Midrash for Hanukkah: The Story of Judith

The sages taught: In the days of the wicked Greek empire, they decreed that whoever had a door-bolt in his home must engrave upon it: “The Children of Israel have no portion or inheritance with the God of Israel.” Immediately, the Israelites wrenched the door-bolts from their houses.

They decreed further: Whoever owns an ox shall write upon its horn: “The Children of Israel have no portion in the God of Israel.” The Israelites went and sold their oxen.

They decreed further: The [Israelites] must have intercourse with their wives when they are menstruants. The Israelites went and separated from their wives.

The Greeks further decreed: Whoever marries a woman must allow the governor to have intercourse with her, and only afterwards may she return to her husband. And they kept this practice for three years and eight months until the daughter of Yoḥanan the high priest was to be married. When they tried to bring her before the governor, she uncovered her hair and rent her garments and stood naked before the people. Immediately Judah and his brothers were filled with rage. And they said, “Let her be taken out and burned, and let not this matter be revealed to the authorities, lest lives be endangered due to her impudence of standing naked before this large throng.” She then said to him, “Is it a humiliation to [stand naked] before my companions and brothers, but not a humiliation [to be seen naked] by the eyes of an impure man with a foreskin, to whom you wish to deliver me, to whom you wish to lead me to lie with him?”

When Judah and his companions heard this, they conspired to kill the governor. They immediately dressed the maiden in royal garments, made a canopy of myrtle branches, [and led her in a procession] from the house of Hasmonea¹ to the governor’s house. And singers, harp players, and lyre players arrived and [accompanied her with] song and dance to the governor’s house. When the governor heard this, he said to his officers and slaves, “See these people; they are of the great men of Israel, the offspring of Aaron the priest. See how they rejoice to fulfill my will! They deserve great honor for this!” And he commanded his officers and servants to leave [his chambers].

And Judah and his companions entered with Judah’s sister. And they hacked off his head and looted all that was his. And they killed his ministers and slaves, and they utterly crushed the Greeks; none remained but the king himself. And the Israelites in the city were overcome with panic and trembling, [uncertain about] the fates of those Israelite lads. [But] a heavenly voice issued from the Holy of Holies, announcing, “The young men who went to wage war against Antiochus have been victorious” [see b. Sotah 33a]. And the lads returned, closed the gates, repented, and immersed themselves in the study of Torah and the performance of charitable deeds.

When the king of the Greeks heard that the Israelites had killed his governor, he gathered his entire people and laid siege to Jerusalem. And the Jews were very afraid. And there was a Jewish widow whose name was Judith. And she took her maidservant and approached the gates of Jerusalem and said [to the defenders], “Allow me to pass, for perhaps a miracle will be performed through me.” And they opened the gates and she appeared before the [Greek] battalions. And they said to her, “What are you doing?” And she said, “It is my wish to speak to the king.” And she appeared before the king. And he said to her, “What is it that you want?” And she said, “My lord! I am the daughter of great people in Israel and my brothers are prophets. And I heard them prophesying that tomorrow Jerusalem will fall into your hands.”

When [the king] heard this, he was filled with great joy. And he had a wise man who would stargaze and would say, “I see that Israel will repent and that you will be unable to best them. Return whence you came!” And the king was filled with rage and commanded that [the man] be seized. And they cuffed his hands and legs and hanged him before [the gates of] Jerusalem. And the king said, “Tomorrow, when Jerusalem falls in our hands, we shall kill him.”

And the king believed Judith and fell in love with her. And he said to her, “Do you wish to marry me?” And she said, “My lord, the king, I am not worthy to marry even one of your slaves. However, because your heart so desires, send word throughout the camp that whoever sees two women next to the spring should do them no harm—for I must go there to bathe myself and [perform ritual] immersion.” They immediately sent out word, and she did so. And the king held a great feast, and they drank and were drunk. Then every man returned to his tent, and the king lay [his head] upon her lap and fell asleep. Then that woman, Judith, took his sword and hacked off his head. And she spread a sheet upon [his body].

And she took the king’s head to the gate of Jerusalem and said, “Open the gates! For the Holy One has performed a miracle through me!” They said to her, “Is it not enough that you fornicated and defiled yourself, that now you wish to falsely accuse us?” She immediately showed them the king’s head. When they saw it, they opened the gates and emerged [from the city]. And they raised their voices and cried out, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God; the Lord is one (Deuteronomy 6:4).”

When the Greeks heard this, they said, “Tomorrow they will attack us.” They went to the king’s [tent] and dragged out his headless body. Fear and dread fell upon them, and they all fled. And the Israelites pursued them and killed many of them. So too shall the Holy One take vengeance upon on our enemies and bring speedy salvation, as it is written: The redeemer shall come to Zion (Isaiah 59:20).