Chanukah 2026
Chanukah prayers
The brachot over the lights, Haneirot Halalu and Maoz Tzur at home, and Al HaNissim, Hallel and the Torah reading in shul. Here is what we say on Chanukah, and why.
At the menorah
The brachot over the lights
Bracha 1, every night
讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛 讛’ 讗直诇止拽值讬谞讜旨 诪侄诇侄讱职 讛指注讜止诇指诐, 讗植砖侄讈专 拽执讚职旨砖指讈谞讜旨 讘职旨诪执爪职讜止转指讬讜 讜职爪执讜指旨谞讜旨 诇职讛址讚职诇执讬拽 谞值专 讞植谞只讻指旨讛.
Baruch atah Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha’olam, asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner Chanukah.
Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, Who made us holy with His mitzvot and commanded us to light the Chanukah light.
Bracha 2, every night
讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛 讛’ 讗直诇止拽值讬谞讜旨 诪侄诇侄讱职 讛指注讜止诇指诐, 砖侄讈注指砖指讉讛 谞执住执旨讬诐 诇址讗植讘讜止转值讬谞讜旨 讘址旨讬指旨诪执讬诐 讛指讛值诐 讘址旨讝职旨诪址谉 讛址讝侄旨讛.
Baruch atah Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha’olam, she’asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim haheim bazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, Who did miracles for our fathers in those days, at this time.
Bracha 3, first night only
讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛 讛’ 讗直诇止拽值讬谞讜旨 诪侄诇侄讱职 讛指注讜止诇指诐, 砖侄讈讛侄讞直讬指谞讜旨 讜职拽执讬职旨诪指谞讜旨 讜职讛执讙执旨讬注指谞讜旨 诇址讝职旨诪址谉 讛址讝侄旨讛.
Baruch atah Ado-nai, Elo-heinu Melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this time.
Hashem’s Name is written as 讛’ and Ado-nai out of respect. Say it as written in your siddur.
After lighting
Haneirot Halalu
讛址谞值旨专讜止转 讛址诇指旨诇讜旨 讗指谞讜旨 诪址讚职诇执讬拽执讬谉, 注址诇 讛址谞执旨住执旨讬诐 讜职注址诇 讛址谞执旨驻职诇指讗讜止转 讜职注址诇 讛址转职旨砖讈讜旨注讜止转 讜职注址诇 讛址诪执旨诇职讞指诪讜止转, 砖侄讈注指砖执讉讬转指 诇址讗植讘讜止转值讬谞讜旨 讘址旨讬指旨诪执讬诐 讛指讛值诐 讘址旨讝职旨诪址谉 讛址讝侄旨讛, 注址诇 讬职讚值讬 讻止旨讛植谞侄讬讱指 讛址拽职旨讚讜止砖执讈讬诐.
Haneirot halalu anu madlikin, al hanisim v’al haniflaot v’al hateshuot v’al hamilchamot, she’asita la’avoteinu bayamim haheim bazman hazeh, al yedei kohanecha hakedoshim.
We light these lights for the miracles, the wonders, the salvations and the battles You made for our fathers in those days, at this time, through Your holy Kohanim. All eight days of Chanukah these lights are holy. We may not use them, only look at them, to thank and praise Your great Name.
The Chanukah song
Maoz Tzur and Mizmor Shir
Maoz Tzur
诪指注讜止讝 爪讜旨专 讬职砖讈讜旨注指转执讬, 诇职讱指 谞指讗侄讛 诇职砖址讈讘值旨讞址
Maoz tzur yeshuati, lecha na’eh l’shabei’ach.
“Mighty Rock of my salvation, it is fitting to praise You.” Written in the Middle Ages, its six verses tell of every exile Hashem saved us from: Egypt, Bavel, Persia in the days of Purim, and the Greeks in the days of Chanukah.
Mizmor Shir Chanukat HaBayit
Many Sephardic families sing Tehillim 30, “A song for the dedication of the House,” and Tehillim 67, often printed in the shape of a menorah. See our Sephardic customs.
In every Amidah and bentching
Al HaNissim
注址诇 讛址谞执旨住执旨讬诐 讜职注址诇 讛址驻只旨专职拽指谉 讜职注址诇 讛址讙职旨讘讜旨专讜止转 讜职注址诇 讛址转职旨砖讈讜旨注讜止转 讜职注址诇 讛址诪执旨诇职讞指诪讜止转
Al hanisim v’al hapurkan v’al hagevurot v’al hateshuot v’al hamilchamot.
“For the miracles, the redemption, the mighty deeds, the salvations and the battles.” All eight days, we add Al HaNissim in Modim of the Amidah and in the second bracha of Birkat HaMazon. It tells how, in the days of Matityahu, the wicked Greek kingdom tried to make Israel forget the Torah, and Hashem delivered the strong into the hands of the weak and the many into the hands of the few.
In shul
Hallel, the Torah reading and no Tachanun
Full Hallel
Each morning of Chanukah we say the complete Hallel after the Amidah of Shacharit, with its bracha, on all eight days.
The Torah reading
Each day we read from Parashat Naso about the gifts of the Nesiim at the dedication of the Mishkan. On Rosh Chodesh Tevet, December 10 and 11, two Sifrei Torah are taken out. On Shabbat Chanukah, the haftarah is Roni V’Simchi. On the second Shabbat, December 12, it is from Melachim, about the vessels of the Beit HaMikdash.
No Tachanun
Tachanun and Lamnatzeach are not said on Chanukah, and there are no eulogies or fasts. These are days of thanks and joy.
Join the minyan at Bait Aaron: Shacharit Sunday through Friday, and the 9:30am minyan on Shabbat (Saturday) morning. See minyan times.
Prayer questions
What prayer do you say when lighting the menorah?
Two brachot every night: l’hadlik ner Chanukah, and she’asah nisim la’avoteinu. On the first night, add Shehecheyanu. After lighting, we sing Haneirot Halalu and Maoz Tzur.
What is Al HaNissim?
A prayer of thanks added on Chanukah in the Amidah and in Birkat HaMazon. It describes the miracle of the few Chashmonaim who defeated the Greek armies.
Do we say Hallel on Chanukah?
Yes. The complete Hallel is said every morning of all eight days of Chanukah, after the Amidah of Shacharit.
What if I forgot Al HaNissim?
If you already finished the bracha, you do not repeat the Amidah or Birkat HaMazon. In bentching, you may add a short Harachaman for the miracles.
Is Tachanun said on Chanukah?
No. Tachanun is not said on any of the eight days of Chanukah.
Your siddur has the complete text of every prayer here. For your family’s nusach, ask your Rav.
Sources: Al HaNissim text on Sefaria · Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 682 to 684
The Bait Aaron Chanukah guide
More for Chanukah
A question for the Rav, or want to join us for Chanukah at the shul? Contact Bait Aaron.
Bait Aaron Torah Outreach Center · 301 S. La Peer Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90048 · Mara D’Asra: HaRav Moshe Nourollah, Shlita