Why the Ma’oz Tzur author says ‘prepare a slaughter’?

Some English translations have 'censored' this line.

In the Hanukkah song Ma’oz Tzur, arguably the most famous piyyut, or liturgical poem, of all time, the 3rd and 4th line read:

לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ

.אָז אֶגְמוֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ

“When you have prepared a slaughter of the barking foe,
I will complete with song and psalm the dedication of the altar.”

In this video, I discuss who is the enemy and why the author, a 12th or 13th century Mordecai, is using such violent words?

About the Author

Shamai Leibowitz grew up in Israel, served in the army, and graduated from Bar Ilan University Law School. He practiced law for several years in Israel, focusing on civil rights and human rights law. He graduated from the Washington College of Law with a Master's Degree in International Legal Studies. His real passion, however, is teaching Hebrew and Jewish culture, and for the past 15 years, he has been an adjunct professor of Hebrew at various institutions of higher learning. In this blog, he will explore the fascinating evolution of the Hebrew language, from Biblical times to Modern Hebrew, and focus on connections between language, religion and cutlure.