Tag Archives: Tanakh

Apocrypha, Part 1: Understanding Tanakh

Join us as we embark on a journey exploring the Sifrei Hitzonim (“Apocrypha”), the ancient texts that were deliberately suppressed and excluded from the Tanakh. In this first part of the series, we explore who wrote the Tanakh, how it was compiled, and what criteria were used in its canonization. We also take a look at why some Biblical books almost didn’t make the cut.

Along the way, we discuss whether the Book of Daniel is truly prophetic or not, why some sought to “cancel” the Book of Ezekiel, the surprising apocryphal Book of Esther, and why Shir haShirim is so graphic and explicit.

For the class on the four Sages who ascended to Heaven and saw Metatron, see here.

For a class on the secret of chashmal, the “electricity” of the Divine Chariot, see here.

For more on the translation of the Tanakh into Greek and why it was tragic, see here. 

For more on the Dome of the Rock and the Foundation Stone, see here.

Where in the Torah is Chanukah?

Chanukah is the only major Jewish holiday that is not found in the Tanakh. This is mainly because the events of Chanukah took place in the 2nd century BCE, while according to tradition the Tanakh was already compiled and codified long before by the Great Assembly at the start of the Second Temple era. In fact, historians date the earliest Greek translations of Biblical books to the 3rd century BCE. Historical records agree with the Talmud that it was King Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-247 BCE) who first commissioned the translation of the Torah into Greek, probably for his Great Library in Alexandria. How much of Scripture was translated at that point is not clear.

Although we see that the Sages continued to debate which holy books should be included in the definitive Tanakh nearly into the Talmudic period, the Book of Maccabees was never on the table. One reason is because the Book of Maccabees is not, and does not even claim to be, a prophetic work. It is simply a historical text and, contrary to popular belief, the Tanakh is not at all a history textbook. While it does record historical events—along with laws, ethics, prophecies, and more—its purpose is far greater. The Zohar (III, 152a) goes so far as to say that a person who views the Torah as a history book which simply relates “historical narratives” and “simple tales” has no share in the World to Come! “Every word in the Written Torah is a supernal word containing lofty secrets” it says, and “the narratives of the Written Torah are only the outer garments…”

Of course, it is a fundamental principle of Judaism that the Torah is an encrypted work that contains within it allusions to everything. As such, we should be able to find encoded references to Chanukah. And we do. Where did Moses hide clues to the future events of the Hashmonean Maccabees and the Chanukah festival?

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