Why Eat Dairy and Oily Foods on Chanukah?
The time-honored custom of eating oily and dairy foods on Chanukah is well known, and often bemoaned by dieters during the festive week. But what are the origins of this odd custom? To answer that question, we must first add another layer of inquiry: It is also a custom on Chanukah for women to refrain from all forms of work after the Chanukah candles are lit, and they are obligated as much as men in the lighting of the candles. As it turns out, all these customs can be explained through a dark tale that is said to have occurred thousands of years ago.
Judith, A Heroine of Chanukah
The apocryphal book of Judith tells of the eponymous heroine who set herself against the Assyrian conquerors in Judea. The truth of the Book of Judith is unknown, but in its time, the compelling drama of the story made Judith a legend and household name.
Legend tells that during the war with Assyria (the conclusion of which birthed the celebration of Chanukah), the Assyrian general Holofernes laid siege to the obscure Judean city of Bethulia. The city’s water supply was cut off, and its people were on the edge of defeat. It was then that Judith, a pious widow, came forward and vowed to save her city.
Judith went to the camps of Holofernes and pretended to surrender. The general was entranced with Judith’s beauty and brought her to his tent. There she tempted him with cheese and wine until at last he fell into a drunken slumber. Judith beheaded Holofernes as he slept and brought the severed head back to Bethulia. When the Assyrian troops saw the corpse of their general they were struck with fear. Meanwhile the Jewish camp was emboldened and attacked with renewed force, ultimately defeating the siege.
What Judith’s Story Means For Chanukah
The story of Judith is one of the proffered explanations for eating dairy and fried foods on Chanukah (fried foods because they cause drowsiness). It is also one of the explanations for women’s obligation to light the Chanukah candles, since women are usually exempt from time-bound commandments. And lastly, it is one of the explanations for the custom that women do not do work after the candles are lit, to honor them for Judith’s salvation of her people.
