How to Sing the Maoz Tzur at Hanukkah

The Maoz Tzur is a religious chant (or piyyut) that Hebrews traditionally sing after kindling the Chanukiah (or Hanukkah menorah) and reciting the Brachah Hanukkak blessings. Although the words Hebrews sing to the Maoz Tzur describe the significance of Purim and Passover, singing the Maoz Tzur is reserved exclusively for Hanukkah.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Media player (optional)

Learn How to Sing the Maoz Tzur at Hanukkah

1. Prepare to sing the Maoz Tzur by kindling the "shamash" and the first candle of the Chanukiah on Erev Chanukah (the first night of Hanukkah) while reciting the Hanukkah blessings or the three Brachahs.

2. Sing the first stanza of Maoz Tzur: "Rock of Ages, let our song, praise Thy saving power; Thou, amidst the raging foes, wast our sheltering tower. Furious they assailed us, but Thine arm availed us, and Thy word broke their sword, when our own strength failed us."

3. Sing only the first or the first and fifth stanzas to the Maoz Tzur at Hanukkah, although there are a total of six stanzas. The first describes the victory over tyranny and oppression during the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem, while the fifth reflects resistance to the Hellenistic ruling hand of Antiochus IV, who desecrated the Temple.

4. Sing the modern version of Maoz Tzur, "Rock of Ages." Maoz Tzur is an adaptation of a German folk song and the modern version has become a traditional song at Hanukkah.

5. Get an idea of how to sing the melody to Maoz Tzur at Hanukkah by listening to a piano arrangement stored as a midi file online from ChazzaNut.com (see Resources below). Note that this requires a media player.

6. View and/or print the sheet music to the above adaptation if you are adept at playing the piano yourself (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Literally translated from Hebrew to mean "Stronghold of Rock" in reference to the glory of God, the Maoz Tzur is thought to have been composed during the Crusades of the 13th century. However, followers of the Jewish faith didn't begin to sing the Maoz Tzur at home until much later and it was uncommon to hear Maoz Tzur being sung at Temple prior to the 19th century.
• The first letters of the first five stanzas of Maoz Tzur form an acrostic to reveal the name of the original 13th century composer, Mordechai. In addition, the first letters of the last stanza spell out "hazak," which roughly translates to "may you be strong." The use of acrostics in this manner was typical during the composition of piyyut.

Resources

• Midi file of Maoz Tzur
• Sheet music to Maoz Tzur