Your spirit helps me raise my hopes
When I seem to be defeated
Your essence in the dark of night
A light that’s always needed
Is it the oil that we found
That gives us hope of finding?
The miracle, eight days of light
That always is reminding?
Is it a group of those who fight
Despite the frightful odds
Against thousands of armed soldiers
Who pray to foreign gods?
That gives us hope to persevere
And always keep on fighting
And never think the flame will die
If we will do the lighting?
Why is there
Abundant joy
When hearing latkes sizzle?
Why is there abundant warmth
Despite a freezing drizzle?
What magic lies in spinning tops
With letters on their side
That makes the sternest faces grin
A smile they can’t hide?
What’s special about gimmel
And how that dreidel lands
That makes both young and old rejoice
And shout and clap their hands?
How can there be book after book
And seforim filled with pages?
It’s not in Nach
And just three blatt
That’s written by our sages
But somehow it seems Chanukah
Like oil seems to burn
Despite those who do think that it’s
A Yom Tov they would spurn
They may call you minor
To give out gelt and toys
A time to give a few day break
For school-age girls and boys!
But those who know your secret
And those who know just why
Understand that you’re the light
The answer to a cry
For those who say, “We’ll manage”
For those who think we’re tough
They wait for you, oy Chanukah
You can’t come soon enough!
