A brief history of Chanukah

(6) [We thank You] for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds, for the deliverances and for the wars that You performed for our fathers in those days at this season.

(7) On Chanukah: In the days of Matisyahu, son of Yochanan the High Priest, the Hasmonean and his sons, when the evil Greek kingdom rose up against Your people Israel to make them forget Your Torah⁵²This refers to rationally conceived laws. S.R. Hirsch comments: The Greeks knew that the key to the Jewish religion is the Torah. If Torah were forgotten, the decline of ritual observance would be inevitable and rapid. Thus, they concentrated first on causing Torah to be forgotten, knowing that the deterioration of religious observance would swiftly follow. and to turn them away from the statutes of Your will— You, in Your abundant mercy, stood by them in their time of distress, You defended their cause, You judged their grievances, You avenged them. You delivered the mighty into the hands of the weak, many into the hands of the few, defiled people into the hands of the undefiled, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and insolent [sinners] into the hands of diligent students of Your Torah. And You made Yourself a great and sanctified name in Your world. And for Your people, Israel, You performed a great deliverance and redemption unto this very day. Afterwards, Your sons entered the Holy of Holies of Your Abode, cleaned Your Temple, purified Your Sanctuary, and kindled lights in the Courtyards of Your Sanctuary, and designated these eight days of Chanukah to thank and praise Your great Name.

(1) O Fortress, Rock of my salvation, unto thee it is becoming to give praise:

(2) let my house of prayer be restored, and I will there offer thee thanksgivings

(3) when thou shalt have prepared a slaughter of the blaspheming foe,

(4) I will complete with song and psalm the dedication of the altar.

(6) Full sated was my soul with ills, my strength was spent with sorrow;

(7) they embittered my life by hardship during my subjection to the dominion of Egypt,^*The kingdom of the heifer," see Jeremiah 46:20.

(8) but God with his great power brought forth the chosen race,

(9) while the host of Pharaoh and all his seed sank like a stone into the deep.

(11) To his holy oracle he brought me, yet there also I found no peace,

(12) for the oppressor came and led me captive, because I had served strange gods:

(13) I had to quaff the wine of bewilderment; well nigh had I perished,

(14) when Babylon's end drew near; through Zerubbabel I was saved after seventy years.

(16) The Agagite (Haman), the son of Hammedatha, sought to cut down the lofty fir tree (Mordecai)^*See Talmud Babli, Tr. Megillah, 10b.;

(17) but his design became a snare to himself, and his pride was brought to an end.

(18) The head of the Benjamite thou didst exalt, but the enemy's name thou Midst blot out:

(19) the many sons he had gotten thou didst hang upon the gallows.

(21) The Grecians were gathered against me in the days of the Hasmoneans;

(22) they broke down the walls of my towers, and defiled all the oils;

(23) but from one of the last remaining flasks a miracle was wrought for thy beloved^*Likened to a lily in Song of Solomon 2:2.,

(24) and their men of understanding appointed these eight days for song and praises.