Zlateh the Goat

Zlateh’s udders connect to the Hanukkah motif in “Zlateh the Goat.” The miracle of Hanukkah is that there was only enough oil to burn for one day, but the oil miraculously lasted eight days and nights. In “Zlateh the Goat,” Reuven sends Zlateh to slaughter, deeming her too old to provide enough milk. Miraculously, in the middle of the storm, when Aaron has only enough food for one meal, Zlateh’s udders fill after she eats some hay, and her milk sustains him for the duration of their stay in the haystack: “Aaron had awakened hungry. He had eaten up his food, but Zlateh had plenty of milk” (419). Her udders and the creamy milk within symbolize the Hanukkah motif and miracle. The oil lasted as long as the Israelites needed. Similarly, Zlateh’s milk lasted as long as she and Aaron were in the haystack.

The haystack symbolizes God’s protection and provision. It’s a miracle, the answer to Aaron’s prayer. When he cries out to God, he’s instantly rewarded for his faith: “Suddenly, he made out the shape of a hill” (416). This hill is actually the haystack that provides shelter for