Greek invasion and defilement of the Second themselves.
Beis HaMikdash, the victorious Maccabees discovered only a
small amount of pure olive oil, sealed with the distinctive seal of For generations it was the custom of communities in Italy
purity of the Kohein Gadol. Even though there was only enough and in Yemen to read the Scroll of Antiochus in the synagogue
oil to light the Menorah in the Beis HaMikdash for one day, the on Chanukah. (see thirteenth century Tosfos Rid; commentary
oil miraculously lasted for eight days. The codifiers of the Siddur, on Talmud Bavli, Sukkah 42) . It is printed in many Siddurim,
in the Al HaNissim prayer, emphasized the miracle of the armed including Otzar HaTefillos.
rebellion which is also the subject of Megillas Antiochus.
The Maccabees, like the oil found in the Beis HaMikdash,
The lesson of these two main stories is that a little bit of purity were a small drop of purity amongst an enormous amount of
can go a very long way. It is not the quantity of the oil that contamination.
matters; it is the quality of its purity.
We need heroes in order to survive as a people. The story of
The greatest developments in world history did not take place Chanukah is a story of pure spiritual heroism. It is our hope that
because of large armies or mega corporations. Change for the the republishing of this story with a new and modern translation
better is effected by individuals with courage and by heroes of will serve to inspire purity, integrity and the heroism which we so
faith. It is not the fire power of an army that wins the battle, but direly need.
the purity, power and conviction of its cause.
Rabbi Yaacov Haber
This is the story of the Jewish people. “Not because you are Jerusalem
larger than all the nations did God desire you and choose you, for Rosh Chodesh Kislev 5768
1 2
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

It happened in the days of Antiochus1, King of
Greece2. He was a great and mighty king, a powerful
‫ מלך גדול וחזק‬,‫בימי אנטיוכוס מלך יון‬ ‫ויהי‬
‫ וכל המלכים ישמעו‬,‫היה ותקיף בממשלתו‬
ruler whom all the kings obeyed. He conquered
,‫ והוא כבש מדינות רבות ומלכים חזקים‬.‫לו‬
many countries and strong kings, destroying their
castles, setting fire to their palaces, and capturing ‫ ואנשיהם‬,‫ והיכליהם שרף באש‬,‫והחריב טירותם‬
ANTIOCHUS, A
their soldiers. Since the time of Alexander the king, ‫ מימי אלכסנדרוס המלך‬.‫בבית האסורים אסר‬
POWERFUL RULER there had never been a king as powerful as him ‫ והוא בנה‬.‫לא קם מלך כמוהו בכל עבר הנהר‬
on the other side of the Euphrates River3. He built a ‫מדינה גדולה על חוף הים להיות לו לבית‬
great city at the edge of the sea as his royal palace,
.‫ ויקרא לה מדינת אנטיוכיא על שמו‬,‫מלכות‬
and named it the city of Antiochia, after himself. His
general was Bagris4 and he also built himself a city, ‫ ויקרא‬,‫וגם בגריס משנהו בנה מדינה לנגדה‬
opposite it. He named it Bagris, after himself and .‫ וכן שמותן עד היום הזה‬,‫לה בגריס על שמו‬
these are their names until today.
‫ היא‬,‫בשנת עשרים ושלוש שנים למלכו‬
In the twenty third year of his reign5, which is ‫שנת מאתים ושלוש עשרה שנים לבנין‬
the two hundred and thirteenth year since the
rebuilding of our House of God he determined to
.‫ שם פניו לעלות לירושלים‬,‫בית האלוהים‬
attack Yerushalayim.

1
Antiochus IV Epiphanes (the epithet Epiphanes in Greek means “The Shining One”) (ca. 4
The name Bagris only appears in the Scroll of Antiochus. We have no other records
215–164 BCE) ruled the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire from 175 BCE until his death. of a general or a city by this name. There was a general called Bacchides (mentioned
2
He claimed that his dynasty was the legitimate successor to Alexander, who was king in Maccabees I 7: 8) who marched against Yerushalayim at the instruction of King
of Greece and the entire known world. However, the reality is that after Alexander’s Demetrius who ruled the Selucid empire after Antiochus. In Josephus’ War of the Jews
death the kingdom was divided into four separate kingdoms who remained at war with (chapter 1: 2) Bachides is described as the general of Antiochus.
one another for the next 200 years. Antiochus was the ruler of the Seleucid dynasty 5
This is hard to understand historically, as he only ruled for 11 years. It is most likely
which comprised the area of Mesopotamia along with the Middle East. He is called that the war against Jerusalem began after his defeat in Egypt, approximately 168 BCE.
‘Greek’ because he attempted to ‘Hellenize’ (bring Greek culture and values to) his This date is 19 years since the death of Antiochus III. Perhaps the author of this scroll
entire kingdom. thought that Antiochus III was the immediate predecessor or Antiochus IV. According to
3
He waged war against Egypt and almost defeated them. He also had plans to conquer Seder HaDoros he conquered the land of Israel in the year 3460, which is almost 100
Rome, though he never succeeded in doing so. He also proclaimed himself to be a god; years earlier than minted coins from Antiochus’s reign. However, Seder HaDoros also
coins minted by Antiochus Epiphanes on the reverse side read “King Antiochus…God claims that the revolt of the Chashmonaim began in 3622 (139 BCE) which is later than
made visible”. historical documentation allows.

