Chana: Passive or Powerhouse?

Chana, like many females depicted in Jewish history, was a woman of mystery. Also, as with many tales in sacred literature, there are many versions of the story. 

We know she was the daughter of the High Priest Matityahu, who led the rebellion of the Jewish people against their Syrian Greek oppressors in the Chanuka story. However, how active a role she played depends on the version of the story.

In one version, Chana is omitted entirely from the narrative. According to Book 1 and 2 of the Maccabees, the Syrian Greeks have overrun Jerusalem and have commanded that idols be placed in the town of Modi’in. 

The Syrian Greek governor asks Matityahu, as leader of the community, to make a pagan sacrifice. When he refuses, another Jew volunteers, and Matityahu, in his wrath, slays the apostate, kills the king’s agent, and destroys the altar. 

Matityahu and his five sons flee to the hills and prepare themselves to wage war against their enemies. This version doesn’t include a daughter Chana, but weaving her into the narrative, from a different source, enriches the story. 

Putting Chana in the Picture of the Chanuka Narrative

One of the first detailed accounts of Chana, daughter of Matisyahu, is from Megilat Taanit. According to this version, the Syrian Greeks set out camps among the conquered Jews. The purpose of these camps was to sexually abuse Jewish women. Only after this defilement occurred could Jewish women be allowed to marry their husbands. 

The purpose of violating the women was to degrade them, to weaken Jewish marriages, and to make them uncertain of the parentage of their children. From all aspects, this tactic was destructive to the Jewish people. As a result, many Jews married in secret or decided not to get married at all to avoid the awful decree.

Furious at the insult to the honor of their sister, Chana, whose wedding day was drawing near, as well as the horrid rule imposed by the enemy, the sons became zealous and waged war against the Syrian Greeks. 

There is even more detail about the inciting incident in the Sheiltot of Rav Achi Gaon. We are given a vivid portrayal of Chana, who was known for her beauty and was engaged to marry a man by the name of Elazar. 

As she was approaching her chatan, a Syrian Greek officer pulled her by the ponytail onto an open Torah scroll and attempted to attack her, defiling both the sacred writings and Chana with one horrible act. 

All present look to Hashem for assistance and Elazar is given an extra measure of strength. He was already outfitted for battle and, taking the sword, he cuts off the Syrian Greek officer’s head. 

This is reminiscent of the story of Yehudit¹ who, faced with the fate of having to at least pretend to obey the decree, gave an enemy general too much wine and then beheaded him. 

Taking this story together with the well-known Chanuka tale of Yehudit begs the question: where is Chana’s agency in any of these preceding stories? We see her brothers and her fiance rescuing her, but does Chana take matters into her own hands?

The answer is, yes, in one version, she takes a very active role in shocking her community out of their complacency. 

Chana Shocks Jewish Leaders out of Their Complacency

In Midrash L’Chanuka, we see Chana take a front-and-center focus in inspiring her people to take action against oppression, although through fairly controversial means. 

Following a series of oppressive measures such as removing doors from their homes to undermine the Jews’ privacy and banning mikvaot to prevent them from conceiving pure offspring, they finally passed the infamous ordinance–that Jewish brides would first be given over to Syrian Greek officers before being permitted to marry. 

Although many Jewish women refrained from marrying to avoid this fate, Chana, daughter of Matityahu, was engaged to Elazar and Hasmonean. There was an elaborate feast before her wedding – or rather, before the unfortunate event that would precede her marriage. However, everyone was feasting as if nothing was amiss. This was perhaps their way of coping. 

With the various versions and accounts of Chana, it isn’t certain what the reality was. Perhaps Chana allowed her brothers to make the complaint and fight for her and the entire Jewish community. Perhaps she took matters into her own hands, but in a controversial way. 

Chana, however, would have none of this moral blindness. As she was seated in front of the elders of the community, the guests, and her entire family, she immediately disrobed. 

As her family rose up in anger against her, Chana said, “I see you have such zeal and anger against me, even though I haven’t sinned, and yet where is your zeal and anger at sending me to be abused by that uncircumcised one!”

She then described the zeal of Shimon and Levi to fight the whole city of Shechem because of their sister’s wounded honor². She then calls for vengeance. 

It’s clear that what Chana did was shocking. However, she wouldn’t comply with circumstances that were being normalized, namely, the sexual violation of Jewish women. 

Will the Real Chana Please Step Forward

With the various versions and accounts of Chana, it isn’t certain what the reality was. Perhaps Chana allowed her brothers to make the complaint and fight for her and the entire Jewish community. Perhaps she took matters into her own hands, but in a controversial way. 

Even if the truth is closer to the first version, it’s clear that something must have happened that caused Matityahu and his sons to stand up and fight, and even if she didn’t go so far as to compromise her modesty, most versions show her having a significant impact on the events. 

In our difficult times, we have the opportunity to speak truth to power and as Jewish women to use our influence to affect change and improve the lives of our entire community and Am Yisrael. 

¹ Jud 13:6-10

² Gen 34