The Hasmonean, or Maccabean, legacy of purifying and rebuilding the holy temple has been preserved to this day through the festival of Hanukkah. The tumultuous events of the period leading up to this victory are due to the Jewish battle of Hellenistic acculturation and the rule of the Seleucid Empire at the time. Maccabees I retells the successful revolt against the Seleucid empire and a community that rose to power from their military success and dedication to their temple in 164 B.C.E. This informs the readers, with biases considered, of their importance of preserving Judean law, creating customs to protect and strengthen their unity, and their desire for independence. Through retelling this story in Maccabees I written in the latter part…show more content… In the reading, he is presented as a savior of Israel. This attitude justifies his desire to defend jos community and gain cultural autonomy. Edited by Shaye Cohen, it says that, “Then said Judas and his brothers, ‘Behold, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it’” (2 -14A). This passage demonstrates that Judas and his brothers are solely credited for the rededication of the temple at Mount Zion. It reflects the idea of overcoming adversity and defying the odds. Their goal was to purify their temple and reinstitute some of their lost traditions, which they accomplished. In reading this passage, the audience can gather through the text that the Hasmonean legacy was placed on a pedestal because they are established as preservers of Judean religious custom. As we know, their purification and rededication produced the celebration of…show more content… Anything reminding them of the Hellenistic period was destroyed by, “removing the defiled stones to an unclean place. They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned. And they thought it best to tear it down, lest it bring reproach upon them, for the Gentiles had defiled it” (2-14A). Through this, the Maccabees believed to restore their honor and tradition by fully recreating their holy temple. This condemnation unified their movement because they took pride in resisting gentile practices. The author, through the feelings of the Maccabees, represented the Gentile force as an obstacle to the Jewish people’s celebration of tradition. However, in their attempt to protect themselves from assimilation, they further develop