When is Hanukkah 2026?
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12. You light the first candle on Friday, December 4, and the eighth on Friday, December 11. This year the first and the last nights both fall on Friday, which changes the timing (see below).
What you need
- A hanukkiah, the Hanukkah menorah, with nine branches: eight in a row and a ninth, often higher, for the shamash.
- 44 candles for the eight nights (36 plus 8 for the shamash), or olive oil and wicks.
- A safe spot in a window or by the door, on a tray that will not burn.
The order of the candles
- Place the candles from right to left. On the first night, one candle on the far right. Each night, add the next candle to its left.
- Light the shamash and hold it while you say the blessings.
- Light from left to right, starting with the newest candle, the one you added tonight.
- Put the shamash back in its own place.
“For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light.”
Proverbs 6:23
The blessings
1. Every night, over the candles
ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של חנוכה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel 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.
2. Every night, for the miracles
ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, she'asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamim haheim bazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this season.
3. First night only
ברוך אתה ה׳ אלהינו מלך העולם שהחינו וקימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha'olam, shehecheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higianu lazman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season.
After lighting, many families sing Hanerot Halalu and Maoz Tzur.
Friday night and Saturday night
On Friday, light the Hanukkah candles first, before sundown and before the Shabbat candles, and use candles that will burn until at least 30 minutes after nightfall. Standard small Hanukkah candles may not last that long. On Saturday night, wait until Shabbat is over and light after Havdalah.
Where to put the menorah
The point is to make the miracle known, so the menorah goes where it can be seen from outside: a window facing the street, or the doorway, on the left side opposite the mezuzah. Set it on a heat-safe tray, away from curtains, and never leave it burning unattended.
Why eight nights?
When the Maccabees rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem, around 164 BCE, they found one jar of pure oil, enough for a single day. It burned for eight. The dreidel's four letters, nun, gimel, hey, shin, stand for Nes gadol haya sham: a great miracle happened there.
Nine branches or seven?
The menorah of the Temple had seven branches and is a symbol of Judaism all year. For Hanukkah you need nine. If you are buying one, check the count before you order.