3 4
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
Therefore he said to his officers, “You know that the ‫ הלא ידעתם כי יש ַעם‬:‫ויען ויאמר לשריו‬
Jews of Yerushalayim are in our midst. They don’t ‫ לאלהינו אינם‬.‫היהודים אשר בירושלים בינינו‬
offer sacrifices to our gods and they don’t follow our ‫ ודתי המלך‬,‫ ודתינו אינם עושים‬,‫מקריבים‬

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

religion, and they abandon the rites of the king to
follow their own rituals. They also look forward to a
‫ וגם הם מייחלים ליום‬.‫עוזבים לעשות דתם‬
day when the kings and rulers are destroyed, saying, ‫ ואומרים 'מתי ימלוך‬,‫שברון המלכים והשלטונים‬
ANTIOCHUS DE- ‘When will our own king rule over us, and we will ‫ וכל העולם‬,‫ ונשלוט בים וביבשה‬,‫עלינו מלכנו‬
CIDES TO ASCEND
TO YERUSHA-
rule the land and the sea and the whole world will ‫ אין כבוד למלכות להניח לאלה על‬.'‫ינתן בידינו‬
AGAINST be given into our hands.’ It does not give honor to
LAYIM
THE JEWS.
‫ ונבטל‬,‫ עתה בואו ונעלה עליהם‬.‫פני האדמה‬
the king to leave them on the face of the earth. Now
let us come and ascend against them and annul the
‫ שבת ראש חודש‬:‫מהם הברית אשר כורת להם‬
covenant that their God made with them; Shabbos, .‫ וייטב הדבר בעיני שריו ובעיני כל חילו‬.‫ומילה‬
Rosh Chodesh and Bris Milah”. This was good in
the eyes of his ministers and in the eyes of all his
soldiers.
‫באותה שעה קם אנטיוכוס המלך וישלח את ניקנור‬
At that time Antiochus arose and sent Nikanor6 his
commander, with a huge army and many people. He ‫ ויבוא לעיר יהודה‬.‫משנהו בחיל גדול ועם רב‬
A HUGE ARMY IS
SENT TO JERUSA- came to the city of Yehuda – to Yerushalayim. He
‫ ויבן במה בבית‬,‫ ויהרוג בה הרג רב‬.‫לירושלים‬
LEM. MANY ARE
slaughtered a huge number of people and built an ‫ במקום אשר אמר אלוהי ישראל לעבדיו‬,‫המקדש‬
KILLED, AN ALTAR
IS BUILT IN THE altar in the Beis HaMikdash in the place where the ‫ במקום ההוא‬,‫אשכן שכינתי לעולם‬ַ ‫הנביאים שם‬
BEIS HAMIK- God of Israel had said to His servants the prophets
DASH AND A PIG .‫ ויביאו את דמו לעזרת הקודש‬,‫שחטו את החזיר‬
IS SLAUGHTERED. “There I will rest My Presence forever” . In that
7

place they slaughtered a pig and brought its blood

into the holy sanctuary.
‫ כאשר שמע יוחנן בן מתתיהו כהן גדול‬,‫ובהיות זה‬
It happened when Yochanan ben Matisyahu the ‫ וזיו פניו‬,‫ נמלא קצף וחמה‬,‫כי זה המעשה נעשה‬
Kohein Gadol8 heard that such a deed had been .‫ ויוועץ בליבו מה שיוכל לעשות על זה‬,‫נשתנה‬
done, he was filled with fury and anger and his face
6
Nikanor the son of Patroclus, is described in Maccabees II (9: 9) as one of the special
8
Yochanan was the third son of Matisyahu. It is unclear whether he was Yochanan the
friends of King Ptolemy of Egypt. High Priest mentioned in the Talmud, who served for 80 years and became a Sadducee
7
This is based on the words of the Amida prayer, “May You return to Yerushalayim in at the end of his life (Brachot 29a). In the Al HaNissim prayer we say Matisyahu ben
compassion and may You rest within it as You have spoken.” Yochanan the High Priest. The son must be named for his grandfather.
5 6
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
changed color. He took advice within himself as to ‫ שתי אמות‬,‫ואז יוחנן בן מתתיהו עשה לו חרב‬
what could be done about this. Then Yochanan ben .‫ תחת בגדיו עטופה‬,‫ארכה וזרת אחת רחבה‬
Matisyahu made himself a sword with a double
‫ ויקרא‬,‫ ויעמד בשער המלך‬,‫ויבוא ירושלים‬

