Chanuka Songs

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Chanuka Songs

Here you will find some traditional Chanuka songs, both lyrics and links to videos.

The most common and well knows traditional Chanuka song is Maoz Tzur which is traditionally recited after the candles are lit and the blessings have been recited. Each stanza recalls times throughout Jewish history when the survival of the Jewish people was threatened, and how each time we were delivered from fear and darkness and merited salvation. This video is a nice rendition of the traditional tune, and this one while not as musically appealing, has the words in Hebrew and transliteration making it easier to follow.

(Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for links to other Chanuka songs and resources including modern songs and our favorite Chanuka YouTube playlists.)

Here are the lyrics of Maoz Tzur in Hebrew, and in transliteration. An English translation can be found here.

.מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי, לְךָ � ָאֶ�” לְשַׁ�‘ֵּחַ
.תִּכּוֹן �‘ֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי, וְשָׁם תּוֹ�“ָ�” � ְזַ�‘ֵּחַ
.לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְ�‘ֵּחַ מִצָּר �”ַמְ� ַ�‘ֵּחַ
.אָז אֶ�’ְמוֹר �‘ְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲ� ֻכַּת �”ַמִּזְ�‘ֵּחַ

רָעוֹת שָׂ�‘ְעָ�” � ַפְשִׁי, �‘ְּיָ�’וֹן כֹּחִי כָּלָ�”
חַיַּי מֵרְרוּ �‘ְקֹשִׁי, �‘ְּשִׁעְ�‘ּוּ�“ מַלְכוּת עֶ�’ְלָ�”
וּ�‘ְיָ�“וֹ �”ַ�’ְּ�“וֹלָ�” �”וֹצִיא אֶת �”ַסְּ�’ֻלָּ�”
חֵיל פַּרְעֹ�” וְכָל זַרְעוֹ יָרְ�“וּ כְּאֶ�‘ֶן �‘ִּמְצוּלָ�”.

�“ְּ�‘ִיר קָ�“ְשׁוֹ �”ֱ�‘ִיאַ� ִי, וְ�’ַם שָׁם לֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי
וּ�‘ָא � וֹ�’ֵשׂ וְ�”ִ�’ְלַ� ִי, כִּי זָרִים עָ�‘ַ�“ְתִּי
וְיֵין רַעַל מָסַכְתִּי, כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָ�‘ַרְתִּי
קֵץ �‘ָּ�‘ֶל זְרֻ�‘ָּ�‘ֶל, לְקֵץ שִׁ�‘ְעִים � וֹשַׁעְתִּי.

כְּרוֹת קוֹמַת �‘ְּרוֹשׁ �‘ִּקֵּשׁ, אֲ�’ָ�’ִי �‘ֶּן �”ַמְּ�“ָתָא
וְ� ִ�”ְיָתָ�” לוֹ לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ, וְ�’ַאֲוָתוֹ � ִשְׁ�‘ָּתָ�”
רֹאשׁ יְמִי� ִי � ִשֵּׂאתָ, וְאוֹיֵ�‘ שְׁמוֹ מָחִיתָ
רֹ�‘ �‘ָּ� ָיו וְקִ� ְיָ� ָיו עַל �”ָעֵץ תָּלִיתָ.

יְוָ� ִים � ִקְ�‘ְּצוּ עָלַי, אֲזַי �‘ִּימֵי חַשְׁמַ� ִּים
וּפָרְצוּ חוֹמוֹת מִ�’ְ�“ָּלַי, וְטִמְּאוּ כָּל �”ַשְּׁמָ� ִים
וּמִ� ּוֹתַר קַ� ְקַ� ִּים � ַעֲשָׂ�” � ֵס לַשּׁוֹשַׁ� ִּים
�‘ְּ� ֵי �‘ִי� ָ�” יְמֵי שְׁמוֹ� ָ�” קָ�‘ְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְ� ָ� ִים

