27. Vĕntunna Stuti (Hanukkah Song)

A “play soog” for the holiday of Hanukkah. It tells about how the Jews rebuilt the Temple but had no oil for the seven-branched lamp. After traveling far they managed to find a very small jar of consecrated oil, which miraculously went on burning in the Temple for eight days.

Text

When all the blessings were said, blessing the redemption,
When the Beit HaMikdash, the Temple, was smoothly rebuilt,
There was no oil for the golden lamp, no oil even for one day,
None of the customary oil to light the seven-branched lamp.

Praying to the just God, they had to travel far to find it.
Only after four days of wandering, then God revealed the oil.
It was a very small jar of oil, sealed with the seal of the Cohen.
They took it without hesitation and they poured it out.

***

The oil was just enough to burn for twelve hours,
But it went on burning, burning for eight whole days,
From the twenty-fifth of Kislev to the third day of Tebet.
Symbolically they called it Hanukkah, consecration.

So these days must be observed with great celebration.
The shofar must be blown with a beautiful sound.
Eliya Hanabi and Michayel, save and redeem the People.
Oh forever redeem the sheep, this remnant of Israel.