✶  ברכת הנרות חנוכה  ✶
Blessings for the Chanukah Lights
Nusach ha-Ari Z”l
According to the text of Shneur Zalman of Liadi

Compiled, with English instructions provided by Shmuel Gonzales
Version 3.0 - December 2011

יברך בכל לילה להדליק נר חנוכה ושעשה נסים ולילה הראשון יברך ג״כ שהחיינו ואץ להדליק עד שיגמור כל‬ הברכות המנהג הנכון לדבק הנרות או לתלות המנורה בעובי המזוזה בחלל הפתח ויתחיל להדליק בליל  ראשון נר‬ ‫הימין ומליל שני ואילך יברך על הנוסף וילך משמאל לימין:

On all nights we say blessings. On the first night we say three blessings; however, on each subsequent night we only say the first two blessings, excluding the third. It is the proper custom to affix the lights or to hang the menorah opposite the mezuzah of the door-post and then begin to kindle. On the first night place the light to the farthest space on the right; we add one additional going to the left for each additional day.  Though we place the candles from right-to-left each additional night, we light the lights from left-to-right; the newest candle being added is thus the first lit.

Light the candle or item you will use for the lighting menorah, then say the blessings:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִידְשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה:

“Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us to light the Chanukah light.”

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתַינוּ, בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בִּזְּמָן הַזֶּה:

“Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, who has performed miracles for our forefathers, in those days, at this season.”


From the second night of Chanukah on, omit this blessing:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הַעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לִזְמַן הַזֶּה:

“Blessed are You, Hashem our God, King of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this occasion.”
ואחר שידליק הנרות יאמר זה:

After the lights are light, say this:

הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ אָנוּ מַדְלִיקִין, עַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת, עַל הַנִּסִּים, וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת, שֶׁעָשִֹיתָ לַאֲבוֹתיֵנוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בִּזּמַן הַזֶּה, עַל יְדֵי כֹּהֲנֶיךָ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְכָל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה, הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ קֹדֶשׁ הֵם, וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶן, אֶלָּא לִרְאוֹתָן בִּלְבָד, כְּדֵי לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לְשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל, עַל נִסֶּיךָ וְעַל נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ, וְעַל יְשׁוּעָתֶךָ:

“We kindle these lights [to commemorate] the acts of salvation, and the miracles, and the wonders which You performed for our forefathers, in those days and and this time through Your holy priests. Throughout the eight days of Chanukah these lights are sacred; and we are not permitted to make use of them. Instead we are only to look at them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name for your miracles, for your wonders, and for your saving acts.”










I am the original transcriber of this liturgy "Chanukah Blessings Nusach Ari" and translator/author of its accompanying instructional text. I am licensing the transcriptions within it under the Creative Commons Zero License, and the instructions with the Creative Commons By Attribution license. Attribution may be given as ‘Contributors to the Open Siddur Project’, with the transcriber/translators name Shmueli Gonzales included in the contributors list.