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

YOCHANAN BEN
blade. It was two zeres long and one zeres wide9
M A T I S Y A H U and he concealed it under his clothing. He came to ‫ אני יוחנן בן מתתיהו‬:‫ ויאמר להם‬.‫לשוערים‬
ARMED WITH A
SWORD COMES
Yerushalayim and stood in the gate of the king. He ‫ ואז באו השוערים‬.‫באתי לבוא לפני ניקנור‬
TO YERUSHALYIM called to the gatekeepers and said to them, “I am ‫ הכהן הגדול מהיהודים‬:‫ ויאמרו לו‬,‫והשומרים‬
TO APPEAR BE- Yochanan ben Matisyahu. I came to appear before
FORE NIKANOR.
.‫ בא יבוא‬:‫ ויען ניקנור ויאמר להם‬.‫עומד בפתח‬
Nikanor”. The gatekeepers and the guards came
and said to Nikanor, ‘The Kohein Gadol of the Jews
is standing at the entrance’. Nikanor answered and
said to them “Let him come in”.

Then Yochanan was brought before Nikanor. ‫ ויען ניקנור ויאמר‬.‫ואז יוחנן הובא לפני ניקנור‬
Nikanor said to Yochanan, “You are one of the
‫ אתה הוא אחד מן המורדים אשר‬:‫ליוחנן‬
rebels who rebelled against the king and who doesn’t
want peace in the kingdom”. Yochanan replied to ‫ ויען‬.‫ ואינם רוצים לשלום מלכותו‬,‫מרדו במלך‬
Nikanor and said, “My master, I am he, now I have ‫ עתה‬,‫ אני הוא‬,‫ אדוני‬:‫יוחנן לפני ניקנור ויאמר‬
NIKANOR ASKS come before you. Whatever you wish I shall do.” ‫ ויען ניקנור‬.‫ אשר תרצה אעשה‬,‫באתי לפניך‬
YOCHANAN TO
SALAUGHTER A PIG Nikanor answered and said to Yochanan, “If you ‫ קח‬,‫ אם כרצוני אתה עושה‬:‫ויאמר ליוחנן‬
ON THE ALTAR. will do what I wish, take a pig and slaughter it on
YOCHAN ASKS ,‫ ותלבש בגדי מלכות‬,‫חזיר ושחטהו על הבמה‬
the altar. Then you may wear royal robes and ride
FOR A PRIVATE
AUDIENCE WITH on the king’s horse and be as one of the king’s close ‫ וכאחד מאוהבי המלך‬,‫ותרכב על סוס המלך‬
HIM.
friends.” When Yochanan heard this he answered ,‫ אדוני‬:‫ וכאשר שמע יוחנן השיבו דבר‬.‫תהיה‬
skillfully. “My master, I am afraid that the Israelites ‫ פן ישמעו כי עשיתי‬,‫אני ירא אנוכי מבני ישראל‬
will hear what I have done. They will stone me with ,‫ עתה יצא כל איש מלפניך‬.‫כן וסקלוני באבנים‬
rocks! Please remove all the people from before you, .‫ אז ניקנור הוציא מלפניו כל איש‬.‫פן יודיעום‬
lest they make it known.” So Nikanor sent out every
man from the place.

9
A zeres is approximately 1 foot/ 30 cm.

7 8
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
Then Yochanan ben Matisyahu cast his eyes to the ‫בעת ההיא נשא יוחנן בן מתתיהו עיניו לשמים‬
Lord of Heaven and prayed before His G-d. He said, ‫ אלוהי ואלוהי‬:‫ ויאמר‬,‫ותיקן תפלתו לפני אלוהיו‬
“Lord, and Lord of my fathers Avraham, Yitzchak
‫ אל תתנני נא בידי‬,‫ אברהם יצחק ויעקב‬,‫אבותי‬

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

YO CH A N A N and Yaakov. Please don’t allow me to fall into the
PRAYS FOR
hand of this non-Jew, for if he kills me he will go ‫ וילך וישתבח בבית דגון‬,‫ כי אם יהרגני‬,‫הערל הזה‬
SALVATION AND
KILLSNIKANOR. and offer praise in the Temple of Dagon his god10, ‫ באותו שעה פסע‬.‫ ויאמר אלהי נתנו בידי‬,‫אלוהיו‬
HE THROWS THE and will say ‘My god gave him into my hand’.” At ‫ וישלך‬,‫ ויתקע החרב בלבו‬,‫עליו שלש פסיעות‬
CORPSE INTO THE
SANCTUARY.
that moment he took three strides forward and .‫אותו חלל בעזרת הקודש לפני אלוהי השמים‬
stabbed the sword into Nikanor’s heart, and threw
his corpse in the holy sanctuary before the Lord of
Heaven11.

