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JD: In 168 BC Keseloff 25, December 25 on the Jewish calendars its Keseloff 25. Antiochus Epiphanes came into Jerusalem. Now you take it from there, what did that crazy mad man do?
SH: He wanted to actually attack Egypt and the Romans rebuked him and in his anger became against Israel and he wanted to assimilate them at best and at worst annihilate them. And the best way to do that he felt was to sanction some laws, pass laws, make laws to make it illegal to practice Judaism. Then he went to the Temple the heart of Jewish worship and desecrated the Temple by killing a pig on the alter. And there was a family by the name of Maccabees. Judah Maccabees was the son Mattathias was the father. Mattathias when he asked for someone to come forward to slay the pig and compromise their faith Mattathias killed the soldier and his sons rose to the occasion. They wiped out the soldiers and fled to the mountain.