Mixed Calendar Messages

When Adar enters, joy increases. Pretty straightforward. Adar and Nissan are back-to-back "redemption" months, and joy abounds. What happens when Tevet enters?

First two or three days of Tevet are festive - Chanuka, with candle lighting and Hallel, etc. But Chanuka itself sends a subtle set of signals under the surface of holiday joy. Jews were victorious over the Greeks, but Jews also fought against Jews. And we don't really have a winner when that happens. The Chashmona'im are criticized for usurping the kingship. And there were many problems in the years that followed the miraculous events of Chanuka.  The third of Tevet is mentioned in the Gemara as a Yom Tov of sorts. But one that also shows us the uncertainty of the times. During Greek  persecution, Jews were not allowed to write G-d's name on legal documents. This among other restrictions of using His name. After the Hasmonean victories, a custom developed to write G-d's name in all documents. Because we could. Years later, the Sages realized that G-d's name was being defiled when an IOU, for example, was discarded after repayment of the loan. It was the 3rd of Tevet when the Sages declared an end to the practice of writing G-d's name in legal documents. The day was proclaimed a holiday. If you think about it, there's a bittersweet taste to it all. Things weren't what they should be. 

And then we come to the 8th of Tevet. Tradition tells us that the Torah was first translated into another language (Greek) on that day. This is considered a black day in Jewish History, because it opened the door to grave distortions of reading a Torah without benefit of the Oral Law and Tradition. Translating the Torah has great potential for good things. But the way it was first done was an attempt to wrench the Torah away from the people to whom G-d gave it. 

And the 9th is the yahrzeits of Ezra and Nechemya. Perhaps if more Jews heeded their call to return to Eretz Yisrael, things would have been different, and would be different.  

The 10th itself marks the beginning of the CHURBAN, specifically, the start of the siege that led to the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash. The 10th has picked up an added commemoration, being designated Yom Kaddish K'lali, linking 10 Tevet with the Holocaust. That very fact shows us that the Churban continues, rather than being terminated, so to speak, with the Complete Geula. Maybe that's the point. The "in those days, in our time" feel of many of the dates on our calendar. Tevet is a "mixed bag" that puts a certain perspective on Jewish Life.