ROSH CHODESH KISLEV

By Melissa Sostrin

One Chanukah story celebrates Hannah who, after witnessing the martyrdom of her seven sons - killed for refusing to eat pork, dies shortly thereafter. Another story lauds Judith who beheaded General Holofernes. I like this story's ending better so I will focus on her. 

Interestingly, Judith is not mentioned in Tanakh, though she does appear in the Catholic bible, and her historical appearance does not coincide with the Maccabees. Furthermore, there is no original text in Hebrew and the first text mention of her appears in Greek.  

However, Ramban was comfortable enough to quote passages from a peshitta, or bible written in Syriac, an Aramaic language. The story was really not told much until Crypto-Jewish literature portrayed her as a Hasmonean counterpart to Esther. 

The first ahistorical note in the story is that Nebuchadnezzar, a Babylonian ruler, has sent Holofernes and his troops to punish Israel. They block access to Jerusalem by capturing the town of Bethulia and cut off water sources. The leaders are ready to compromise, but Judith reprimands them for their lack of faith, and then prays for all sorts of female inspired  superpower - for the strength of a widow, for "deceitful words" (more on that another time), and the ability to crush their arrogance by the hand of a woman." (9:10) 

Dressed to kill, she visits Holofernes and plies him with salty cheese which he chases with wine until he passes out. Judith chops off his head with his sword, then carries it in her now empty food bag to show the Israelites.  Impressed with her upcycling, they are empowered to route Holofernes's troops, and now we eat cheese on Chanukah. Or something like that... 

Fascinatingly, the portrayal of Judith, a Jewish heroine, in art throughout the centuries has reflected society's changing image of women. Images in the early 1500's depicted a nymph-like, virtuous, and charming young woman.  

Artemisia Gentileschi, the first woman in Florence's Fine Arts Academy, made four paintings of Judith. "Judith Slaying Holofernes" (c. 1614) is considered to be a biographical artistic rendering of her rape by her tutor, a friend of her father. She spoke out about it and her reputation was ruined. 

In "Judith and Her Maidservant" (c. 1625) as in all Artemisia's portrayals of her, Judith has her weapon at the ready. Men may have been intimidated by her portrayal of women having power, sexual as well, over them. 

Gustav Klimt's 1901 painting depicts a modern day Judith in post-coital bliss. Judith, a Jewish heroine, has gone from being seen as virtuous to sexually dangerous, from being a political symbol of the underdog to a feminist icon.  

But how was it formalized that we connect cheese and Judith?   

"There is a tradition to eat cheese on Chanukah." (Shulchan Aruch 670:2)  And there was a strong tradition of eating cheese on Chanukah in 14th century Europe. After all, the potato didn't make it to the old world until sometime after 1570. Rabbi Moses Isserles wrote a commentary on the Shulchan Aruch in the mid-16th century which recommended that we eat cheese on Chanukah to remember Judith.  

Wishing you a "grate" Chanukah! 

Melissa