lighting candles

Blessing for the candle

Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha'olam, asher kid-shanu be'mitzvotav ve'tzivanu le-hadlik ner shel Yom Tov (when the festival falls on Shabbat, the concluding words are "ner shel Shabbat v'Yom Tov").

(Praised are You, Sovereign of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your mitzvot and has commanded us to kindle light for the festival.)

Blessing for the holiday

The Shehe'heyanu:
Barukh atah Adonai eloheinu melekh ha'olam, she'hecheuanu v'kiymanu v'higiyanu lazman ha-zeh.

(Praised are You, Sovereign of the Universe, for granting us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this day.)

We then recite the  Shehe'heyanu prayer, in which we thank God for the gift of life and for having brought us to this season. This blessing is also recited when eating a new fruit for the first time in a season.