Hanukkah Menorah Blessings

First Blessing (Lehadlik Ner)

Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו
וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה

Transliteration:
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech haolam
asher kidshanu bemitzvotav
vetzivanu lehadlik ner shel Hanukkah

English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe,
who makes us holy through commandments
and commands us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.

Second Blessing (Sheasah Nisim)

Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Transliteration:
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech haolam
sheasah nisim laavoteinu
bayamim hahem bazman hazeh

English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe,
who performed miracles for our ancestors
in those days and in this season.

Shehecheyanu (Night One)

Hebrew:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם
שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ
וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Transliteration:
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech haolam
shehecheyanu vekiyemanu
vehigianu lazman hazeh

English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Sovereign of the universe,
who has kept us alive, sustained us,
and brought us to this moment.

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Ma’oz Tzur

Hebrew

מָעוֹז צוּר יְשׁוּעָתִי לְךָ נָאֶה לְשַׁבֵּחַ
תִּכּוֹן בֵּית תְּפִלָּתִי וְשָׁם תּוֹדָה נְזַבֵּחַ
לְעֵת תָּכִין מַטְבֵּחַ מִצָּר הַמְנַבֵּחַ
אָז אֶגְמֹר בְּשִׁיר מִזְמוֹר חֲנֻכַּת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ
(repeat last two lines)

Transliteration

Ma'oz tzur yeshu'ati,
lecha na'eh leshabe-ach.

Tikon beit tefilati
vesham todah nezabe-ach.

Le'eit tachin matbe-ach,
mitzar ham'nabe-ach.

Az egmor beshir mizmor
chanukat hamizbe-ach.
(repeat last two lines)

The Rock of Ages (English)

Rock of Ages, let our song
praise thy saving power.

You amidst the raging foes
were our sheltering tower.

Furious, they assailed us,
but your armour veiled us.

And thy word broke their sword
when our own strength failed us.

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Al Hanisim

Hebrew:
עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַפֻּרְקָן
וְעַל הַגְּבוּרוֹת וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת
וְעַל הַמִּלְחָמוֹת
שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה

Transliteration:
Al hanisim veal hapurkan
veal hagevurot veal hateshuot
veal hamilchamot
sheasita laavoteinu
bayamim hahem bazman hazeh

English:
For the miracles and for the redemption
and for the mighty deeds and for the deliverances
and for the battles
which you performed for our ancestors
in those days and in this season

Song Version (Chorus and Verse)

Chorus:
Al hanisim veal hapurkan
veal hagevurot veal hateshuot
veal hamilchamot

Verse:
Sheasita laavoteinu
bayamim hahem bazman hazeh

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Sevivon

Sevivon sov sov sov
Chanukah hu chag tov
Chanukah hu chag tov
Sevivon sov sov sov
Chag simcha hu la’am
Nes gadol haya sham
Nes gadol haya sham
Chag simcha hu la’am

Sevivon spin and turn
While the Hanukkah candles burn
What a beautiful holiday
Let’s all eat and dance and play
Chant the stories, hear the prayers
A great miracle happened there
It’s the festival of lights
We’ll be spinning for all eight nights

Sevivon sov sov sov
Chanukah hu chag tov
Chanukah hu chag tov
Sevivon sov sov sov
Chag simcha hu la’am
Nes gadol haya sham
Nes gadol haya sham
Chag simcha hu la’am

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Mi Yimalel

Hebrew

מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל
אוֹתָם נָא יִבְנֶה
הֵן בְּכָל דּוֹר יָקוּם הַגִּבּוֹר
גּוֹאֵל הָעָם

Transliteration (Family Version)

Mi yimalel gevurot Yisrael
otam na yivneh
hen b’chol dor yakum ha-gibor
go’el ha-am

English

Who can retell the mighty deeds of Israel?
Who will help rebuild them?
In every generation a hero arises,
the redeemer of the people.

Verse 2

שְׁמַע! בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה
מַכַּבִּי מוֹשִׁיעַ וּפוֹדֶה
וּבִימֵינוּ כׇּל עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל
יִתְאַחֵד יָקוּם וְיִגָּאֵל

Transliteration

Sh’ma! Bayamim ha-hem baz’man hazeh
Maccabee moshia u’fodeh
U’v’yameinu kol am Yisrael
yit’aḥeid yakum v’yiga’el

English

Listen! In those days, at this season,
the Maccabee saved and redeemed.
And in our days, all Israel
will unite, rise up, and be redeemed.

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Ocho Kandelikas (Ladino)

Verse 1

Hanukah linda sta aki
Ocho kandelas para mi
Hanukah linda sta aki
Ocho kandelas para mi, oh

Chorus

Una kandelika, dos kandelikas
Tres kandelikas, kuatro kandelikas
Sintyu kandelikas, sej kandelikas
Siete kandelikas, ocho kandelas para mi

Verse 2

Muchas fiestas vo fazer
Kon alegria i plazer
Muchas fiestas vo fazer
Kon alegria i plazer

Chorus

Una kandelika, dos kandelikas
Tres kandelikas, kuatro kandelikas
Sintyu kandelikas, sej kandelikas
Siete kandelikas, ocho kandelas para mi

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Chanukah Oh Chanukah — English

Chanukah Oy Chanukah (Yiddish)

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Light One Candle

By Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary)