Rabbi Jason Bonder, RRC ’15, recorded this video when he was a student.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu
lehadlik nerCandle shel hanukkahThe holiday which celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem following its conquest by the Syrians in 165 BCE. The holiday is celebrated by lighting candles in a hanukiyah oon each of eight nights. Other customs include the eating of fried foods such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (jelly donuts), playing dreidl (a gambling game with a spinning top), and, in present day America, gift giving..
Blessed are you, SOURCE OF LIGHT, our God, the sovereign of all world,
who has made us holy with your mitzvotLit. Commandment. It is traditionally held that there are 613 mitzvot (plural) in Judaism, both postive commandments (mandating actions) and negative commandments (prohibiting actions). Mitzvah has also become colloquially assumed to mean the idea of a “good deed.", and commanded us to kindle Hanukkah light.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמָן הַזֶּה
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam she’asah nisim la’avoteynu bayamim hahem bazeman hazeh.
Blessed are you, THE REDEEMER, our God, the sovereign of all world,
who wrought wonders for our ancestors in former days at this time of year.
On the first night of Hanukkah add:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam shehekheyanu vekiyemanu vehigi’anu lazeman hazeh.
Blessed are you, ETERNAL ONE, our God, the sovereign of all worlds,
who gave us life, and kept us strong, and brought us to this time.
