Maoz Tsur, traditionally sung
after the lighting of the menorah, is the song most associated with Hanuka. The
first letter of the stanzas spell out the name Mordechai, ostensibly the author
of the poem. The letters of the first three words of the final stanza spell out
the common blessing חזק or strength. Nobody
knows for sure who wrote it or even when it was written. The earliest date proposed
is 1450 CE. Speculations about its author include the French poet Mordechai ben
Isaac ha-Levi, who wrote the Shabbos zemer Mah Yafit (מה
יפית); an unknown scholar mentioned by the commentary on the Talmud Tosfos
on Tractate Niddah 36a; a 1096 martyr from Mayence; and Rabbi Moshe Isserles
also known as the ReMA, who wrote the Ashkenazi companion to the monumental
work of Jewish law, the Shulchan Aruch.
Maoz מָעוֹז
literally means stronghold and tsur צוּר
means rock. Hence it is rendered in English as “Rock of Ages”. In fact it
refers to the city, Beit Tsur בית צור
(aka Beth-Zur, Bethsura) which is mentioned in the Bible as a city on the
border of Judah (Joshua 15:58) that was later fortified exceedingly by King
Rechavam (2 Chronicles 11:7-12). Josephus (Antiquities Book 12, Chapter 7,
paragraphs 5-12) records it as the place of the final victory of Judah Maccabee
over Lysias, the best general of King Antiochus. In it the Maccabees are
greatly outnumbered but, when they sleigh 5,000 of the enemy the rest are
totally terrified. They see the great spirit of the Jews and how they were
prepared to die rather than lose their liberty. Because of this they come to
fear their desperate way of fighting and perceive it as real strength. After
having lost many other battles they decide to permanently withdraw.
In victory Judah returns to
Jerusalem and purifies the Temple. He also brings in new furnishings such as a
menorah, table for the show bread, and incense altar. All of which are made of
gold. The restoration is completed on the 25 of Kislev. Judah then celebrates a
festival for eight days during which praises and thanksgiving are offered to
G-d. Because the Jews are so happy about the revival of their customs and regaining
the freedom to worship, they declare it to be an annual custom and call it
“Lights”. To guard against enemies Judah Maccabee rebuilds the walls of
Jerusalem and erects high towers on them. He also fortifies the city of
Bethsura as a citadel.
The poem Maoz Tzur opens with
the name of that citadel but views Hashem as the stone fortress of Israel. The
first stanza is a prayer to rebuild the Temple, defeat our enemies, and promise
to bring offerings of sincere thanksgiving. Two stanzas are about persecution
in exile, Egypt and Babylon, followed by redemption. One stanza talks about the
First Temple, the sins which caused the exile, and the return to the land of
Israel. The second to last stanza is the Hanuka story. It mentions the attack
by the Greeks, the desecration of the Temple, the miracle of the oil, and the
establishment of the festival. The final stanza is a prayer for the end of the
current exile and for the coming of the Messianic era. The subtle message of
the poem is that salvation is not to be found in military might; rather it
comes from heaven in the merit of our love of the faith.
לע"נ
הסבא אהרן בן יוסף ז"ל נלב"ע כז בטבת תשכ"ו
העלון ניתן לקבל גם בדואר אלקטרוני וגם באתר http://dyschreiber.blogspot.co.il
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