חֲשׂוֹף זְרוֹעַ קָ�“ְשֶׁךָ וְקָרֵ�‘ קֵץ �”ַיְשׁוּעָ�”
� ְקֹם � ִקְמַת עֲ�‘ָ�“ֶיךָ מֵאֻמָּ�” �”ָרְשָׁעָ�”
כִּי אָרְכָ�” �”ַשָּׁעָ�” וְאֵין קֵץ לִימֵי �”ָרָעָ�”
�“ְּחֵ�” אַ�“ְמוֹן �‘ְּצֵל צַלְמוֹן �”ָקֵם לָ� וּ רוֹעִים שִׁ�‘ְעָ�”

Ma'oz Tzur Yeshu'ati, lekha na'eh leshabe'ah.

Tikon beit tefilati, vesham todah nezabe'ah.

Le'et tachin matbe'ah mitzar ham'nabe'ah.

Az egmor beshir mizmor chanukat hamizbe'ach.

Ra'ot savah nafshi, beyagon kochi keelah.

Chayyai mareru bekoshi, beshee'abud malkhut eglah.

Uveyado hagdolah hotzee et hasegulah.

Cheil par'oh vechol zar'oh yaredu ke'even bimtzulah.

D'vir kodshow hevi'anee, vegam sham lo shakatetee.

Uva nogesh vehiglanee, ki zarim avadtee.

V'yein ra'al masachtee, kim'at she'avartee.

Ketz Bavel Zerubavel, leketz shiv'eem nosha'atee.

Kerot komat berosh bikesh, Agagi ben Hamdatah.

Veniheyata lo lepach ulemokesh, vega'avato nishbatah.

Rosh yemini nisetah, ve'oyev shmo mahitah.

Rov banav vekinyanav al ha'etz talitah.

Yevanim nikbetzoo alay, azai bimei Chashmanim.

Ufartzu homot migdalay, vetim'u kol hashemanim.

Uminotar kankanim na'asah nes lashoshanim.

Bnei binah yemei shmonah kav'u shir urenanim.

Hasof zroa kodshekha, vekarev ketz hayeshu'ah.

Nkom nikmat dam avadeichah me'umah haresha'ah.

Ki archa hasha'ah, ve'ein ketz limei hara'ah.

D'chei admon betzel tzalmon, hakem lanu ro'im shiv'ah.

Here's a link to a humerous rendition of 'I have a little dreidle' and an attached playlist.

This is a modern Yeshiva Boys Choir Chanuka song.

There are lots of Chanuka favorites here on Aish.com.

And this is perhaps the most comprehensive collection of Chanuka videos on Chabad.org.

Last but certainly not least is this great modern Chanuka playlist from the Maccabeats!

Share the Joy

Chanuka should be a time of abundance. With eight nights of celebration, the festivities go on and on. Each night we add more light, more candles, more gifts and more tasty treats.

But for poor families in Israel, Chanuka can be a time of shame and sadness. Poor children go to school sometimes without even a sandwich for lunch only to hear about their friends new gifts, and their fun celebrations. At home they smell the tasty foods being cooked in their neighbor's homes, and hope that their parents will have enough money to at least bring home bread and margarine for dinner.

There are many thousands of children in Israel today who are living below the poverty line. Their basic needs for healthy food, proper clothing and other necessities are simply beyond their family's budget. Working with such children and their families can be heartbreaking, but it can also be very heartwarming when we see what a difference we are able to make in their lives.

Yad Eliezer steps into the breach for over 20,000 families each year providing a wide range of help and support and allowing families to break out of the cycle of poverty. We help families with food, clothing, blankets,medical support, job training and much more.

Our very low overhead costs (under 4%) and our excellent ratings on Charity Navigator have made Yad Eliezer the charity of choice for tens of thousands of donors.

This Chanuka we are raising money to help poor families make it through the winter by sending food boxes, blankets and coats to families in dire need. By teaming up with producers and wholesalers we are able to provide these essentials to families in need for less than it would cost them to buy the items themselves. That means that your donation goes further than it would if you gave money directly to the poor. A careful screening process insures that our help reaches those that need it most.

Please join us now and share the blessings.

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