HANUKKAH (Chanukah, Channukah – there are a number of English spellings of that word) celebrates the victory of ancient Jews, under the leadership of Maccabees, over their Greek oppressors in 164 BCE. The one-day supply of the pure high-priest-approved olive oil found in the garbage-strewn Temple miraculously kept burning in the holly menorah for eight whole days, until the new batch was obtained. As the holyday is not prescribed in the Torah it is celebrated at home, rather than a synagogue. One more candle is added every night on an eight-branch candelabra, accompanied by blessings, songs, scrumptious food (most of it fried in oil, for obvious reasons) and presents for the children.
The “Hanukkah Suite” strings together several traditional melodies for Hanukkah from all over the world, all of them very familiar to anyone who celebrates the holiday. It actually follows the order of a Hanukkah evening, starting with
a) simple children’s song about lighting the candle (and then two, three, and so on), followed by
b) three blessings to God, who has commanded us to kindle Hannukah lights, brought miracles for our forefathers in those days, and has given us life and brought us to this season, followed by
c) ancient hymn “Maoz Tzur” (Rock of the Ages), praising God’s protective power, which brings us to
d) a section were three children’s songs follow each other in a quick succession, all about a little spinning top (“s’vivon” in Hebrew or “dreidel” in Yiddish) that is an obligatory part of Hanukkah merriment, and ending with
e) distinctly Eastern sounding (and faster and rowdier by each bar) “Al Hanisim”, again praising God for the miracles brought to our forefathers in those days in this season.
BLESSINGS: Baruch ata Adoshem, Elokeinu melech haolam, asher kidshanu be mitzvotav vetzivanu le-hadlik ner shel chanukah. Baruch hu u-baruch shemo. Amen. Baruch ata Adoshem, Elokeinu melech haolam, sheasa nissim laavoteinu, bayamim hahem bazman hazeh. Baruch hu u-baruch shemo. Amen. Baruch ata Adoshem, Elokeinu melech ha-olam, sheheheyanu vekiimanu vehigiyanu lazman hazeh. Baruch hu u-baruch shemo. Amen. [CH = guttural, like Scottish “Loch”]
[ Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who makes us holly through Your commandments, and commands us to light the Hanukkah lights. Blessed be He and blessed be His name. Amen. Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has performed miracles for our ancestors in those days and in this season. Blessed be He and blessed be His name. Amen. Blessed are you, Our God, Ruler of the Universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this season.]
MAOZ TZUR: Maoz tzur yeshuati, le-chav naeh leshabeach. Tikon bet tefilati, ve-sham toda nezabeach. Le-et tachin matbeach, mitzar hamnabeach, oz egmor beshir mizmor, chanukat hamizbeach.
[ My refuge, my rock of salvation! It is a joy to sing Your praises.
Let our house of prayer be restored. And there we will offer You our thanks.
When You will have prepared the defeat of our foes,
Then we will celebrate with song and psalm the dedication of the altar.]
OH CHANUKAH: Oh chanukah, oh chanukah, come light the menorah. Let us have a party and all dance the hora. Gather ’round the table, we’ll give you a treat: s’vivon to play with and latkes to eat. And while we are playing the candles are spreading their glow. Just add one for each night, and they will shed a sweet light, to remind us of days long ago.
S’VIVON: S’vivon sov, sov sov, chanukah hu hag tov! Chanukah hu hag tov! S’vivon sov, sov, sov. Hag simcha hu laam, Nes gadol haya sham! Nes gadol haya sham! Hag simcha hu la-am.
[Little top, spin, spin, spin. Hanukkah is day of joy. Great was the miracle that happened there. Spin, little top, spin, spin, spin.]
OH DREIDEL: Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay, and when it’s dried and ready, with dreidel we will play.
AL HANISIM: Al hanisim v’al hapurkan, v’al hag’vurot, v’al hat’shuot sheasita laavoteinu, laavoteinu bayamim hahem baz’man haze. Bimei Matityahu, Matityahu ben Yohanan kohen gadol hashmonai uvanav, k’sheamda malchut ya-an al amcha Yisrael, al amcha Yisrael, l’hashkicham toratecha ulhaviram mechukei r’tsonecha. V’ata b’rachamecha, b’rachamecha ha-rabim, amad’ta lahem beit tsaratam, b’rachamecha ha-rabim.
[And [we thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the saving acts, and for the wonders which You have wrought for our ancestors in those days, in this season. In the days of Matityahu, the son of Yochanan the High Priest, the Hasmonean and his sons, when the wicked Hellenic government rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah and violate the decrees of Your will. But You, in Your abounding mercies, stood by them in the time of their distress. You waged their battles, defended their rights, and avenged the wrong done to them.]
