הַדְלָקַת נֵרוֹת חֲנֻכָּה

Blessings, the count of the nights and candles, and piyyutim — Maoz Tzur and more — according to Ashkenazi and Sephardi custom

Today’s Menorah

Counting the Nights and Candles

One candle on the first night, and one more each night — up to eight on the last night. In addition we light the “shamash”, the helper candle used to light the others.

Night	Evening	Candles	Blessings

Order of Lighting and Blessings — by Community

First blessing — every night

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Hanukkah lights.

Second blessing — every night

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time.

Third blessing — first night onlyShehecheyanu

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this time.

In the Ashkenazi version we say “ner Chanukah” (without “shel”).

Common custom: each member of the household lights for themselves (mehadrin).
After lighting we say “Hanerot Halalu” and sing “Maoz Tzur”.
“Al HaNissim” is added to the Amidah and to Birkat Hamazon on all days of Hanukkah.

First blessing — every night

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Hanukkah lights.

Second blessing — every night

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time.

Third blessing — first night onlyShehecheyanu

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this time.

In the Sephardi version we say “ner shel Chanukah”.

Common custom: the head of the household lights for everyone and the others answer amen; many also follow the more scrupulous practice of each person lighting.
After lighting we say “Hanerot Halalu”, then customarily recite “Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit” and sing “Maoz Tzur”.
“Al HaNissim” is added to the Amidah and to Birkat Hamazon on all days of Hanukkah.

The Order of Lighting

Place the candles in the menorah: the first candle at the right, and each night add a new candle to the left of those already there.
First light the shamash, then say the blessings.
Light the new candle first (the leftmost) and continue rightward to the older candles.
After lighting, say “Hanerot Halalu”.

“Hanerot Halalu” — after lighting

הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מַדְלִיקִין עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת, שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, עַל יְדֵי כֹּהֲנֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְכָל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ קֹדֶשׁ הֵם, וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָם בִּלְבָד, כְּדֵי לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל עַל יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ וְעַל נִסֶּיךָ וְעַל נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ.

We light these lights for the miracles, the wonders, the salvations and the battles that You performed for our ancestors in those days, at this time, through Your holy priests. During all eight days of Hanukkah these lights are sacred; we may not use them except to look at them, in order to thank and praise Your great Name for Your salvation, Your miracles and Your wonders.

Hanukkah Piyyutim

מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי

The piyyut was composed, apparently in the 13th century, by a poet named Mordechai (the first letters of the first stanzas spell “Mordechai”). It is customarily sung after the lighting.

1מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי, לְךָ נָאֶה לְשַׁבֵּחַ.
תִּכּוֹן בֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי, וְשָׁם תּוֹדָה נְזַבֵּחַ.
לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ, מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ.
אָז אֶגְמוֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר, חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ.

2רָעוֹת שָׂבְעָה נַפְשִׁי, בְּיָגוֹן כֹּחִי כָּלָה.
חַיַּי מֵרְרוּ בְקֹשִׁי, בְּשִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכוּת עֶגְלָה.
וּבְיָדוֹ הַגְּדוֹלָה, הוֹצִיא אֶת הַסְּגֻלָּה.
חֵיל פַּרְעֹה וְכָל זַרְעוֹ, יָרְדוּ כְּאֶבֶן בִּמְצוּלָה.

3דְּבִיר קָדְשׁוֹ הֱבִיאַנִי, וְגַם שָׁם לֹא שָׁקַטְתִּי.
וּבָא נוֹגֵשׂ וְהִגְלַנִי, כִּי זָרִים עָבַדְתִּי.
וְיֵין רַעַל מָסַכְתִּי, כִּמְעַט שֶׁעָבַרְתִּי.
קֵץ בָּבֶל זְרֻבָּבֶל, לְקֵץ שִׁבְעִים נוֹשַׁעְתִּי.

4כְּרוֹת קוֹמַת בְּרוֹשׁ, בִּקֵּשׁ אֲגָגִי בֶּן הַמְּדָתָא.
וְנִהְיְתָה לּוֹ לְפַח וּלְמוֹקֵשׁ, וְגַאֲוָתוֹ נִשְׁבָּתָה.
רֹאשׁ יְמִינִי נִשֵּׂאתָ, וְאוֹיֵב שְׁמוֹ מָחִיתָ.
רֹב בָּנָיו וְקִנְיָנָיו, עַל הָעֵץ תָּלִיתָ.

