Lighting Chanukah Candles

 Nadene Goldfoot                                           

We say 3 blessings on the first night which is Sunday, and 2 blessings thereafter.  Before lighting the candles (but after placing them in the menorah), we recite the following blessings.  We say the 3 blessings on the first night, and then only and 1st and 2nd blessing on the following 7 nights. 

We say the special blessing for the first night, Shehecheyanu, praising God for bringing us to this season. These blessings thank God for the mitzvah (commandment) to light the candles, the miracle of the oil, and for sustaining us to reach the holiday. 

                                                                          בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה

TRANSLITERATION

1.  Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. 

 Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who makes us holy with your commandments, commanding us to kindle (light) the Hanukkah lights.

2. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאִמוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה  Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, she-asah nisim la-avoteinu v’imoteinu bayamim haheim bazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.

3. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה  Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.

Resource:

https://bnaimitzvahacademy.com/hanukkah-blessings-hanukkah-prayer/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20important,for%20the%20following%20seven%20nights.