Ben Carter
Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that involves the lighting of candles on a menorah, also known as a chanukiah. The menorah holds nine candles, eight of which are lit on the final night. The shamash, or attendant candle, is used to light the others and sits on the ninth branch of the menorah. The lighting of the candles is a nightly ritual, with blessings said each night as an additional light is kindled. The first candle is placed in the rightmost spot, and each subsequent night, another candle is added from left to right. The minimum number of Chanukah candles lit over the eight nights is 8, with one candle lit per night by the head of the household. However, to complete the ritual with one menorah, 44 candles are required.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of candles lit on the final night | 9 (8 Chanukah candles + 1 helper candle) |
| Total number of candles required to complete the ritual on all eight nights with one menorah | 44 |
| Minimum number of candles required for Chanukah | 8 |
| Type of candles | Wax or oil-fueled |
| Fuel for oil-fueled candles | Olive oil |
| Time of lighting | After sundown |
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What You'll Learn
The shamash candle
In Ashkenazi Jewish communities, the shamash candle is given a place of honour, either to the side or above the other candles, but it can also be placed in the middle. The shamash candle must burn for at least as long as the other candles, and its light is not meant to be "used" in a practical sense. This is why a smaller candle that burns out quickly would not be suitable as a shamash.
There are variations in the way the shamash candle is used in different Jewish communities. For example, in Sephardi communities, an extra candle is used to light the Chanukah candles, and the shamash is lit last. On Friday and Saturday nights, when Chanukah overlaps with Shabbat, there are adjustments to the candle-lighting ritual to adhere to Jewish law, which forbids lighting a fire during Shabbat.
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The eight nights of Channukah
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish celebration that commemorates a two-pronged miracle. The miracle is said to have occurred when the Maccabees, a group of Jews, fought and won religious freedom from the Greeks who had defiled all the oils in the Temple. When the Maccabees, also known as the Hasmoneans, took control of the Temple, they found only one cruse of oil sealed with the symbol of the Kohen Gadol, the high priest. This small amount of oil was only enough to light a lamp for one day, yet it miraculously lasted for eight days, the time needed to prepare new oil.
The eight days of Hanukkah are honoured by lighting candles on a menorah, a type of candelabra. A traditional menorah has eight candles of the same height and a ninth helper candle called the shamash, which is set apart from the others. Each night, one additional candle is lit, starting from the rightmost spot and moving towards the left. So, on the first night, two candles are lit, and by the eighth and final night, all nine candles are burning. The shamash is used to light the other candles. The menorah is lit after sundown, although there are special rules for lighting the menorah on Friday and Saturday nights when Hanukkah overlaps with Shabbat, during which lighting a fire is forbidden.
The lighting of the menorah symbolises the miracle of the oil lasting eight days. The nine-branched menorah also recalls the discovery of eight iron rods by the Hasmoneans when they entered the Temple, according to the Pesikta Rabbati, a collection of midrashim compiled between the ninth and 13th centuries. The eight rods were filled with oil and lit to commemorate the occasion of the Hasmoneans taking control of the Temple.
The minimum number of candles lit during Hanukkah is eight, with one candle lit each night by the head of the household. However, some households may use multiple menorahs, and to complete the ritual with a single menorah, 44 candles are needed in total.
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The minimum number of candles
On the first night of Chanukah, one candle, known as the shamash, is lit. This candle is considered a "helper" candle and is used to kindle the other lights. The shamash is typically placed slightly higher or lower than the other candles, reflecting its unique role.
On each subsequent night of Chanukah, an additional candle is lit, starting from the right and moving towards the left. This means that on the second night, two candles are burning, including the shamash. This pattern continues until the eighth and final night, when all eight candles, plus the shamash, are illuminated.
It is worth noting that the shamash is not typically extinguished after lighting the other candles. Instead, it remains lit and is placed adjacent to the other lights. This is because using the Chanukah lights for practical purposes is forbidden, and the shamash is ready to "serve" if any of the other candles blow out.
While the minimum number of candles for Chanukah is eight, representing each night of the holiday, some choose to use a Chanukah menorah (also known as a chanukiah or hanukkiah), which has nine candles in total. Eight of these candles represent the nights of Chanukah, while the ninth candle is the shamash. This special candle is used to light the others and is placed slightly apart from them.
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Candle placement
The placement of candles on a Chanukah menorah, or chanukiah, is an important part of the ritual. The menorah has nine candles: eight for each night of Chanukah and a ninth "helper" candle, known as the shamash. The shamash is placed a little higher or lower than the other candles, on the ninth branch of the menorah. It is used to light the other candles and is not extinguished. Instead, it is placed next to the other candles and kept burning in case one of the other candles blows out.
On the first night of Chanukah, the shamash is lit first and then used to light the first candle, which is placed in the right-most spot. On the second night, the shamash is used to light the second candle, and so on. By the eighth and final night, all nine candles are lit. To complete the ritual on all eight nights, 44 candles are needed in total.
In Ashkenazi communities, the shamash is the first candle to be lit, while in Sephardi communities, an extra candle is used to light the others, and the shamash is lit last. The shamash is traditionally made of beeswax. The Chanukah candles can be made of wax or oil, although olive oil is preferable as it was the type of oil that burned for eight days in the miracle of Chanukah.
The menorah itself is traditionally placed in a window that is visible from the street. In the past, the chanukiah was placed outdoors, but during times when identifying as Jewish was risky, it was moved indoors. On Friday nights, the candles are lit before sunset when the Sabbath begins, and on Saturdays, they are lit after sunset when the Sabbath has ended. On both Friday and Saturday nights, there are differing opinions on whether the menorah should be lit before or after the havdalah rituals.
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Lighting with olive oil
The traditional way to light the Chanukah menorah is to use pure olive oil and cotton wicks, as this results in a pure and clear light. This also commemorates the Menorah in the Holy Temple, which was lit with olive oil.
The Chanukah menorah has nine candles: eight candles in a row and one helper candle, known as a shamash, set apart from the others. On the first night, the shamash and one other candle are lit. Each night, another candle is added, so by the eighth and final night, all nine candles are lit.
There are differing opinions on the grade of olive oil that should be used. Some sources state that all extra virgin olive oil is kosher, even without certification, and that this grade of olive oil produces a clear flame. Other sources suggest that any grade of olive oil can be used, as long as it is edible and therefore kosher. However, it is worth noting that edible olive oil may not stay lit as well and may produce a stronger smell.
To complete the ritual on all eight nights with one menorah, 44 candles are needed in total. However, it is not necessary to use a new candle every time. The wicks can be reused, and the leftover oil from the previous day can be used to light the candles on the next day.
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Frequently asked questions
One additional candle is lit on each night of Hanukkah, starting on the right-most spot and moving left. On the first night, one candle is lit, and on the second night, two candles are burning. On the final night, all nine candles, including the shamash, are lit.
The shamash candle is the "attendant" candle that is used to light the other candles. It is placed on the ninth branch of the menorah, either higher or lower than the other eight candles.
The Hanukkah lights can be candle flames or oil-fueled. An oil menorah is preferable to a candle one, as the miracle of Hanukkah involved olive oil.
The candles are lit after sundown, when it is dark. However, there are slight adjustments to the candle-lighting times on Friday and Saturday nights due to Shabbat.
