Chloe Adams
The Hanukkah menorah, also known as the hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps, with one candle being lit on the first night, and an additional candle being lit each night until all eight are lit on the final night. The ninth branch holds a candle known as the shamash, or helper, which is used to light the other eight. The menorah is widely considered to be a symbol of Judaism, and the lighting of the candles is meant to commemorate the miracle of a small amount of olive oil lasting eight days.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | 9 |
| Number of candles lit each night | 1 more than the previous night |
| Total number of candles lit on the final night | 8 |
| Name of the ninth candle | Shamash |
| Meaning of Shamash | Helper or servant |
| Purpose of the Shamash | Used to light the other eight candles |
| Position of the Shamash | Offset on a higher or lower plane than the other eight candles |
| Arrangement of the candles | Differing opinions, can be in a straight line or a curve |
| Type of candles | Wax, soy, or oil lamps |
| Color of candles | Any color |
| Time of lighting | Nightfall, when three stars appear |
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What You'll Learn
Hanukkah menorahs have nine branches
The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps, with one candle or lamp being lit on the first night, and an additional one being lit on each subsequent night. On the final night, all eight branches are lit. The ninth branch holds a candle called the shamash, or "helper", which is used to light the other eight candles or lamps.
The Hanukkah menorah is distinct from the seven-branched menorah used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, which was lit with sacred oil. This seven-branched menorah is echoed in the nine-branched Hanukkah menorah, with one candle for each of the eight days of the holiday, plus an extra "helper" candle. The Hanukkah menorah is widely produced as an article of Jewish ceremonial art, and many museums have notable collections of hanukkiahs, including the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and the Jewish Museum in London.
The lighting of candles is a common feature of Jewish holidays, marking the transition from profane to sacred time. The lighting of candles during Hanukkah specifically commemorates the miracle of a small amount of olive oil lasting for eight days. Hanukkah is therefore also known as the Festival of Lights, with the ritual of lighting the menorah at the centre of the holiday.
The menorah has also taken on symbolic meaning in Judaism. According to the Talmud, the menorah offered testimony to all humanity that God's presence resided with the people of Israel. The metaphoric language of light is also applied to God's Torah, with the midrash conceiving of God as promising every Jew that "If my light will be in your hand, your light will be in My hand".
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Eight candles are lit, one for each night
The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum. Eight of these nine branches hold a candle for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, with one more candle lit each night until the final night when all eight are burning. The ninth branch holds a candle called the shamash, or "helper", which is used to light the other eight.
The lighting of candles is a common feature of Jewish holidays, marking the transition from profane to sacred time. The lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a ritual that symbolises the miracle of a small amount of olive oil lasting for eight days. The menorah itself is said to signify God's presence among the people of Israel.
The menorah has its origins in the seven-branched candelabra that was lit with sacred oil in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The nine-branched menorah used during Hanukkah commemorates this, but is distinct from it. While the traditional menorah was lit with oil, most people today use wax or soy candles. Hanukkah candles can be purchased from major retailers, grocery stores, or Judaica shops, and they can be any colour.
The lighting of the hanukkiah is a tradition that has been adopted by various official residences. A hanukkiah has been lit at the White House since 1993, and a hanukkiah candle-lighting ceremony takes place annually at the White House Hanukkah Party. In the UK, the House of Commons holds a yearly hanukkiah lighting ceremony at the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster.
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The ninth candle is the shamash
The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The ninth candle is the shamash. This candle is also referred to as the "helper" or "servant". It is used to light the other eight candles, which symbolise the eight nights of Hanukkah. Each night, one more candle is lit, until the final night when all eight branches are ignited.
The shamash is set apart from the other eight candles. It is placed on a higher or lower plane, but there is debate over whether the hanukkiah must be arranged in a straight line or if it can be curved. The shamash is also present in the seven-branched menorah, which was lit with sacred oil in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. Today, traditionalists continue to light their menorahs with oil, but most people use wax or soy candles.
The lighting of the candles during Hanukkah commemorates the miracle of a small amount of olive oil lasting eight days. This ritual use of fire is symbolic and is rooted in the Bible, where light imagery is abundant. The menorah itself is also symbolic, and according to the Talmud, it testifies to God's presence among the people of Israel.
The Hanukkah menorah is among the most widely produced articles of Jewish ceremonial art, along with the seven-branched menorah and the Star of David. Hanukkah candles can be purchased from major retailers, Judaica shops, or online, and they can be any colour.
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Candles are lit at nightfall
The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps, and the ninth branch holds a candle called the shamash, or "helper", which is used to light the other eight. Each night, one more candle is lit, until the final night when all eight branches are lit. The shamash is placed on a higher or lower plane than the other eight candles.
The lighting of the hanukkiah is a sacred ritual, with nightfall defined in Jewish tradition as the moment when three stars appear. The hanukkiah is also sometimes lit during the day. The hanukkiah that Jews light on Hanukkah echoes the seven-branched menorah that was lit with sacred oil in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem.
The menorah is among the most widely produced articles of Jewish ceremonial art, and the lighting of candles is an important ritual in Judaism. The use of fire as symbolic language is rooted in the Bible, where light imagery is prevalent. The menorah is said to symbolise God's presence among the people of Israel.
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The menorah is also called a hanukkiah
The hanukkiah is distinct from the seven-branched menorah used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, which was lit with sacred oil. The menorah is also different from the golden candelabra, which had seven flames and was lit every day in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The hanukkiah symbolises the miracle of a small amount of olive oil lasting for eight days, as told in the Talmud.
The lighting of the hanukkiah during Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a widely observed ritual. Hanukkah candles are available from major retailers, grocery stores, and Judaica shops, and can also be purchased online. They can be made of wax, soy, or oil, and can be any colour. The candles are ideally lit at nightfall, defined in Jewish tradition as the moment when three stars appear.
The lighting of the hanukkiah is a significant tradition in many places. For example, a hanukkiah is lit at the White House, and there are two large hanukkiahs in New York City, one at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, and the other at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street in Manhattan near Central Park.
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Frequently asked questions
Eight candles are lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. One more light is lit each night until all eight branches are lit on the final night.
Hanukkah candles don't have a special name, but they can be referred to as Hanukkah candles. In Hebrew, they are called nerot.
The lighting of the candles during Hanukkah commemorates the miracle of a tiny cruse of olive oil that lasted eight days.
Most people use wax or sometimes soy candles. However, traditionalists light their menorahs with oil.
Hanukkah candles are widely available from major retailers like Walmart and Target, or from Judaica shops. They can also be purchased online or from most grocery stores.
