Hello Everyone,
Chanukah is one of the most joyous holidays in our calendar. Chanukah has its own unique mitzvah- the lighting of candies ( or oil lamps) every night of the eight day long holiday.
What is remarkable is that this holiday and its associated mitzvah is not discussed in the Mishnah. The halachic details regarding the mtizvah of Chanukah candles are discussed in rahter lengthy passage in masechet Shabbat. But that discussion is tangential to the main subject which is the mitzvah of light9ing Shabbat candles ( or oil lamps).
So many scholars have presented theories to answer the question of why did Rabbi Yehudah haNasi who composed the Mishnah ignored the mitzvah of Chanukah. Today we will study this issue as part of a broader discussion of how did the Sages view the Chashmonaim who led the revolt against the Hellenists .