Sefer Ha-Bloggadah: week 20

We continue with the Chanukah story, and return to the annals of the Second Temple. Even though these stories take place chronologically later than what we've seen before, they somehow feel more ancient to me. I think this is because we've gotten late enough that the rabbis aren't just reading Tanakh and making up stories about it, but these are stories that have a basis in historical memory, and stories that had been passed down (albeit with embellishments) in an unbroken chain since they had occurred.

• Monday - 1:9:40 (The Mother of Children)
• Tuesday - 1:9:41-50 (The House of the Hasmoneans)
• Wednesday - 1:9:51 (Herod's Temple)
• Thursday - 1:9:52-62 (The Service in the Temple)
• Friday - 1:9:63-68 (The Miracles in the Temple; Diligent Priests)
• Saturday/Sunday - 1:9:69-71 (The Paschal Lamb)