Hanukah: Bringing the Inside Out — The Story of Hanukah as Told by Tractate Shabbat

Introduction

Why do we light Hanukah candles and what do they symbolize? We all know the story of the miraculous flask of oil that burned for eight days, but is that the whole story? In this special podcast for Hanukah, Rabbi Rahel Berkovits examines the section in Tractate Shabbat in which the laws of Hanukah are taught. Through an examination of the sources found there, we will try to understand what Chazal thought the Hanukah candles represent and which miracle we are publicizing.

Credits:
Larry Kluger – Creative Consultant
Arlene Harel – Production Coordinator

Rahel Berkovits

Rabbi Rahel Berkovits is Senior Faculty at Pardes, where she has taught Mishnah, Talmud and Halakha for more than twenty years. She lectures widely in Israel and abroad on topics relating to women and Jewish law and Jewish sexual ethics. In 2015, Rahel received rabbinic ordination from Rabbis Herzl Hefter and Daniel Sperber.

Rahel is the halakhic editor and a writer for Hilkhot Nashim, the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance’s halakhic source guide series published by Koren. She is also a founding member of Congregation Shirah Hadasha, a halakhic partnership synagogue in Jerusalem, where she serves on the halakha committee.