What do you do if you forgot to say the blessing before lighting the Hanukkah candles?

Question: A person started lighting the candles and suddenly remembered that he had not said the blessing. What should he do?

Answer:

The Ben Ish Chai distinguishes between two situations.

If he has not yet finished lighting all the candles:

He may say “lehadlik ner Hanukkah” and continue lighting the remaining candles, even if they are the extra candles of hiddur (beautifying the mitzvah).

If he has already finished lighting all the candles:

He does not say “lehadlik ner Hanukkah,” even if he remembers right after finishing.

The reason is that there is a dispute on the matter, and the rule is that when in doubt about a blessing, we are lenient and do not say it.

However, according to the Ben Ish Chai’s ruling, he may still say “She’asah nissim,” and “Shehecheyanu” on the first night.

What if a candle is missing in the middle of the lighting?

If after the blessing it turns out that a candle is missing for that night’s number, he should wait in silence until the missing candle is brought.

Then he lights it and completes the number of candles.

If he spoke in the meantime, according to the Ben Ish Chai he does not repeat the blessing.