Hanerot Halalu:
The prayer Hanerot Halalu, found in the TalmudThe rabbinic compendium of lore and legend composed between 200 and 500 CE. Study of the Talmud is the focus of rabbinic scholarship. The Talmud has two versions, the main Babylonian version (Bavli) and the smaller Jerusalem version (Yerushalmi). It is written in Rabbinic Hebrew and Aramaic. Soferim 20:6, is recited as the hanukkiyahThe modern Hebrew term for the Hanukah menorah, the nine-branched candelabrum (eight primary candles plus the shamash/server candle) lit on Hanukah to symbolize the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days. candles are being lit.
הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ אֲנַחְנוּ מַדְלִיקִין עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת וְעַל הַנֶּחָמוֹת שֶׁעָשִׂית לְאִמוֹתֵינוּ וְלַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ
בַּיַּמִּים הָהֵם בַּזְּמָן הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי כֹּהֲנָיִךְ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים
וּבְכֹל דּוֹרוֹת עַמֵּךְ עַל יְדֵי כָּל אֵלֶּה שֶׁהִדְלִיקוּ נֵרוֹת הַשְׁאָרָה תִּקְוָה וְשָׁלוֹם
וְכָל שְׁמוֹנַת יְמֵי חֲנֻכָּה הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ קֹדֶשׁ הֵם וְאֵין לָנוּ רְשׁוּת לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּהֶם אֵלָא לִרְאוֹתָם בִּלְבַד כְּדַי לְהוֹדוֹת וּלְהַלֵּל לִשְׁמֵךְ הַגָּדוֹל עַל נִסַּיִךְ וְעַל נִפְלְאֹתָיִךְ וְעַל יְשׁוּעָתֵךְ
Hanerot halalu anakhnu madlikin al hanisim ve’al hanifla’ot v’al hateshu’ot v’al hanekhamot she’asit le’imoteynu v’la’avoteynu
Bayamim hahem bazman hazeh al yedey kohanayih hakedoshim
Uv’hol dorot amekh al yedey kol eleh shehidliku nerot hasha’rah tikvah v’shalom.
V’hol shmonat yemey 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. hanerot halalu kodesh hem v’ein lanu reshutLit. Domain. As in, the public domain (reshut harabim) or the private domain (reshut hayachid).
lehishtamesh bahem elah lirotam bilvad kedey lehodot u’lhalel lishmekh hagadol al nisayikh ve’al nifle’otayikh ve’al yeshuatekh.
These lights we kindle for the miracles and the wonders and the salvations and the victories that You performed for our ancestors.
In their day at this season, through Your holy priests.
And in every generation of Your people, through all who kindled lights of inspiration, hope, and peace.
All eight days of Hanukkah, these candles are holy. We are not permitted to use their light, but only to look at them and to appreciate and to praise Your great name for Your miracles, Your wonders, and Your salvations.
Miracles and wonders…of salvations and of victories:
This section refers to the many aspects of Jewish history and legend that we acknowledge at Hanukkah. Some recent versions of this prayer express thanks for nekhamot (comfort) in lieu of milkhamot (wars or victories) because of its more peaceful message. If we choose to acknowledge our military victories, let us consciously commemorate those of both the Macabbees and the less well-known heroine, JudithJudith saved her people by seducing Holofernes, the enemy general, and then decapitating him. The story of Judith, found in the apocrypha, is associated with Chanukah (relating to the tradition of eating cheese dishes because she seduced the general and fed him dairy). Her Hebrew name is Yehudit..
performed for our ancestors:
In Hebrew, the word imoteynu (mothers) is added alongside the word avoteynu (fathers), thereby including all of our ancestors.
and in every generation…and peace:
Traditionally, this prayer highlights only two types of role models: military victors, such as the Macabbees and Judith, and high priests, who were involved in the miracle of the oil in the Temple. Kolot’s version of the prayer adds, “all who kindled lights of inspiration, hope, and peace” in order to expand the range of role models and miracle-makers from our past.
As we light candles to celebrate the sacredness of light and the mystery of darkness, we experience a moment of infinite possibility that has been shared by Jewish women and men of every generation.
Traditional Hanukkah Blessings
Addressing God with masculine pronouns.
It is customary to recite these blessings before lighting the candles:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik nerCandle shel Hanukkah.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who makes us holy through your commandments and commands us to light the Hanukkah candles.
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 ha’hem bazman ha’zeh.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in their day at this season.
First night only:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam shehekheyanu vekiyemanu vehigi’yanu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who keeps us alive, sustains us, and brings us to this moment.
Kolot’s Hanukkah Blessings
Because Hebrew is a gendered language, God must be addressed and referred to using masculine or feminine pronouns. Traditionally, all texts in Hebrew (the language of Jewish prayer) use masculine language, whether talking about the God of IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel. as creator, liberator, or nursing mother. Above, we offered you the traditional blessings, which address God with masculine pronouns and corresponding verbs. Below, we offer you the same blessings, replacing melekh ha’olam (King of the universe) with mekor ha’hayyim (Source of Life). We address God as “you” (feminine) and change the verbs accordingly.
We invite you to recite the Hanukkah blessings on at least one night this year using the feminine pronouns for God.
Does your sense of the Divine shift?
It is customary to recite these blessings before lighting the candles:
בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ מְקוֹר הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר קִדַשְׁתַנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתֵיהָ וְצִוְתָנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה
Berukhah at yahA name for God, as in "halleluyah" – praise God. Some people prefer this name for God as a non-gendered option. mekor ha’hayyim asher kideshatnu be’mitzvoteyha v’tzivatnu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.
Praised are You God, Source of Life, who makes us holy through your commandments and commands us to light the Hanukkah candles.
בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ מְקוֹר הַחַיִּים שֶׁעָשְׂתָה נִסִּים לְאִמוֹתֵינוּ וְלַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמָן הַזֶּה
Berukhah at yah mekor ha’hayyim she’astah nisim l’imoteynu v’la’avoteynu bayamim ha’hem ba’zman ha’zeh.
Praised are You God, Source of Life, who performed miracles for our ancestors in their day at this season.
First night only:
בְּרוּכָה אַתְּ יָהּ אֱלֹהֵינוּ רוּחַ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָתְנוּ וְקִיְּמָתְנוּ וְהִגִּיעָתְנוּ לַזְּמָן הַזֶּה
Berukhah at yah mekor ha’hayyim shehekheyatnu vekiyematnu vehigi’atnu la’zman ha’zeh.
Praised are You God, Source of Life, who keeps us alive, sustains us, and brings us to this moment.
