My Chanukah is not about
The gifts or gelt that we give out.
It’s not about the clothes or toys
Received by all our girls and boys.
It calls to mind a wondrous neis
With which Hashem showed us His Grace.
And on that day of great import,
His miracles were of a spectacular sort.
The Greek king tried to wipe us out,
Erase our bitachon, create some doubt.
But we stood by steadfastedly
As he did things most dastardly.
A woman lost her seven sons,
They were among the bravest ones.
Another fed dairy to a Greek
Whose head on a pike she went to seek.
So many died al Kiddush Hashem,
But we persisted, in spite of “them.”
And when our sonim were defeated,
The Maccabees’victory was not yet completed.
Into our Beis Hamidash they walked with care
Looking for holy remnants there.
They found but one small cruse of oil
That our enemies did not yet spoil.
They lit the Menorah with trepidation
And Hashem made a miracle for the Jewish Nation.
For what was to last just one short day,
For eight instead, lit up our way.
And now we make our celebration
As a very special commemoration
Of all the nissim Hashem did then
And continues to do again and again.
My Chanukah is not about material things
Like gifts of clothing, toys, or rings.
It’s about loving our Torah and sacrifice,
And emunah for which we don’t think twice.
It’s about the Jewish people, the Chosen Nation,
About mesiras nefesh and dedication.
And the hope that one day we will surely see,
The Geulah Shelaima, and Binyan Bayit Shlishi.