Yochanan cried out and said, ‘My L-rd, don’t ‫ לא תשים עלי חטא‬,‫ אלוהי‬:‫ענה יוחנן ויאמר‬
consider this as a sin even though I killed him in the ‫ עתה כן תתן את כל העמים‬,‫כי הרגתיו בקודש‬
sanctuary. Now also give us all his men that came
‫ אז יצא‬.‫אשר באו עמו להצר ליהודה ולירושלים‬
YO CH A N A N
with him to cause pain to Yehuda and Yerushalayim.’
LEADS THE JEWS Then Yochanan ben Matisyahu went out on that day ‫ וילחם בעמים‬,‫יוחנן בן מתתיהו ביום ההוא‬
OUT TO BATTLE
and fought with the people and slaughtered very ‫ מספר ההרוגים אשר הרג‬.‫ויהרוג בהם הרג רב‬
AND IS VICTORI-
OUS. many of them. The number of people who were (‫ביום ההוא שבע מאות אלף ושנים )ושבעים‬
killed on that day was 772,000 who were killed by ‫ בשובו בנה‬.‫ אשר היו הורגים אלה לאלה‬,‫אלף‬
their own allies. When he returned he built a pillar
."‫ ויקרא לו "מכבי ממית החזקים‬,‫עמוד על שמו‬
in his name and he was called ‘Maccabee who kills
the strong’.

When King Antiochus heard the news that Nikanor ‫ויהי כאשר שמע אנטיוכוס המלך כי נהרג ניקנור‬
his commander had been killed he was very ‫ וישלח להביא לו את בגריס‬,‫ צר לו מאוד‬,‫משנהו‬
distressed, and sent for the wicked Bagris, deceiver ‫ ויען אנטיוכוס ויאמר‬.‫הרשע המטעה את עמו‬
of his people. Antiochus said to Bagris, ‘you know
if you haven’t already heard what the Children of
‫ אשר עשו לי‬,‫ הלא ידעת אם לא שמעת‬:‫לבגריס‬
.‫ הרגו חיילי ויבוזו מחנותי ושרי‬.‫בני ישראל‬
10
Dagon was a fish shaped god worshipped by several ancient sea-faring or shore-
dwelling nations.
11
According to Maccabees II (15: 25) Nikanor was killed by Judah Maccabee.

9 10
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
Israel have done to me; they have killed my soldiers ‫ או בתיכם לכם‬,‫עתה על ממונכם אתם בוטחים‬
and plundered my camps and my officers. ‘Now
‫ בואו נעלה עליהם ונבטל מהם הברית אשר‬,‫הם‬
ANTIOCHUS can you still rely on your money or your homes

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

SENDS BAGRIS
to protect you? Come let us ascend against them .‫ שבת ראש חודש ומילה‬:‫כרת להם אלוהיהם‬
AGAINST THE
JEWS. and annul their covenant which their Lord of the
Heaven made with them; Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh
and Bris Milah’.

Then the wicked Bagris and all his camp came to

Yerushalayim and massacred many people, and
,‫אז בגריס הרשע וכל מחנותיו באו לירושלים‬
made an absolute decree against Shabbos, Rosh ‫ ויגזור גזרה גמורה על שבת‬,‫ויהרוג בהם הרג רב‬
Chodesh and Bris Milah. When this decree was ‫ בהיות זה כאשר היה דבר‬.‫ראש חודש ומילה‬
BAGRIS COMES put into effect, the command of the king was ‫ והביאו‬,‫ מצאו איש אשר מל את בנו‬,‫המלך נחפז‬
TO YERUSHA- speedily carried out. When they found a man had ‫ וגם אישה‬.‫האיש ואשתו ויתלו אותם כנגד הילד‬
LYIM WITH HIS
circumcised his son they took him and his wife and
ARMY. MANY ‫ ותמל אותו‬,‫אשר ילדה בן אחרי מות בעלה‬
PEOPLE ARE hanged them in front of the child. One woman gave
MURDERED. A
birth after the death of her husband and circumcised
‫ ותעל על חומת ירושלים ובנה‬,‫לשמנת ימים‬
DECREE IS MADE
AGAINST KEEPING her son on the eighth day. She climbed on the walls ‫ לך אומרים בגריס‬:‫ ותען ותאמר‬.‫מהול בידה‬
SHABBOS, ROSH of Yerushalayim with her newly circumcised son ‫ אתם חושבים לבטל מאתנו הברית אשר‬,‫הרשע‬
CHODESH AND
BRIS MILAH. in her arms. She cried out, ‘To you we say, wicked ‫ שבת‬,‫ ברית אבותינו לא נבטל ממנו‬,‫כורת עמנו‬
MANY OF THE Bagris, you think you can annul our covenant that ‫ ותפל‬.‫ראש חודש ומילה מבני בנינו לא יוסר‬
CHILDREN OF
He made with us. The covenant of our ancestors
ISRAEL DO NOT ‫ וימותו שניהם‬,‫ ותיפול אחריו‬,‫את בנה לארץ‬
RENOUNCE THE will never be nullified! Shabbos, Rosh Chodesh and
COVENANT OF
Bris Milah will never leave our descendants!’ She ‫ ורבים מבני ישראל אשר היו עושים‬.‫כאחד‬
THEIR ANCES-
TORS. threw her son to the ground and threw herself after .‫ ולא שינו את ברית אבותם‬,‫כן בימים ההם‬
him, and they both died together. Many were the
Children of Israel who would do likewise in those
days, and they did not renounce the covenant of
their ancestors.

