WHEN YOU ARE A GUEST: As we explained yesterday, the Sephardic custom is to light one Hanukkia per household, not per individual. An extension of this principle is the case of the akhsana-i, a guest. If I'm spending some days or Shabbat in a relative's or in a friend's house I should not light my own Hanukkia even if I'm in that house with the rest of my family and even if I was given my own private room in the house. When I'm a guest I don't have to light my own candles. I should be part of the candle lighting of the host. Why? Because to the effects of Hanukka, when I spend a day or a few days at someone's home, eating and sleeping there as a guest, I'm considered part of that household. Therefore we keep following the rule of "one Hanukkia per household".
WHAT SHOULD WE DO TONIGHT? The parent or the person in charge of the household recites the following three blessings before lighting the candle. (On all subsequent nights, only the first and second blessings are recited).
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֹתָיו, וְצִוָּֽנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר חֲנֻכָּה
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָֽנוּ וְקִיְּמָֽנוּ וְהִגִּיעָֽנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
As we will explain tomorrow, BH, the Sephardic custom is to light the Hanukka candle first and then the shamash or accessory candle.
After we light the shamash we recite the text "HANEROT HALALU" .
"We kindle these lights for the miracles, the salvation and the wonders that You performed for our ancestors in those days, at this time (of the year), through Your holy priests. And during all eight days of Hanukka these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make ordinary use of them, but only look at them in order to express our gratitude to Your great Name for your miracles, Your wonders and Your salvations".
Then we recite: Mizmor Shir Hanukkat haBayit leDavid
HANUKKA SAMEAH
