Chloe Adams
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating a miracle that occurred in the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, allowing its everlasting light to remain lit for eight days when there was only enough fuel for one. The festival, which lasts eight days, involves the lighting of candles on a special candelabra called a menorah. The number of candles lit increases by one each night, with a total of eight candles lit on the final night. The ninth candle, known as the shamash, is used to light the other eight.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles lit on each night | 1 on the first night, 2 on the second, 3 on the third, and so on until 8 on the last night |
| Total number of candles lit across the festival | 44 |
| Type of candle holder used | Menorah or hanukkiah |
| Number of branches on the candle holder | 9 |
| Purpose of the middle candle | Shamash or "helper" candle, used to light the other 8 candles |
| Reason for lighting candles | To commemorate the miracle of a day's supply of oil remaining lit for 8 days |
| Alternative names for Hanukkah | Festival of Lights, Festival of Dedication |
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What You'll Learn
The miracle of the oil
Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights, is all about olive oil. The miracle of the oil, or the miracle of Hanukkah, is an Aggadah depicted in the Babylonian Talmud as one of the reasons for the celebration. The miracle occurred after the liberation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt.
According to the story, a small jug of pure olive oil was found that was expected to be enough to light the Temple's menorah for just one day. However, the oil miraculously lasted for eight days. The miracle is seen as a sign of the victory of the spirit of the Jewish people, granting them the right to observe the Torah.
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The Festival of Lights
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the miracle of a day's supply of oil that remained lit for eight days. The festival, which runs for eight nights, involves the lighting of candles on a special candelabra called a menorah or hanukkiah.
The menorah has nine branches, with eight of them holding candles or oil lamps that symbolise the eight nights of the holiday. Each night, one more light is lit than the previous night, until the final night when all eight branches are lit. The ninth branch holds the shamash, or "helper" candle, which is used to light the other eight.
On the first night of Hanukkah, one candle, in addition to the shamash, is lit. On the second night, two candles are lit alongside the shamash, and so on, until the eighth night when all nine candles are lit. This means that a total of 44 candles are lit across the festival.
The tradition of lighting the menorah is a significant part of Hanukkah celebrations, which also include parties and gift-giving. The festival usually falls in December and coincides with Christmas, although the exact dates vary each year as it is based on the lunar Hebrew calendar.
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The number of candles lit each night
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating a miracle that occurred in the ancient Temple of Jerusalem, allowing its everlasting light to remain lit for eight days when there was only enough fuel for one. It is also known as the Festival of Lights, and candle-lighting is its main ritual.
The candles are placed on a candelabra called a Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, which has nine branches for candles or oil lamps. Eight of these branches represent the eight nights of Hanukkah, and the ninth branch is for the shamash, or "helper" candle, which is used to light the others.
On the first night of Hanukkah, one candle is lit, in addition to the shamash, for a total of two candles. On the second night, two candles are lit, along with the shamash, for a total of three candles. This pattern continues throughout the eight nights, with one more candle lit each night than the previous night. By the eighth night, all eight branches are lit, for a total of nine candles, including the shamash.
The number of candles lit on the menorah thus increases by one each night, symbolising the eight nights of the holiday. The shamash is always lit first and used to light the other candles.
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The shamash candle
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates a miracle: a day's supply of oil that remained lit for eight days. During Hanukkah, candles are lit for eight nights on a candle holder called a menorah. A Hanukkah menorah has nine places for candles. One candle, the shamash, is used to light the other eight. The shamash is also known as the "helper" candle.
The lighting of the shamash candle is often done ceremoniously. In 2024, the chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, lit the first candle on a hanukkiah made from fragments of Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukraine. In the United States, the White House has been represented at the lighting of the National Menorah since 1979, and a hanukkiah has been lit at the White House since 1993.
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Hanukkah menorah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating a miracle that occurred in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, allowing its everlasting light to remain lit for eight days when there was only enough fuel for one. It is also known as the Festival of Lights, and candle-lighting is a central ritual of the celebration.
The Hanukkah menorah, also known as the hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day festival. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps, with one additional candle, known as the shamash, or "helper", used to light the other eight. On the first night of Hanukkah, one candle (in addition to the shamash) is lit, with an additional candle being lit each subsequent night, until all eight are lit on the final night. The shamash is typically positioned on a higher or lower plane than the other eight candles, and there are differing opinions on whether the hanukkiah must be arranged in a straight line or can be curved.
The Hanukkah menorah is distinct from the seven-branched menorah used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, which can be seen on the official emblem of the state of Israel. The nine-branched Hanukkah menorah was created to accommodate the eight nights of the festival.
The lighting of the Hanukkah menorah is a significant tradition, with notable examples including the National Menorah lighting in Lafayette Park, which has been attended by US presidents since 1979, and the lighting of a hanukkiah at the White House since 1993. In 2024, the chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, ceremonially lit a hanukkiah made from fragments of Russian drones and rockets fired at Ukraine.
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Frequently asked questions
Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival, also known as the Festival of Lights, during which candles are lit for eight nights on a candle holder called a menorah. On the first night, one candle is lit, and the number increases by one each night, meaning two candles are lit on the second night, three on the third night, and so on. On the final night, all eight candles are lit. The ninth candle, the shamash or "helper" candle, is used to light the other eight.
In total, 44 candles are lit during the festival.
The candles commemorate a miracle that happened in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, which allowed its everlasting light to remain lit for eight days when there was only enough fuel for one day.
