The Order of Lighting the Chanukah Candles and a Prayer for the Second Candle

The Order of Lighting:

Blessings over the Lighting:

Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, Who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the universe, Who performed miracles for our fathers in those days, at this time.

These lights we kindle for the miracles, for the wonders, for the salvations, and for the wars that You performed for our fathers in those days, at this time—through Your holy Kohanim. Throughout all eight days of Chanukah, these lights are holy, and we have no permission to make use of them, only to look at them—so that we may thank and praise Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders, and for Your salvation.

Maoz Tzur, Rock of my salvation—to You it is fitting to give praise. Establish the House of my prayer, and there we will offer a thanksgiving sacrifice. When You prepare the slaughter of the barking foe, then I will complete, with song and psalm, the dedication of the Altar.

My soul was sated with troubles; my strength was consumed with grief. My life was embittered with hardship under the bondage of the calf-kingdom. Yet with His great hand He brought out His treasured nation; Pharaoh’s army and all his offspring sank like a stone in the depths.

He brought me to His holy Sanctuary, yet even there I found no rest; an oppressor came and exiled me, for I served strangers and poured a poisonous wine—until I nearly passed away. The end of Babylon—Zerubbabel—at the end of seventy years I was saved.

The Agagite, son of Hammedata, sought to cut down the lofty cypress; but it became a trap and a snare for him, and his pride was shattered. You raised the head of my right hand, and You erased the name of the enemy; his many sons and possessions You hung upon the tree.

Greeks gathered against me then, in the days of the Chashmonaim. They breached the walls of my towers and defiled all the oils. But from the remaining flasks, a miracle was made for the lilies; discerning ones established eight days of song and joyous praise.

Uncover Your holy arm and bring near the end of salvation. Avenge the blood of Your servants from the wicked nation. For the hour has grown long for us, and there is no end to the days of evil. Push away Edom in the shadow of Tzalmon; establish for us a shepherd of seven.

A psalm, a song for the dedication of the House, by David: I will exalt You, Hashem, for You have lifted me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. Hashem my G-d, I cried out to You and You healed me. Hashem, You brought my soul up from the grave; You gave me life, that I should not descend to the pit. Sing to Hashem, His devout ones, and give thanks to the remembrance of His holiness. For His anger is but for a moment; life is in His favor. In the evening, weeping may lodge, but in the morning there is joyous song. And I said in my calm: I shall never falter. Hashem, by Your favor You made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face—I was terrified. To You, Hashem, I call, and to my Master I plead: What gain is there in my blood, in my going down to the pit? Will the dust thank You? Will it tell of Your truth? Hear, Hashem, and be gracious to me; Hashem, be my Helper. You turned my mourning into dancing for me; You opened my sackcloth and girded me with joy—so that my glory may sing to You and not be silent. Hashem my G-d, forever I will thank You.

For the conductor, with stringed instruments, a psalm, a song: May G-d be gracious to us and bless us; may He shine His face upon us, Selah. So that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let peoples thank You, O G-d; let all peoples thank You. Nations will rejoice and sing, for You will judge peoples with fairness and guide nations on earth, Selah. Let peoples thank You, O G-d; let all peoples thank You. The earth has yielded its produce; G-d, our G-d, will bless us. G-d will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.

Please, with the power of the greatness of Your right hand, untie the bound one. אב"ג ית"ץ:

Accept the song of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One. קר"ע שט"ן:

Please, Mighty One—those who seek Your Oneness—guard them like the apple of the eye. נג"ד יכ"ש:

Bless them, purify them; with the mercies of Your righteousness, always bestow upon them. בט"ר צת"ג:

Strong and Holy One, in Your abundant goodness, lead Your congregation. חק"ב טנ"ע:

Unique and Exalted One, turn to Your people—those who remember Your holiness. יג"ל פז"ק:

Accept our plea and hear our cry, You Who know hidden things. שק"ו צי"ת:

In a whisper: Blessed is the Name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

Sing joyfully, you righteous, in Hashem; for the upright, praise is fitting. Give thanks to Hashem with a harp; with a ten-stringed lyre, sing to Him. Sing to Him a new song; play well with a joyous blast. For the word of Hashem is upright, and all His work is with faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is filled with the kindness of Hashem. By the word of Hashem the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their hosts. He gathers the waters of the sea like a mound; He places the depths in storehouses. Let all the earth fear Hashem; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke and it came to be; He commanded and it stood. Hashem nullifies the counsel of nations; He frustrates the plans of peoples. The counsel of Hashem stands forever, the thoughts of His heart from generation to generation. Fortunate is the nation whose G-d is Hashem, the people He chose as His inheritance. From heaven Hashem looked down; He saw all the children of man. From the place of His dwelling He watches over all the inhabitants of the earth—He Who forms their hearts together, Who understands all their deeds. A king is not saved by a great army; a mighty man is not rescued by great strength. The horse is false for salvation, and with all its power it cannot deliver. Behold, the eye of Hashem is upon those who fear Him, upon those who hope for His kindness—to rescue their soul from death and to sustain them in famine. Our soul waits for Hashem; He is our help and our shield. For in Him our heart rejoices, for in His holy Name we trusted. May Your kindness, Hashem, be upon us, as we hoped for You.

To merit, through the merit of the Second Chanukah Candle, that a light of Chochmah d’Atika should shine upon us—the subduing of the eleven chiefs of Esav

Master of the universe, in the merit of the second candle of Chanukah—which corresponds to the sefirah of Chochmah—may the light of Chochmah from Atika Kadisha shine upon us. May we merit that this light of Chochmah d’Atika will shine upon us by day 96 and by night 81 = 177. Through this, may we enter—together with our bodies—into Gan 53 Eden 124 = 177. And may we merit, on this Chanukah, to subdue the eleven (11) chiefs of Esav. May the verse be fulfilled in us: “And it was turned around, that 501 the Jews 80 would rule 355 over those who hate them” 414 = 1411. And may we enter Gan Eden, like Serach 508 bat 402 Asher 501 = 1411.