Mo’oz Tzur – the famous chanuka song
After the chanuka candles are lit there is a famous chanuka song sung called Mo’oz Tzur. It has six stanzas although some people only say five. The first five stanzas first letters spell the name Mordechai who was the author. The sixth stanza when taking the first letter of the first three words spells the word Chazak, “be strong!”. It discusses various exiles and the miraculous escape from them.
General explanation of the stanzas
The first paragraph of Mo’oz Tzur serves as an general introduction expressing praise to Hashem and our desire for salvation in order to be able to once again serve Hashem with the Beis Hamikdosh. The second stanza deals with Golus Mitzrayim and the exodus. The next three paragraphs deal with the three exiles of: Golus Bovel, Modai (through the miracle of Purim) and Golus Yovon that is what we now celebrate with the miracle of Chanuka. The last stanza deals with our desire for the future redemption from the last and fourth exile that we currently find ourselves in – Golus Edom.
Why mention all this by chanuka?
Chanuka is redemption from Golus Yovon. Why then do we also mention all the other exiles, something that we do not find expressed by other festivals? Usually we describe four exiles and yet here we include the exile from Mitzrayim. Why? Perhaps it is because Chanuka is the last festival instituted by the Sages. It therefore expresses all previous salvations as well as our hope for the future coming as the last open miracle to be celebrated worldwide by all Jews before Moshiach. Golus Mitzrayim is included since it is the first redemption to the Jewish Nation and this exodus will be paralleled again in the redemption from our current exile of Golus Edom.
The stanzas of Maoz Tzur translated
My refuge, my rock of salvation! ‘Tis pleasant to sing your praises.
Let our house of prayer be restored. And there we will offer you our thanks. When You will have slaughtered the barking foe. Then we will celebrate with song and psalm the altar’s dedication.
My soul was sated with misery, My strength was spent with grief.
They embittered my life with hardship, When enslaved under the rule of Egypt. But G-d with his mighty power Brought out His treasured people; While Paro’s host and followers Sank like a stone into the deep.
He brought me to His holy abode; Even there, I found no rest. The oppressor came and exiled me, Because I served strange gods, and drank poisonous wine. Yet scarcely had I gone into exile,
When Babylon fell and Zerubavel took charge; Within seventy years I was saved.
The Agagite son of Hammedatha, plotted to cut down the lofty fir;
But it proved a snare to him, and his insolence was silenced. You raised the head of the Benjamite, but the enemy’s name You blotted out. His numerous sons and his household You hanged upon the gallows.
The Greeks gathered against me, in days of the Chashmoinoyim, They broke down the walls of my towers, and defiled all the oils. But from the last remaining flask a miracle was wrought for the Jews. Therefore the sages of the day ordained these eight for songs of praise.
O bare Your holy arm and hasten the time of salvation. Wreak vengeance upon the wicked nation, On behalf of your faithful servants. For deliverance has too long been delayed; And the evil days are endless. O thrust the enemy into the shadows of death, and set up for us the seven shepherds.