{"id":2067,"date":"2026-07-08T21:08:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T18:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tshura.co.il\/hanukkah-candle-lighting-guide\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T08:02:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T05:02:13","slug":"hanukkah-candle-lighting-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tshura.co.il\/en\/hanukkah-candle-lighting-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Hanukkah candle-lighting guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Guide \u00b7 Hanukkah Candles<\/span>

The Order of Lighting Hanukkah Candles and the Blessings: The Complete Guide<\/h1>

Everything you need for the eight nights: the blessings with vowels, the order of lighting, the times, and the customs.<\/p>

<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/section>

Eight evenings a year the window fills with light. Each evening an additional candle is lit, blessings, songs, and the entire house gathers around the menorah. On this page is everything needed to light Hanukkah candles: full Hanukkah blessings with vowels, the order of lighting step-by-step, lighting times, and answers to frequently asked questions.<\/p><\/div><\/section>

Hanukkah Blessings: The Full Text<\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>

Every evening before lighting the candles, the blessing for Hanukkah candles is recited, as well as the blessing \"She'asa Nisim\" (Who performed miracles). On the first night, the \"Shehecheyanu\" blessing is also added.<\/p>

The first blessing<\/div>

\u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4', \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b6\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd, \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05e7\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05bc\u05e9\u05b8\u05c1\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e6\u05b4\u05d5\u05b8\u05bc\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05e7 \u05e0\u05b5\u05e8 \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05dc \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4. (the blessing appears in its original Hebrew)<\/p><\/div>

The second blessing<\/div>

\u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4', \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b6\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd, \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05b8\u05c2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e1\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05b8\u05d4\u05b5\u05dd \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d6\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05b7\u05df \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4. (the blessing appears in its original Hebrew)<\/p><\/div>

On the first evening only<\/div>

\u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4', \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b6\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd, \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05d4\u05b6\u05d7\u05b1\u05d9\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b0\u05e7\u05b4\u05d9\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d2\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05e2\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05dc\u05b7\u05d6\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05b7\u05df \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4. (the blessing appears in its original Hebrew)<\/p><\/div><\/div>

Some follow the wording of the first blessing as \u05e0\u05b5\u05e8 \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4, without the word \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05dc (shown in its original Hebrew).<\/p><\/div>

These candles<\/h3>

After lighting the first candle, one says:<\/p>

\u05d4\u05b7\u05e0\u05b5\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d4\u05b7\u05dc\u05b8\u05bc\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc \u05d0\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05de\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05e7\u05b4\u05d9\u05df \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d4\u05b7\u05e0\u05b4\u05bc\u05e1\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05dd \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d4\u05b7\u05e0\u05b4\u05bc\u05e4\u05b0\u05dc\u05b8\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d4\u05b7\u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d4\u05b7\u05de\u05b4\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05d7\u05b8\u05de\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea, \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05b4\u05c2\u05d9\u05ea\u05b8 \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05b8\u05d4\u05b5\u05dd \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d6\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05b7\u05df \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4, \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d9\u05b0\u05d3\u05b5\u05d9 \u05db\u05b9\u05bc\u05d4\u05b2\u05e0\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d4\u05b7\u05e7\u05b0\u05bc\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05e9\u05b4\u05c1\u05d9\u05dd. \u05d5\u05b0\u05db\u05b8\u05dc \u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05de\u05d5\u05b9\u05e0\u05b7\u05ea \u05d9\u05b0\u05de\u05b5\u05d9 \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4 \u05d4\u05b7\u05e0\u05b5\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d4\u05b7\u05dc\u05b8\u05bc\u05dc\u05d5\u05bc \u05e7\u05b9\u05d3\u05b6\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d4\u05b5\u05dd, \u05d5\u05b0\u05d0\u05b5\u05d9\u05df \u05dc\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05e8\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05ea \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05e9\u05b0\u05c1\u05ea\u05b7\u05bc\u05de\u05b5\u05bc\u05e9\u05c1 \u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4\u05b6\u05dd, \u05d0\u05b6\u05dc\u05b8\u05bc\u05d0 \u05dc\u05b4\u05e8\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05dd \u05d1\u05b4\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05d1\u05b8\u05d3, \u05db\u05b0\u05bc\u05d3\u05b5\u05d9 \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05d5\u05b9\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea \u05d5\u05bc\u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05dc\u05b5\u05bc\u05dc \u05dc\u05b0\u05e9\u05b4\u05c1\u05de\u05b0\u05da\u05b8 \u05d4\u05b7\u05d2\u05b8\u05bc\u05d3\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc \u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05e0\u05b4\u05e1\u05b6\u05bc\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05e0\u05b4\u05e4\u05b0\u05dc\u05b0\u05d0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b6\u05d9\u05da\u05b8 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b7\u05dc \u05d9\u05b0\u05e9\u05c1\u05d5\u05bc\u05e2\u05b8\u05ea\u05b6\u05da\u05b8. (the text appears in its original Hebrew)<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

The order of lighting Chanukah candles, step by step<\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>

The core of the Hanukkah lighting is publicizing the miracle, and therefore the menorah is placed in a spot visible from outside, and the blessings are recited before the lighting, as is customary for all commandments.<\/p><\/div>

1<\/div>

The place<\/h3>

Place the menorah in a visible spot: on a windowsill facing the street, or in the doorway of the house opposite the mezuzah. On a stable surface, away from curtains and flammable objects.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

2<\/div>

Arrangement of candles<\/h3>

On the first night, place one candle on the right end of the menorah, and each night add one candle to its left, until there are eight.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

3<\/div>

The sun<\/h3>

The shamash is the candle whose place is distinct and elevated from the other candles, and all of them are lit from it. Regarding when it is lit, there are two traditions: according to Ashkenazi custom, the shamash is lit before the blessings, and according to the Sephardic and Eastern rites custom, the shamash is lit only after all the other Hanukkah candles have been lit.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

4<\/div>

The Blessings<\/h3>

Hold the burning sun and recite the blessings in the wording above: two every evening, and three on the first evening.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

5<\/div>

The lighting<\/h3>

First, light the new candle of the evening, the leftmost one, and continue from it to the right. After lighting, say \"These are the miracles\" (Hanerot Halalu), and many are accustomed to singing \"Maoz Tzur.\".<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

Hanukkah candle lighting time<\/h2>
<\/div><\/div>

The common custom is to light the candles after nightfall, about 20 minutes after sunset, and some have the custom to light them at sunset. The candles should burn for at least half an hour, and ideally until people are no longer out and about. If one did not manage to light them on time, they light them during the night as long as the household members are awake.<\/p>

On Shabbat evening during Hanukkah, the Hanukkah candles are lit before the Shabbat candles, and candles are chosen to burn until half an hour after nightfall. On Saturday night, they are lit after nightfall.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/section>

Frequently Asked Questions about Lighting Hanukkah Candles<\/h2>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>