|
Although this story is not directly connected to Hanukkah or the great miracle that happened then, the story of Judith (Y'hudit) and Holofernes is traditionally told at Hanukkah to remind us of how G-d saved our people from destruction through the hands of a young Jewish widow, showing us that none of us are to small or too young or too insignificant to be used by G-d! A long, long time ago in the days when the Greeks ruled the Middle East and persecuted the Jewish people, trying to prevent them from keeping the commandments of the One True G-d and instead to follow their pagan ways, there lived a beautiful young Jewish widow called Y'hudit. Y'hudit was a devout follower of G-d, keeping His commandments and following His ways. There was no question in her mind - she could never submit to the Greeks' authority, and she longed to help her people rise up from under the pagan rule and be free to follow G-d. At this time the Greek General Holofernes was surrounding the city where Y'hudit lived, laying siege until the Jewish people would have eaten all the food and drunk all the water within the city and would be forced either to surrender to their enemies or disobey G-d by eating non kosher food. Water and kosher food became more and more scarce and the elders of the city met together to decide what they should do. "There are only a few days supply of food and water left - we must decide now whether we surrender to the Greeks or try to hold out, eating the non kosher food." There was much disagreement, but the majority thought it better to eat non kosher food than to surrender to the Greeks. Y'hudit came to them and said, "My friends, we must not despair, yet we must not break G-d's law by eating food which is forbidden to us. I have a plan: if you will allow me to leave the city, with my maid servant, I will go to the General and I believe that with G-d's help I can save us." The elders tried to dissuade her, begging her not to risk her life in this manner by going into the Greek camp, but Y'hudit was firm. She was quite determined. At last the elders agreed and Y'hudit left them to prepare herself. Y'hudit dressed herself in her finest clothes, called her maid to her and took one small covered basket. Together they were let out of the city and they walked down to the Greek camp. A guard stopped them and asked what they wanted. Y'hudit told the soldier that she wished to see the General. Knowing Holofernes' taste for pretty women, the guard agreed and led them through the camp to the General's tent. Y'hudit told the General, "I am a widow from the Jewish city and I come to tell you that my people are stubborn and refuse to surrender to you - but their food is almost gone and within a few days they will be forced to eat food that is forbidden to us and G-d will be angry. It will not be many days before they are too weak to fight and then the city will be yours! But I have come to beg your mercy, that you do not harm me, or my maid. If it pleases you, each day at sundown I will go to the city walls where the watchman I know will tell me how things are in the city - as soon as he tells me that the people begin to grow weak, then is the time for your attack!" The General looked at Y'hudit admiringly and declared that he would do as she suggested. He ordered that a tent be pitched for Y'hudit and her maidservant and told all his soldiers that this Jewish widow was to be left strictly alone, that she was to be allowed to walk freely where she pleased and that no one was to harm her or her maidservant. With a lighter heart Y'hudit went to the city walls at sundown that evening. "I have been given permission to walk where I will, totally undisturbed, in the Greek camp - it shall not be long before we are safe!" Y'hudit told the elders of the city who gathered on the walls to hear her report. They became a very familiar sight, the beautiful young Jewish widow, her basket over her arm, and her maidservant. For several days, Y'hudit and her maidservant walked undisturbed through the Greek camp, going to the city walls to report daily. Each day she reported to the Greek General, "Soon, very soon it shall be time ..." At last one evening the elders told Y'hudit that there was no more kosher food and that if she did not do something straight away to save them, they would have to begin to eat their horses and dogs. Y'hudit told them not to worry - "G-d will deliver the Greek General into my hands," she told them calmly, "Just be ready to open the gates to me when I return later this evening." Quietly and slowly, just as they had done every evening for the past few days, Y'hudit and her maidservant walked back to the Greek camp. Y'hudit walked straight to the General's tent and said, "The day after tomorrow is the day! Tomorrow they must begin to eat forbidden food - they will quickly become demoralised and within two days they will not be able to withstand the attack you shall launch upon them!" The General clapped his hands in delight and exclaimed, "This is excellent! We shall celebrate, just you and me, yes?" Y'hudit agreed and left him. She returned later, arrayed in her very finest clothes, carrying her basket on her arm. The General invited her to partake of the feast he had had prepared, but Y'hudit shook her head and smiled and said, "No, you must partake of the food I have brought - my goat's cheese and red wine are famous throughout this land as being the very finest you will ever eat." The General agreed and ate the goat's cheese Y'hudit gave him; it was extremely salty and he washed it down with plenty of the strong red wine Y'hudit offered him. Soon he became drunk and he fell on the floor in a deep sleep. Y'hudit looked about her; no one was near, for the General had ordered that they be left alone. Carefully Y'hudit pulled the General's heavy sword out of its sheaf at his side and knelt by him. She closed her eyes and prayed that G-d would give her strength - that G-d would indeed deliver the enemy into her hands. She opened her eyes, lifted high the sword and brought it down upon the General's neck. Several minutes later Y'hudit and her maidservant walked quietly and slowly through the Greek camp and up to the city. "Quickly, let us in!" Y'hudit called and the gates were opened for her and her maidservant to enter the city. The elders gathered about them and Y'hudit removed the cover from her basket and displayed the head of the Greek General Holofernes. The Jewish men from the city rushed out of the gates and attacked the Greek army in their camp - surprised and unprepared, the soldiers ran to Holofernes tent to find their General dead. Demoralised, they were unable to fight and were soon defeated by the Jews. The Greek General Holofernes had been delivered into Y'hudit's hands and the Jewish people were saved! Copyright N. Allen - MET |