Histories and Mysteries
Chanukah raises more questions than any other holiday; it is an enigma wrapped in light. The final festival in our history, Chanukah stands apart: it has no dedicated sefer in Tanach, and even the Talmud offers only a fleeting glimpse of its grandeur. This scarcity of primary sources has allowed legend, lore, and assumption to fill the gaps-often without solid grounding in our mesorah.
In this illuminating work, Rabbi Moshe Taub draws upon authentic Torah tradition, scouring millennia of writings to uncover the true essence of Chanukah-its halachos, minhagim, and history-and dispelling misconceptions with clarity, reverence, and humor. Including a section on the winter months and concluding with reflections on his rebbi, Rav Nota Greenblatt, this sefer is a luminous journey through Chanukah's mysteries, revealing the holiday as we've never seen it before.
Who composed Al Hanissim?
Why do we light the menorah in shul?
Are donuts really part of the mesorah?
Why does Birkas Me'ein Shalosh ignore Chanukah?
Does using olive oil recall the miracle or symbolize something deeper?
About the author:
Rabbi Moshe Taub lives in Queens, New York, with his wife, Nechama, and their five children. He is the rav at Young Israel of Holliswood/Holliswood Jewish Center in Queens, New York. His "Shul Chronicles" column, which has been a weekly feature in Ami Magazine since the magazine's inception, touches upon areas of halachah, hashkafah, and the rabbinate. He also serves as Ami Magazine's rabbinical editor.
Rabbi Taub teaches a variety of subjects at several Torah institutions and yeshivos in the NYC area and has been a guest speaker for eclectic crowds, ranging from premier yeshivos and shuls to Harvard Law School. He has served as the menahel of Telshe Yeshiva-Riverdale, the director of BVK Kosher, and the rav of the Young Israel of Buffalo, as well as in various other roles and positions. Over one thousand of Rabbi Taub's lectures and articles can be found at www.shulchronicles.com.
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