Why do we say “lehadlik ner Hanukkah” and not “lehadlik ner shel Hanukkah”?

Question: Why for the Shabbat candles do we say “lehadlik ner shel Shabbat,” while on Hanukkah the word “shel” is left out?

Answer:

The Ben Ish Chai explains that the wording “lehadlik ner Hanukkah” contains a special spiritual hint.

The initials of the words Ner Hanukkah Lehadlik, read in this order, form the word NaChaL.

The name NaChaL is also hinted at in the initials of the verses:

- “Notzer chesed la’alafim” (He preserves kindness for thousands of generations).

- “Nafsheinu chiktah laHashem” (our soul waits for Hashem).

According to the Ben Ish Chai, the hint expresses the trust of the Jewish people in Hashem and their hope for His salvation.

He adds a hint in the name of the month Kislev:

the first letter, Kaf, and the last letter, Vav, together have a gematria of 26, the value of the Divine Name (Havayah).

The middle letters, Samech and Lamed, hint at the words “Sevarit lefurkanach,” which in Aramaic mean hoping for Hashem’s salvation.

The message: the Hanukkah candles remind us that even in difficult times a person should trust in Hashem and hope for His salvation.