11 12
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
At that time the Children of Israel said to each other, :‫בזמן ההוא אמרו בני ישראל אלו לאלו‬
‘Let us spend the Shabbos in a cave, lest we violate ‫ פן נחלל את‬,‫בואו ונלך ונשבות במערה‬
Shabbos’. People betrayed them to Bagris. Then the
.‫ וילשינו אותם לפני בגריס‬.‫יום השבת‬

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

wicked Bagris sent armed men who came to the
JEWS COME mouth of the cave. They said, ‘Jews, come out to us, ‫ ויבואו‬,‫אז בגריס הרשע שלח אנשים חלוצים‬
TOGETHER
SPEND SHABBOS
TO
eat our bread and drink our wine and act like us.’ ,‫ יהודים‬:‫ ויאמרו אליהם‬.‫וישבו על פי המערה‬
IN A CAVE. The Children of Israel cried out and said to each ‫ אכלו מלחמנו ושתו מייננו ומעשינו‬,‫צאו אלינו‬
other, ‘We remember what God commanded us on ‫ ויענו בני ישראל ויאמרו אלה‬.‫תהיו עושים‬
THE SOLDIERS OF
BAGRIS KILL ONE Mount Sinai, “Six days you shall toil and do all your
THOUSAND MEN work and on the seventh day you should rest.”12
‫ זוכרים אנחנו אשר צוונו ה' על הר סיני‬:‫לאלה‬
AND WOMEN.
Now it is better that we die in this cave than profane ‫"ששת ימים תעבוד ועשית כל מלאכתך וביום‬
the day of Shabbos.’ When the Jews did not come ‫ עתה טוב לנו אשר נמות‬,"‫השביעי תשבות‬
out to them, they brought wood and set fire to the ‫ בהיות זה‬.‫במערה מאשר נחלל את יום השבת‬
entrance of the cave and killed approximately one ‫ הביאו עצים‬,‫כאשר לא יצאו אליהם היהודים‬
thousand men and women.
.‫ וימותו כאלף איש ואישה‬,‫וישרפו על פי המערה‬
YOCHANAN AND After this, the five sons of Matisyahu set out;
HIS BROTHERS Yochanan and his four brothers, and fought against ‫ יוחנן וארבעת‬,‫אחרי כן יצאו חמשה בני מתתיהו‬
FIGHT AGAINST
THE ENEMY AND
the foreigners and killed very many of them, and ,‫ וילחמו בעמים ויהרגו בהם הרג רב‬,‫אחיו‬
KILL MANY OF exiled them13 to the islands of the sea, for they .‫ כי בטחו באלוהי השמים‬,‫ויגרשום לאיי הים‬
THEM.
trusted in the Lord of Heaven.

Then wicked Bagris and all the refugees from the

battle boarded a ship and fled to Antiochia to the ‫ וינס אל‬,‫אז בגריס הרשע נכנס בספינה אחת‬
BAGRIS AND HIS king. Bagris said to King Antiochus, “You are the ‫ ויען‬.‫ ועמו אנשים פליטי חרב‬,‫אנטיוכוס המלך‬
MEN FLEE TO king who gave commands to remove Shabbos, ‫ אתה המלך שמת‬:‫בגריס ויאמר לאנטיוכוס‬
KING ANTIOCHUS.
Rosh Chodesh and Bris Milah from the Jews.
Now there is great rebellion and uprising in their ,‫ציווי לבטל מן היהודים שבת ראש חודש ומילה‬
midst. Even if all the peoples and nations of the ‫ אשר אם ילכו כל‬.‫מרמה גדולה ומרד בתוכה‬
world would go to war, they wouldn’t be able ‫ לא יוכלו לחמשת‬,‫העמים והאומות והלשונות‬
12
Shemos 20: 9-10
13
According to the original Aramaic it says: “The suvivors fled”.

13 14
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
to conquer the five sons of Matisyahu. They are ‫ מאריות הם חזקים ומנשרים הם‬:‫בני מתתיהו‬
stronger than lions, lighter than eagles and quicker14
‫ עצתי‬,‫ עתה המלך‬.‫קלים ומדובים הם ממהרים‬
than bears. Now, King, my advice, if it is good to you,
‫ כי אם‬.‫ ולא תלחם באנשים מעט‬,‫תיטב עליך‬

