Chapter 612

1. One must be very careful to light Hanuka candles, even a poor man who lives off of sedaqa must borrow money or sell items of clothing in order to find himself oil to light with.

2. It is brought down in Masekhet Shabat (23b) that one who habitually lights Hanuka candles will have sons that are “talmidé hakhamim” (learned people) as it is said in Mishlé 6:23 “ki ner misva veTorah or” (for the misva is the candles and the Torah is the light).  Which is to say that through the lights of the misvot of Shabat and Hanuka come the light of the Torah, which is the learned children.

2. Nusah of the Blessing on the Hanuka Lights

The usual minhag is to say “lehadliq ner Hanuka” (1), though some say “lehadliq ner shelHanuka.” (2)

After kindling the lights, one says “Hanerot Halalu…”

(1) This is the nusah mentioned by Maran (Shulhan ‘Arukh OrahHayim 676:1), the Hida (Birké Yosef 676) and Ribi Refael Barukh Toledano (Qisur Shulhan ‘Arukh 507).

(2) This is the nusah found in Masekhet Soferim, Seder Rav ‘Amram Gaon, Tur and Mahzor Vitry. See also Rabbi Yosef Messas (Ner Misva).