Holidays25 Kislev – 2 or 3 Tevet · Eight nights
One lamp for the household, olive oil, the blessings, Hallel, and the fried sweets of Morocco, Aleppo, Salonika and Baghdad.
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Hanukkah, "dedication," marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in 164 BCE, after the Maccabees defeated the Seleucid Greek armies of Antiochus IV, and the miracle of the single jar of pure olive oil that burned for eight days.
The Sages made it a festival of thanks and praise: we light the Hanukkah lamp at home each night to publicize the miracle, and we add Al HaNissim and Hallel to the prayers.
From Fez and Tunis to Aleppo, Baghdad, Salonika and Amsterdam, Sephardic and Mizrahi families kept the same mitzvah with their own lamps, melodies and sweets. One household, one lamp, and the light carried forward.
Each night
Following Maran, Rabbi Yosef Karo, in the Shulhan Arukh (Orah Haim 671–677). Customs vary by community; when in doubt, follow your family and your rabbi.
The head of the household lights one hanukkiah on behalf of everyone at home. Ashkenazim follow the Rema, where each person lights. Others may light the shamash or join in the singing.
Olive oil recalls the oil of the Temple and is preferred; candles are also acceptable. Use enough to burn at least half an hour after nightfall.
Many Sephardim light at sunset, following Hakham Ovadia Yosef; others light at nightfall, as in many North African and Syrian homes. If you miss the time, you may still light with the blessings while people are awake at home.
On the first night, place one light on the far right. Each night, add one light to its left.
Say all the blessings before lighting, then light from left to right, beginning with the newest light. The shamash is set apart, higher or to the side.
After lighting, say Hanerot Halalu. Many families then sing Mizmor Shir Hanukat HaBayit (Psalm 30), and Sephardic siddurim often add Psalm 67, printed in the shape of a menorah.
The ideal is at the door to the street, on the left side, opposite the mezuzah. Today most families use a window facing the street, or light inside the home.
The lights are for the mitzvah, not for use: we do not read or work by them. Many women have the custom not to do housework while they burn, in honor of the women of the Hanukkah story.
Before lighting
Three blessings on the first night, two on the other nights. Sephardim, following the Arizal, say "lehadlik ner Hanukkah," without the word "shel."
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה
Barukh Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lehadlik ner Hanukkah.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Barukh Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, she'asa nissim la'avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this season.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Barukh Atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, sheheheyanu vekiyemanu vehigi'anu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us and brought us to this season.
If you did not light on the first night, say Sheheheyanu the first time you light.
הַנֵּרוֹת הַלָּלוּ אָנוּ מַדְלִיקִין עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת וְעַל הַתְּשׁוּעוֹת...
Hanerot halalu anu madlikin al hanissim ve'al haniflaot ve'al hateshu'ot…
We kindle these lights for the miracles, the wonders and the deliverances You performed for our ancestors… These lights are holy; we may not use them, only look at them, to thank and praise Your great Name.
In the synagogue
Added to every Amidah and to Birkat HaMazon for all eight days, thanking God "for the miracles" of the days of Mattityahu. If it was forgotten, the prayer is not repeated.
Al HaNissim in the siddurThe complete Hallel is said every morning of Hanukkah, with a blessing, as on the festivals.
Hallel in the siddurTahanun and other supplications are omitted, and there are no fasts or eulogies during Hanukkah.
Rosh Hodesh falls during Hanukkah: two scrolls are taken out, Ya'aleh VeYavo is added, and Musaf is said for Rosh Hodesh.
Each morning
Each day we read the gifts one tribal prince (nasi) brought to the dedication of the Mishkan, from Numbers 7 in Parashat Naso. Sephardim begin on the first day with "Vayehi beyom kalot Moshe" (Numbers 7:1); Ashkenazim begin with the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:22).
The dedication of the Mishkan and the gift of Nahshon, prince of Judah.
Netanel (Issachar), Eliav (Zevulun), Elitzur (Reuben), Shelumiel (Simeon), Elyasaf (Gad) and Elishama (Ephraim).
Gamliel of Manasseh and the rest of the princes, ending with the lighting of the menorah at the start of Parashat Behaalotekha.
On Rosh Hodesh Tevet two scrolls are read: three aliyot for Rosh Hodesh and the fourth for Hanukkah.