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

is that you cannot fight with only a few men. For if
you do you will become degraded in the eyes of all ‫ לכן‬.‫ ותבוש בעיני כל המלכים‬,‫תלחם בהם‬
the kings. Therefore you should send messengers to ‫ ויבואו‬,‫כתוב ושלח ספרים בכל מדינות מלכותיך‬
BAGRIS DESCRIBES all the countries of your kingdom without exception,
THE STRENGTH ‫ גם פילים‬.‫ ולא ישאר מהם אחד‬,‫שרי החילות‬
OF THE JEWS. and they should send armed officers along with
ARMIES ARE elephants covered in armor.” This was good in the ‫ וייטב הדבר בעיני‬.‫מלובשים שריונים יהיו עמהם‬
SENT FROM ALL eyes of King Antiochus and he sent messengers to all ‫ וישלח ספרים לכל מדינות‬,‫אנטיוכוס המלך‬
KINGDOMS. A
SECOND ATTACK
the countries in his realm, and all the nations and ‫ וגם‬,‫ ויבואו שרי כל העמים והממלכות‬,‫מלכותו‬
IS LAUNCHED kingdoms came, and brought with them armored
‫ שנית‬.‫פילים מלובשים שריונים עימהם באו‬
AGAINST YERUSH- elephants.15 Wicked Bagris launched a second attack
ALAYIM.
and came to Yerushalayim. He broke through the ‫ בקע בחומה‬,‫ ויבוא לירושלים‬,‫קם בגריס הרשע‬
wall, shattered the entrance and made thirteen ‫ וישבר במקדש שלוש עשרה‬,‫וינתק המבוא‬
breaches in the wall of the Beis HaMikdash.16 He .‫ עד אשר היו כעפר‬,‫ וגם מן האבנים שיבר‬.‫פרצות‬
also ground up the rocks until they were like dust.
,‫ הפעם הזאת לא יוכלו לי‬:‫ויחשוב בלבו ויאמר‬
He thought to himself and said, “This time they will
not overpower me, for I have at my disposal a large .‫ ואלוהי השמים לא חשב כן‬.‫כי רב חילי ועוז ידי‬
and strong army.” But the Lord of Heaven did not
agree.
‫ קמו ויבואו‬,‫וכששמעו חמשה בני מתתיהו‬
When the five sons of Matisyahu heard, they arose
and came to Mitzpeh Gilad where there had been ‫ אשר היה שם פליטה לבית ישראל‬,‫למצפה גלעד‬
THE FIVE SONS salvation for the House of Israel in the time of ‫ וישבו על האפר‬,‫ צום גזרו‬.‫בימי שמואל הנביא‬
MATISYAHU
OF
COME TO
Shmuel the prophet.17 They decreed a fast and sat ‫ אז נפל‬.‫לבקש רחמים מלפני אלוהי השמים‬
MITZPEH GILAD. on the ground to ask for mercy before the Lord of
THEY FAST AND Heaven. Then a good idea occured to them; Yehuda,
,‫ שמעון השני‬,‫בלבם עצה טובה יהודה הבכור‬
PRAY.
the first born; Shimon, the second son; Yochanan .‫ החמישי אלעזר‬,‫ הרביעי יונתן‬,‫השלישי יוחנן‬
the third; Yonasan, the fourth son and the fifth son, Romans and Carthiginians. For example, Hannibal’s favorite elephant was described as
Elazar. an impressive animal named Sarus (“the Syrian”)
14
The original Aramaic text says ‫ומן דובין חציפין‬- “more energetic”.
16
These breaches are mentioned in the Mishna (Midos 2: 3): The soreg was ten tefachim
15
The Seleucids (particularly those from Syria) were famous for using Asian elephants in height. There were thirteen breaches in it, which had been made by the Greeks. They
in battle, which were approximately 2.5-3.5 meters (8-10 ft) at the shoulder. These were later rebuilt. But they established thirteen ‘bowings’ when passing them.
were bigger and therefore more terrifying than the North African elephants used by
17
Shmuel 1 chapter 14
15 16
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
Their father blessed them and this is what he said; ‫אד ֶמה‬
ַ ,‫ יהודה בני‬:‫ברך אותם אביהם וכן אמר‬
‘Yehuda my son, I will compare you to Yehuda the ‫ אשר היה נמשל‬,‫אותך ליהודה בן יעקב‬
son of Yaakov who was likened to a lion18. Shimon

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

‫אד ֶמה אותך לשמעון‬ ַ ‫ שמעון בני‬.‫כאריה‬
my son, I will compare you to Shimon the son of
Yaakov who killed the inhabitants of Shechem19. ‫ יוחנן בני‬.‫ אשר הרג יושבי שכם‬,‫בן יעקב‬
MATISYAHU .‫אד ֶמה אותך לאבנר בן נר שר צבא ישראל‬ ַ
BLESSES EACH OF
Yochanan my son, I will compare you to Avner son
HIS FIVE SONS. of Ner, General of the Army of Israel.20 Yonasan my ‫ אשר הרג‬,‫אד ֶמה אותך ליונתן בן שאול‬
ַ ‫יונתן בני‬
THEY SET OUT
son, I will compare you to Yonasan the son of Shaul
TO WAR AND
‫אד ֶמה אותך לפנחס בן‬
ַ ‫ אלעזר בני‬.‫עם פלישתים‬
who killed the Philistines single-handedly.21 Elazar
KILL MANY OF
.‫ אשר קנא לאלוהינו והציל את בני ישראל‬,‫אלעזר‬
THEIR ENEMIES. my son, I will compare you to Pinchas son of Elazar
YEHUDA IS
who wrought the vengeance of his God and saved ‫ וילחמו‬,‫על זה יצאו חמשה בני מתתיהו ביום הזה‬
KILLED IN THE
WAR. the Children of Israel.’22 With this, the five sons .‫ויהרג מהם יהודה‬
ֵ .‫ ויהרגו בהם הרג רב‬,‫בעמים‬
of Matisyahu set out on that day and waged war
against the nations, and killed very many of them.
But Yehuda was killed. At that time when the sons
of Matisyahu saw that Yehuda had been killed, they
returned to their father.

