Brooke Martin
Hanukkah, also known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, is an eight-day celebration that commemorates the ancient miracle of a day's supply of oil lasting eight days. To celebrate, candles are lit for eight nights on a candle holder called a menorah, with the amount of light increasing each night. On the first night, one candle and the shamash, or helper candle, are lit, totalling two candles. On the second night, two candles and the shamash are lit, for a total of three candles, and so on until the eighth night, when nine candles are lit. Therefore, 44 candles are needed for Hanukkah, and a traditional box of Hanukkah candles usually contains 44 or 45 candles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles needed for each menorah | 44 |
| Number of candles needed on the first night | 2 |
| Number of candles needed on the second night | 3 |
| Number of candles needed on the eighth night | 9 |
| Number of candles in a traditional box | 44 |
| Number of candles in a packaged box | 45 |
| Number of candles if you're Sephardi | More than 44 |
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What You'll Learn
The shamash candle: a helper candle used to light the others
Hanukkah, the Jewish "Festival of Lights", is celebrated with a menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum. Eight of the nine branches hold candles that symbolise the eight nights of the holiday. Each night, one more candle 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.
The shamash is placed separately from the other candles, either by offsetting it to one side or raising it above them. This is to distinguish its role as the "helper" candle, although it is not considered more important than the others. The shamash is usually allowed to burn out on its own, rather than being blown out. This is because it is forbidden to use the Hanukkah lights for any practical reason, so the shamash can be used if another light source is needed.
The shamash is an important part of the menorah, as it enables the other candles to be lit and form a mitzvah. The shamash is also significant in gematria, the Jewish system of assigning numerical values to letters. When the shamash is included, the total number of candles is 44, which in gematria is equivalent to the Hebrew word pach, meaning "trap". This alludes to the miracle of Hanukkah, where the Maccabees broke the trap laid by King Antiochus.
While Ashkenazi Jews use the shamash to light the other candles, Sephardi Jews use a separate source of fire, such as a lighter, to light all the candles, including the shamash.
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The miracle of the oil: one day's supply lasted eight days
The miracle of the oil, also known as the miracle of Hanukkah, is a significant event in Jewish history that is commemorated during the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah. This miracle is centred around the rededication of the altar in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which had been defiled by the Greeks.
After the Maccabees defeated the Syrian-Greeks in battle and reclaimed the Temple, they wanted to perform rituals to rededicate it. One of these rituals involved lighting the Menorah with pure olive oil. However, they could only find one small jug of untainted oil with the seal of the High Priest, which was just enough to light the lamp for a single day.
Miraculously, this small amount of oil lasted for eight days, allowing the Jews to celebrate their victory and perform the necessary rituals. The miracle of the oil is thus seen as a divine intervention that enabled the rededication of the Temple and the continuation of Jewish traditions.
The story of the miracle of the oil is not without its debates and interpretations. Some rabbis, like Rabbi Joseph Karo, questioned why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days when the oil was expected to last for only one day. This question has sparked various answers and interpretations, with some arguing that the miracle lasted all eight days, while others suggest that the eighth day is celebrated for reasons beyond the oil miracle.
To this day, during Hanukkah, Jews light 44 candles in total on the menorah to commemorate the miracle of the oil and to celebrate the victory of the Maccabees over oppression. This tradition symbolises the distinction between darkness and light, with candles being lit at dusk or after sunset, depending on the day of the week.
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How to light the candles: from right to left
The Hanukkah menorah holds a crucial role in the celebration of the Jewish festival of lights. The lighting of the menorah symbolises the ancient miracle of one day's quantity of oil burning for eight days in the menorah in the Temple of Jerusalem.
To light the candles from right to left, you must first understand the placement of the candles. On the first night of Hanukkah, place a candle in the holder farthest to the right. On the second night, place a new candle where the first one was, and put a second candle immediately to its left. Continue this process each night, placing candles from right to left.
Once the candles have been placed, light the shamash or "helper" candle, which is usually placed in the centre. The shamash is lit first and is used to light the other candles. The shamash is lit with a match, lighter, or another flame source.
After lighting the shamash, recite a series of blessings. Then, using the shamash, light the evening's candles from left to right, so that the newest candle is lit first. The blessings are said before the candles are lit, and the candle lighting usually takes place after sundown, when it is dark.
The menorah is traditionally placed in a window facing the street, or at the front door of the home, so that passers-by can see the candles.
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The number of candles: 44 in total
Hanukkah, also spelt Chanukah, is a Jewish festival that celebrates an ancient miracle. Judah Maccabee and his band of warriors successfully fought back against oppression and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. To rededicate the Temple, they needed oil for a candelabra, or menorah. They found only enough oil for one night, but miraculously, it burned for eight nights.
Today, people light menorah candles to commemorate this miracle. The number of candles lit increases by one each night, starting with one on the first night, two on the second, and so on until the eighth night, when nine candles are lit. This means that 44 candles are needed in total for the festival.
The shamash, or 'helper', candle is also lit each night and used to light the other candles. This candle is placed slightly higher or lower than the others so that it is not confused with the other candles. The shamash is included in the count of 44 candles.
The traditional box of Hanukkah candles contains 44 individual candles, though sometimes 45 are included in case one breaks.
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The significance: to commemorate the victory of Judah Maccabee and his warriors
Hanukkah, also known as the Jewish Festival of Lights, is a celebration of an ancient miracle. It commemorates the victory of Judah Maccabee (also known as Judas Maccabeus) and his band of warriors, who successfully fought against oppression and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
The story of Hanukkah begins with the death of Mattathias, Judah Maccabee's father, in 166 BCE. Judah Maccabee then led a group of Jewish dissidents, who eventually grew into an army. This army, known as the Maccabees, fought against the Seleucids and won a series of battles, including the Battle of the Ascent of Lebonah, the Battle of Beth Horon, and the Battle of Emmaus. In 164 BCE, the Maccabees entered Jerusalem in triumph and ritually cleansed the Second Temple, reestablishing traditional Jewish worship. This victory is the source of the Hanukkah celebration.
The miracle of Hanukkah centres around the rededication of the Temple. According to rabbinic tradition, the Maccabees could only find a small amount of oil that had remained pure and uncontaminated. This oil was only enough to fuel the Menorah for one night, but miraculously, it burned for eight nights, by which time more oil could be procured.
Today, the lighting of the menorah candles during Hanukkah commemorates this miracle. A total of 44 candles are needed for each menorah, with an additional candle, known as the shamash, lit each night. The shamash is used to light the other candles. On the first night, two candles are lit, and on each subsequent night, an additional candle is added, so that on the final night, nine candles are lit. This ritual symbolises the distinction between darkness and light and serves as a reminder of the ancient miracle that allows Jews to celebrate Hanukkah today.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need two candles for the first night of Hanukkah, one as the shamash and one to represent the first night.
You will need three candles for the second night.
You will need a total of 44 candles for Hanukkah. On the first night, you need two candles. On the second night, you will need three candles, then four, and so on until the eighth night when you will need nine candles.
The shamash is lit eight times, which is 44 candles in total. In gematria, the Jewish system of assigning numerical values to letters, 44 is equivalent to the Hebrew word pach, meaning "trap". This alludes to the miracle of Hanukkah, as the Maccabees broke the trap laid by King Antiochus.
