Hi Sami,
I am happy you enjoyed our Hanukkah forum. What can I say? I have been teaching for over 17 years now everyday, while home schooling my children with great success I might add. LOL
Hanukkah is rich in wonderful traditions here is how the lights are lite and the blessings that are to be said during Hanukkah.
The lighting of the Menorah
candles
1. display the lights on
the menorah. make sure that there is a
sufficient amount oil, or that the candles are big enough, for the lights to
burn until half an hour after nightfall (or, if lighting after nightfall, for
one half hour). On the first night, set one candle to the far right of
the menorah. On the next night, add a second light to the left of the first
one, and then add one light each night of Hanukkah - goving from right to left.
2. Gather everyone in
the house around the menorah.
3. Light the shamash candle.( This the candle you
light the other candles from) Then hold it in your right hand (unless you are
left-handed).
4. While standing, recite
the a special blessing.
5. Light the candles. Each
night, light the newest (left-most) candle first and continue lighting from
left to right. (We add lights to the menorah from right to left, while we light
from left to right.)
The Blessings
Prior to
lighting the Hanukkah candles, we thank G‑d for giving us this special mitzvah, and for the astonishing Hanukkah
miracles:
Hebrew
Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai
E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu
le-had-lik ner Chanukah.
Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai
E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech ha-olam she-a-sa ni-sim la-avo-te-nu ba-ya-mim ha-hem
bi-z'man ha-zeh.
Transliteration in
English
[Blessed are You, Lord our
God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and
commanded us to kindle theHanukkah light.
Blessed are You, Lord our
God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those
days, at this time.]
On the first night of Hanukkah, Sunday, December 21, 2008 (or the first time on Hanukkah you make
this mitzvah), add the subsequent blessing:
Hebrew
Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai
E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu liz-man
ha-zeh.
Transliteration in
English
Blessed are You, Lord our
God, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled
us to reach this occasion.
Shalom,
Geketa