5יְוָנִים נִקְבְּצוּ עָלַי, אֲזַי בִּימֵי חַשְׁמַנִּים.
וּפָרְצוּ חוֹמוֹת מִגְדָּלַי, וְטִמְּאוּ כָּל הַשְּׁמָנִים.
וּמִנּוֹתַר קַנְקַנִּים, נַעֲשָׂה נֵס לַשּׁוֹשַׁנִּים.
בְּנֵי בִינָה, יְמֵי שְׁמוֹנָה, קָבְעוּ שִׁיר וּרְנָנִים.

6חֲשׂוֹף זְרוֹעַ קָדְשֶׁךָ, וְקָרֵב קֵץ הַיְשׁוּעָה.
נְקֹם נִקְמַת עֲבָדֶיךָ, מֵאֻמָּה הָרְשָׁעָה.
כִּי אָרְכָה הַשָּׁעָה, וְאֵין קֵץ לִימֵי הָרָעָה.
דְּחֵה אַדְמוֹן בְּצֵל צַלְמוֹן, הָקֵם לָנוּ רוֹעִים שִׁבְעָה.

The sixth stanza was added in later generations, and many communities sing only five stanzas.

מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת (תהילים ל׳)

It is customarily recited after the lighting, especially in the Sephardi version.

מִזְמוֹר שִׁיר חֲנֻכַּת הַבַּיִת לְדָוִד. אֲרוֹמִמְךָ ה' כִּי דִלִּיתָנִי, וְלֹא שִׂמַּחְתָּ אֹיְבַי לִי. ה' אֱלֹהָי, שִׁוַּעְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפָּאֵנִי. ה' הֶעֱלִיתָ מִן שְׁאוֹל נַפְשִׁי, חִיִּיתַנִי מִיָּרְדִי בוֹר. זַמְּרוּ לַה' חֲסִידָיו, וְהוֹדוּ לְזֵכֶר קָדְשׁוֹ. כִּי רֶגַע בְּאַפּוֹ, חַיִּים בִּרְצוֹנוֹ, בָּעֶרֶב יָלִין בֶּכִי וְלַבֹּקֶר רִנָּה. וַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי בְשַׁלְוִי, בַּל אֶמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם. ה' בִּרְצוֹנְךָ הֶעֱמַדְתָּה לְהַרְרִי עֹז, הִסְתַּרְתָּ פָנֶיךָ הָיִיתִי נִבְהָל. אֵלֶיךָ ה' אֶקְרָא, וְאֶל אֲדֹנָי אֶתְחַנָּן. מַה בֶּצַע בְּדָמִי, בְּרִדְתִּי אֶל שָׁחַת, הֲיוֹדְךָ עָפָר, הֲיַגִּיד אֲמִתֶּךָ. שְׁמַע ה' וְחָנֵּנִי, ה' הֱיֵה עֹזֵר לִי. הָפַכְתָּ מִסְפְּדִי לְמָחוֹל לִי, פִּתַּחְתָּ שַׂקִּי וַתְּאַזְּרֵנִי שִׂמְחָה. לְמַעַן יְזַמֶּרְךָ כָבוֹד וְלֹא יִדֹּם, ה' אֱלֹהַי לְעוֹלָם אוֹדֶךָּ.

Time and Place of Lighting

Time: in the evening, from sunset (preferably at nightfall, as most communities do) until the foot traffic in the street stops. The lights should burn for at least half an hour after nightfall.
Place: at the doorway of the home on the left side (opposite the mezuzah), or in a window facing the public domain — in order to “publicize the miracle”.
Friday evening: light the Hanukkah candles before the Shabbat candles, earlier than usual (from plag haminchah), with candles that will burn until after nightfall.
Saturday night: light after Havdalah; the Hanukkah candles are not lit on Shabbat itself.
One may not use the light of the Hanukkah candles for practical needs (reading, work) — which is why the shamash is lit separately.
Women are also obligated in the mitzvah of lighting.

All customs are good — follow the custom of your forefathers, and ask your rabbi about times and local customs.

Hanukkah Customs — Dreidel and Sufganiyah

Dreidel

The dreidel bears the letters Nun, Gimel, Hei, Peh — the initials of “A great miracle happened here” (in the Land of Israel), and “there” (“sham”) outside Israel.

נגהפ

Sufganiyot and Latkes

It is customary to eat foods fried in oil — sufganiyot and latkes — in memory of the miracle of the oil, and dairy foods in memory of the miracle of Judith.

Based on the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, simanim 671–685, and the customs of the communities. Texts and customs may vary between communities.

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