He said to them, ‘Why have you returned?’ They ‫ כאשר ראו בני מתתיהו כי‬,‫באותה שעה‬
replied, ‘Because Yehuda, our brother, who was ‫ ויאמר‬.‫נהרג יהודה; שבו ויבואו אל אביהם‬
THE SONS RE-
TURN TO THEIR
the most important amongst us, has been killed.’ ‫ אשר‬:‫ למה שבתם? ויענו ויאמרו‬:‫להם‬
FATHER. Matisyahu their father said to them, ‘I will go out
with you and wage war against the nations, lest
.‫ אשר היה חשוב ככולנו‬,‫נהרג יהודה אחינו‬
the House of Israel is destroyed while you remain ‫ אני אצא‬:‫ויען מתתיהו אביהם ויאמר אליהם‬
agitated about your brother.’ ,‫ פן יאבדו בית ישראל‬,‫עמכם ואלחם בעמים‬
.‫ואתם נבהלתם על אחיכם‬
18
Bereishis 49: 9 “A lion cub is Yehuda…”
19
ibid. chapter 34. Yaakov’s sons Shimon and Levi killed all the townspeople in the
city of Shechem in retaliation for the rape of their sister Dina.
20
He was King David’s most successful general. See Shmuel 1, 14: 50, 20: 25
21
Shmuel 1 chapter 14
22
Bamidbar 25

17 18
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
Matisyahu went out with his sons on that day and .‫ וילחמו בעמים‬,‫ויצא מתתיהו ביום ההוא עם בניו‬
fought against the nations. The Lord of Heaven ‫ ויהרגו‬,‫ואלוהי השמים נתן כל גיבורי העמים בידם‬
gave into their hands all the mighty soldiers of

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

the nations, and they slaughtered them. Of all the
,‫ כל אחוזי חרב וכל מושכי קשת‬,‫בהם הרג רב‬
sword bearers and archers, all the officers in the ‫ וינוסו‬.‫ לא נותר בהם שריד‬,‫שרי החיל והסגנים‬
MATISYAHU AND armies and the commanders there did not remain ‫ ואלעזר היה מתעסק‬.‫שאר העמים למדינות הים‬
HIS SONS GO
a single one, and all the nations fled to foreign ‫ וכאשר‬.‫ ויטבע בפרש הפילים‬,‫להמית הפילים‬
OUT TO FIGHT
AGAINST THE shores. Elazar was trying to kill the elephants, but ,‫ בקשוהו בין החיים ובין המתים ולא מצאוהו‬,‫שבו‬
NATIONS. THE he drowned in elephant dung. When they returned
ENEMY IS GIVEN
from battle they sought him and could not find him,
.‫ואחר כך מצאוהו אשר טבע בפרש הפילים‬
INTO THEIR
HANDS. ELAZAR until eventually they found that he had drowned in .‫וישמחו בני ישראל כי ניתנו בידהם שונאיהם‬
DIES IN BATTLE.
elephant dung. ‫ ומהם‬,‫ ומהם דקרו בחרב‬,‫מהם שרפו באש‬
THE CHILDREN The Children of Israel rejoiced, for their enemies ‫ המטעה‬,‫ ובגריס הרשע‬.‫תלו על העץ‬
OF ISRAEL RE- had been given into their hands. Some were burned .‫ שרפו אותו בית ישראל באש‬,‫את עמו‬
JOICE IN THIER
in fire, some were killed with the sword and some
VICTORY. ‫ כאשר שמע אשר נהרגו‬,‫ואז אנטיוכוס המלך‬
were hanged on the gallows. The wicked Bagris who
KING ANTIO- misled his country was burned in fire by the House ‫ נכנס‬,‫בגריס הרשע וכל שרי החיל אשר עמו‬
CHUS FLEES.
of Israel. Then King Antiochus, when he heard that ‫ כל מקום אשר היה‬.‫בספינה וינס למדינת הים‬
wicked Bagris had been killed along with all the ."‫ מורדים בו וקוראים אותו "הבורח‬,‫בא שמה‬
officers of the army that were with him, boarded
a ship and fled abroad. Everywhere he went they
‫ ויבנו‬,‫אחרי כן באו בני חשמונאי לבית המקדש‬
rebelled against him and called him ‘the coward’.
‫ ויטהרו‬,‫ ויסגרו הפרצות‬,‫השערים הנשברים‬
THE HOUSE OF
After this the House of Chashmonai came to the ‫ ויבקשו‬.‫העזרה מן ההרוגים ומן הטומאות‬
CHASHMONAI
COME TO THE Beis HaMikdash and rebuilt the gates that had been ‫ ולא מצאו כי אם‬,‫שמן זית זך להדליק המנורה‬
BEIS HAMIKDASH smashed and repaired the breaches in the walls; ‫ אשר הייתה חתומה בטבעת הכהן‬,‫צלוחית אחת‬
AND REPAIR AND
PURIFY IT. THEY they purified the courtyard from the corpses and ‫ והיה בה כשיעור‬,‫ וידעו כי היתה טהור‬,‫הגדול‬
ONLY FIND ONE the impurity. They tried to find clear olive oil with
SEALED JAR OF
which to light the Menorah, but they could only find
‫ ואלוהי השמים אשר שיכן שמו‬.‫הדלקת יום אחד‬
OLIVE OIL.
a single jar which was sealed with the signet ring .‫ נתן בה ברכה והדליקו ממנה שמונה ימים‬,‫שם‬
of the Kohein Gadol. They knew that it was pure, ‫ וחזקו איסר‬,‫על כן קיימו בני חשמונאי קיום‬
19 20
 MEGILLAS ANTIOCHUS ‫מגילת אנטיוכוס‬
but there was only enough oil to burn for a single ‫ לעשות שמונה ימים‬,‫ובני ישראל עימהם כאחד‬
THE OIL LASTS day. The Lord of Heaven, Who causes His name to ‫ כימי מועדים הכתובים‬,‫האלה ימי משתה ושמחה‬
FOR EIGHT DAYS.
dwell there, gave a blessing to the oil and they lit