Usually Vayeshev or Miketz, with the day's Hanukkah reading as maftir from a second scroll.
Haftarah: Roni vesimhi, Zechariah 2:14–4:7 (a second Shabbat: 1 Kings 7:40–50)
When Hanukkah meets Shabbat
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Friday | Light the Hanukkah lamp first, then the Shabbat candles, before sunset. Use enough oil (or larger candles) to burn until at least half an hour after nightfall. Candle-lighting times. In Aleppo the custom was to pray Minha, light at home, and return for Kabbalat Shabbat. |
| Saturday night, in the synagogue | The Hanukkah lights are lit before Havdalah, as the Shulhan Arukh rules, to publicize the miracle first. |
| Saturday night, at home | Customs differ. Many Sephardim follow Hakham Ovadia Yosef and make Havdalah first, then light; Aleppo families lit the Hanukkah lights first. Follow your family's custom. |
Side by side
One hanukkiah for the household (Shulhan Arukh 671:2)
Each member of the family lights (Rema)
"Lehadlik ner Hanukkah"
"Lehadlik ner shel Hanukkah"
Begins at Numbers 7:1
Begins with the Priestly Blessing, Numbers 6:22
Psalm 30, Psalm 67 and local piyyutim; in Ladino homes, songs like "Ocho Kandelikas"
"Maoz Tzur"
Sfenj, bimuelos, zalabia, keftes
Latkes and sufganiyot
Fried in oil
Foods fried in oil recall the miracle. No single dish belongs to every community; each kitchen kept its own.
Light, airy rings of yeasted dough fried until golden, eaten hot with sugar or dipped in honey.
Puffed fritters, also called buñuelos, drizzled with honey syrup or sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.
Crisp fried dough soaked in syrup scented with rose or orange-blossom water.
Leek patties fried in olive oil: proof that Hanukkah frying is not only for sweets.
Small honey puffs shared with the wider Greek kitchen, often finished with walnuts.
Some families eat dairy foods in memory of Yehudit, whose courage is told in the Hanukkah story.
Across the Sephardic world
Brass or silver oil lamps, often with a decorated back plate, hung on the wall beside the door. Sfenj are fried at home, and children receive coins.
Many Aleppo families light one extra light each night, a custom remembered as thanks for the welcome the Spanish exiles found in Aleppo after 1492. Friday and Saturday night follow their own order of prayer and lighting.
Rosh Hodesh Tevet, inside Hanukkah, is "Hag HaBanot," the Festival of the Daughters: girls and women are honored with gifts and sweets, in memory of Yehudit and the women of the story.
Bimuelos, Ladino songs and family gatherings. The beloved Ladino song "Ocho Kandelikas" was written in 1983 by Flory Jagoda, from a Sarajevo family.
Psalm 30, "Mizmor Shir Hanukat HaBayit," was recited in the morning prayers, and Havdalah came before the Hanukkah lights on Saturday night.
The oldest Sephardic congregations of the West light a large hanukkiah in the synagogue and keep their own melodies for Hallel and the Hanukkah psalms.
Sephardic U media
Keep learning
Questions
No. Following the Shulhan Arukh, one hanukkiah is lit for the whole household, usually by the head of the household. Family members can take part by lighting the shamash, singing or helping prepare the lamp. A Sephardi living away from home, such as a student, lights in their own residence.
Sephardim say "lehadlik ner Hanukkah," without "shel," following the Arizal. Ashkenazim usually say "ner shel Hanukkah."
Olive oil is preferred because it recalls the oil of the Temple and gives a clear, steady flame. Candles are also acceptable. Either way, the lights must burn at least half an hour after nightfall.
Set the lights from right to left, adding one each night on the left. Light from left to right, beginning with the newest light.
Many light at sunset, following Hakham Ovadia Yosef; others at nightfall. On Friday, light before the Shabbat candles. On Saturday night, light after Shabbat ends.
Al HaNissim in the Amidah and Birkat HaMazon, full Hallel with its blessing each morning, a daily Torah reading from Numbers 7, and no Tahanun.
Today many do, especially in Israel, but the traditional Sephardic Hanukkah sweets are sfenj in Morocco, bimuelos in the Ladino world and zalabia in Syria, Iraq and Egypt.
Gifts were not central to most traditional Sephardic celebrations, though children often received coins. Today many families give gifts or gelt, play games and gather for a festive meal.
