What Hebrew song is chanted after the Hanukkah lighting blessings?

What Hebrew song is chanted after the Hanukkah lighting blessings? Hanerot Halalu is the traditional hymn recited after the Hanukkah lights are kindled.

Its title means “these lights,” and the text explains that the candles commemorate the miracles, deliverance, and victories associated with the Maccabean revolt. The hymn also emphasizes that the lights are sacred and should not be used for ordinary illumination.

Hanerot Halalu follows the candle-lighting blessings, not the blessings themselves. On most nights, two blessings are recited before lighting; on the first night, Shehecheyanu adds a third. The candles are then lit, followed by the hymn.

A common mix-up is confusing Hanerot Halalu with Maoz Tzur, another famous Hanukkah song. Maoz Tzur is often sung later during the celebration, while Hanerot Halalu is specifically linked to the lighting ceremony. Wording and melodies vary among Jewish communities.