Translated and produced by www.torahlab.org

from it for eight days.
‫ להודיע אשר עשה‬,‫ ולהדליק בהם נרות‬,‫בתורה‬
,‫ ובהם אין לספוד‬.‫להם אלוהי השמים ניצוחים‬
Thus the children of the Chashmonaim along ‫ זולתי אשר מקובל עליו‬,‫ולא לגזור צום ותענית‬
with the Children of Israel established as a lasting ‫ אך חשמונאי‬.‫ ויתפלל לפני אלוקיו‬,‫מלפני זה‬
memory, and strengthened it with the force of .‫ובניו ואחיהם לא גזרו בהם לבטל עבודת מלאכה‬
a prohibition, to keep these eight days as days of
THESE EIGHT feasting and rejoicing, like the festivals written in the
DAYS ARE ESTAB-
Torah. And to light candles and publicize the victory ‫ ויקבלו‬.‫ומן העת ההוא לא היה שם למלכות יון‬
LISHED AS DAYS
OF FEASTING that Lord of Heaven did for them. It is forbidden to ‫המלכות בני חשמונאי ובני בניהם מהעת הזאת‬
AND REJOICING.
eulogize on these days; or to decree a fast, unless it .‫ועד חרבן בית אלוהים מאתים ושש שנים‬
was already accepted as a fast beforehand; and to
pray before their Lord. But the Chashmonai and his
,‫על כן בני ישראל מהיום ההוא בכל גלותם‬
sons and their bretheren did not forbid working or
the types of activities forbidden on Shabbos. ‫ ויקראו להם ימי‬,‫שומרים את הימים האלה‬
‫משתה ושמחה מחמשה ועשרים לחודש כסליו‬
From that time forth there was no remnant of the ‫ מן העת ההיא ועד העולם לא‬.‫שמונה ימים‬
Greek kingdom. The sons of the Chashmonai and ‫יסורו מהם אשר היו בבית מקדשם הכוהנים‬
their children made themselves into kings from
‫ אשר קיימו עליהם ועל בני‬,‫והלוים וחכמיהם‬
then until the destruction of the House of God,
FOR EIGHT
two hundred and six years later23. Therefore, the .‫בניהם עד עולם‬
DAYS, FROM THE
TWENTY FIFTH Children of Israel from that day in all their exiles
OF KISLEV WE observe these days. They call them days of feasting ‫ הוא יעשה לנו‬,‫האל אשר עשה עמהם נס ופלא‬
OBSERVE THESE
DAYS FOR ALL
and rejoicing from the twenty fifth of Kislev for ‫ ויקוים בנו מקרא שכתוב "כימי‬,‫נסים ונפלאות‬
ETERNITY. eight days. From that time and forever more it did ."‫צאתך מארץ מצרים אראנו נפלאות‬
not depart from them that which was (established)
in the Beis HaMikdash, the Priests, the Levites and
the Sages, which they accepted upon themselves and 23
Thus, according to this text, the Second Beis HaMikdash stood for a total of 420
upon their children’s children for all eternity. years. 213 before the Greeks, one year of fighting, and 206 after the defeat of the
Greeks.
21 22