Judith: The Hanukkah Heroine who took matters into her own hands

The Book of Judith is an apocryphal work that tells of a heroic woman who seduces and kills an enemy general, saving Israel from oppression.

The book was not mentioned by any Jewish sources until the medieval period, when Judith’s character became a subject of discussion in legal works, talmudic commentaries, and liturgical poems. During this period, the story began to become associated with the holiday of Hanukkah as new versions of the story emerged Judith has attracted more writers, artists, and composers than any other figure in the Apocrypha.

Judith's Story

The Assyrian commander Holofernes laid siege to the Hebrew town of Bethulia. The officials of the town are all but ready to throw in the towel.

Judith, a pious widow in Bethulia, tells the officials that HaShem is simply testing them (8:15). Judith proposes that they wait for deliverance and together call upon HaShem who will listen, if so disposed (8:17). Judith counsels, “Let us set an example for our kindred” (8:24). 

The officials essentially tells her that she is too late and dismiss her, which is when she goes rogue.

First, Judith prays to HaShem for the strength to pull off the deciet she wants to. Then, she gets all gussied up and seduces the enemy commander Holofernes. A few days later, Holofernes invites her to a feast where he becomes inebriated and passes out.

Judith is a conventional Jewish heroine in her piety and dedication to HaShem. 

She is unconventional in upbraiding the male leaders of her town for what they have said about HaShem. No other woman in the Hebrew Bible has another woman in charge of her estate; no other childless woman refuses to marry. On her account, “No one ever again spread terror among the Israelites during the lifetime of Judith, or for a long time after her death” (16:25).

As Jews, we don't just pray for miracles. 

We know we must begin the work ourselves.

We ask HaShem for the strength to do that which seems impossible to create impossible outcomes which we look back on and label as miracles. 

We thank HaShem for those miracles and we also thank the heroes who partner with HaShem to achieve them.

Sources:

Craven, Toni. "Judith: Apocrypha." Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women. 31 December 1999. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on December 4, 2022) <https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/judith-apocrypha>.

https://www.heyalma.com/the-feminist-hanukkah-story-i-didnt-know-i-needed/?utm_content=buffer0b11b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=almafacebook&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR3ad2r33luer3B3PVYqQr2cxes_tGYKO3hnRkh2BafjLs9hlHV8H8sqsRc

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/yet-another-miracle/