It’s hard to imagine Chanukah (no matter how you spell it) without thinking of Ma’oz tzur (no matter how you spell that either). Although the melody is strong and upbeat (and probably derives from some German folk/drinking songs) the words of the poem are difficult, filled with obscure allusions, and making reference to historic events with which not all people are familiar. As a consequence, it’s very common that we sing only one or two verses of the prayer.
Which is a pity, because taken as a whole, the prayer offers a remarkable perspective about the trajectory of Jewish history. The opening verse speaks of Temple (re)dedication (and that’s why everyone sings this verse on Chanukah, the (re)dedication festival. But then the poem launches into a review of Jewish history, making reference to four different archetypal enemies: Pharaoh of Egypt; Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (who destroyed the first Temple); Haman, the villain of the Persian court; and Antiochus Epiphanes of Greek Syria. Since this poem is specifically for Chanukah, many people recite this fifth verse along with the first verse, since it references the miraculous Chanukah victory.
No surprise, each of these villains is remembered in infamy on specific Jewish holidays. Pharaoh—Passover; Nebuchadnezzar—Tisha B’av; Haman—Purim; and finally Antiochus—Chanukah.
This is reflected in the classic Jewish gallows humor joke that Hitler, may his name be blotted out, believed in astrology. He asked his astrologer when he would die. The astrologer said, “On a Jewish holiday.” “Which Jewish holiday?” “Trust me, whenever you die, it will be a Jewish holiday.”
The last verse has a fascinating history. It asks G-d to intervene and punish the wicked persecutors of the Jewish people. Like the first verse, which talks about the rededication of the Temple, the last verse is written in the present tense. Which implies: let it happen now.
Precisely because of its contemporary relevance, the text was subjected to a great deal of censorship and self-censorship, leading to variant lyrics or to omission altogether. The text was composed around the time that the Crusaders were plundering and destroying Jewish communities as they marched toward the Promised Land, and this is reflected in its bitter rejection of Christian ideology.
Today, that specific target of Jewish resentment is, thank G-d, no longer relevant. What remains, though, is an awareness that Jewish history has a trajectory, one that begins and ends in triumph and devotion and transcends the degradation and depravity to which our people has, over and over again, been subjected. So we light small candles in the darkness to remind us that “or chadash al tzion ta’ir,” “a new light will shine on Zion.”
Bimheyra b’yameinu.