What blessings do I say when I light Chanukah candles?

Here's what you need to know

Before lighting Chanukah candles, you recite two blessings every night, and a third blessing only on the first night (or the first time you light that Chanukah season). All three praise God for the mitzvah, for the ancient miracle, and for reaching this season alive.

The specific rule is

On every night of Chanukah, say the blessing over kindling the Chanukah light (lehadlik ner Chanukah) and the blessing recalling the miracles (she'asa nissim). On the first night only, add the shehecheyanu blessing thanking God for bringing you to this season. Say all the blessings before lighting, then light the candles, starting with the newest candle (the leftmost) and moving to the right.

Step by step

• Set up the menorah (chanukiah) with the correct number of candles or oil cups for that night, placing the newest candle in its spot
• Recite: Baruch atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha'olam, asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lehadlik ner Chanukah (who has commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light)
• Recite: Baruch atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha'olam, she'asa nissim la'avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh (who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this season)
• On the first night only (or the first time lighting this Chanukah season), also recite: Baruch atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu melech ha'olam, shehecheyanu vekiyemanu vehigi'anu lazman hazeh
• Light the candles, beginning with the newest one added that night
• After lighting, many recite the paragraph Haneirot Halalu describing the purpose of the lights

Background

The two nightly blessings are considered obligatory every night because the lighting itself is a fresh mitzvah each evening. The shehecheyanu blessing is only said once per Chanukah season, since its purpose is to mark the joy of the holiday's arrival, not the mitzvah of lighting itself. If someone missed lighting on the first night, or lit but forgot shehecheyanu, they say shehecheyanu the next time they light that Chanukah, even if that is the second or third night.

All blessings are said before lighting, not after, because the general rule for mitzvah blessings is that they precede the act. If someone already lit and then remembers they forgot a blessing, they should not say it once the candles are already burning; the blessing is meant to precede the action.

Women are equally obligated in this mitzvah and recite the same blessings when they light.

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