Ben Carter
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is also known as the Festival of Lights. It involves the lighting of a nine-branched candelabrum called a Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah. The Hanukkah menorah holds eight candles that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday, and a ninth candle called the shamash, which is used to light the other eight. The shamash is usually positioned higher than the rest of the candles. Each night, one more candle is lit, until the final night when all eight candles are lit. The Hanukkah menorah commemorates the miracle of a small amount of oil lasting eight days, as well as the victory of a small group of rebels, the Maccabees, who defeated the Seleucids and rededicated their temple to God.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles | 9 |
| Number of nights | 8 |
| When to light the candles | Nightfall, defined in Jewish tradition as the moment when three stars appear |
| Number of candles lit on the first night | 1 |
| Number of candles lit on the second night | 2 |
| Positioning of the shamash | Higher or lower than the other eight candles |
| Color | Any color, but blue and white are associated with Judaism and the State of Israel |
| Food | Fried foods, including potato pancakes (levivot in Hebrew, latkes in Yiddish) and sufganiyot (doughnuts) |
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What You'll Learn
The shamash candle
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday. The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum with eight candles or oil lamps representing the eight nights of the holiday. The ninth candle, known as the shamash, is placed at a different height from the other eight candles. The shamash, meaning "helper" or "servant", is used to light the other candles.
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The miracle of the oil
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the miracle of the oil. The miracle of the oil refers to the story of how, in the second century B.C., a small group of Jews known as the Maccabees rebelled against the ruler Antiochus IV, who had outlawed Judaism and desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem. After defeating the Greek-Syrian army, the Maccabees wanted to rededicate the Temple and light the seven-branched menorah, but they only had enough ritually pure oil for one day. However, miraculously, the oil lasted for all eight days of the holiday.
To commemorate this miracle, Jews light a special nine-branched candelabrum called a Hanukkah menorah or hanukkiah during the eight days of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps, with one additional light being lit each night until all eight are ablaze on the final night. The ninth branch holds a candle called the shamash, which is used to light the other eight and is usually positioned higher. The shamash represents the miracle of the oil, as it is the "helper" or "servant" candle that makes it possible for the other eight candles to be lit.
The Hanukkah menorah is distinct from the seven-branched menorah used in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, but it is inspired by it. The original menorah had one branch for each day of Creation and was a symbol of Judaism and the State of Israel. The Hanukkah menorah adds an extra branch to represent the eight days that the oil lasted in the Temple.
The lighting of the Hanukkah menorah is a sacred ritual that is typically performed at nightfall, defined in Jewish tradition as the moment when three stars appear. The menorah is displayed in a highly visible location, often in a window, to serve as a reminder of Jewish identity and heritage. The candles used can be any colour, but blue and white are often chosen as they are colours associated with Judaism and Israel.
In addition to the lighting of the menorah, Jews also celebrate the miracle of the oil by eating fried foods during Hanukkah, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts). These foods are a reminder that even a small amount of oil can go a long way, just as the Maccabees' faith and perseverance led to their victory over the Greek-Syrian army.
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Hanukkah as the Festival of Lights
Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday that is also known as the Festival of Lights. The Festival of Lights name comes from the ritual of lighting the menorah, a multibranched candelabra that has been an important symbol in Judaism, both in ancient and modern times.
The menorah is also central to the story of Hanukkah. In the second century B.C., the Jewish people were told they could not keep the Sabbath or keep kosher, and their Temple was desecrated. A small group of rebels, known as the Maccabees, fought back and took back the Temple. When they went to relight the menorah, they found they only had enough ritually pure oil to last one day, but miraculously, it burned for eight days.
The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, has nine branches. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps, and one additional candle or wick is lit each night to celebrate the eight days of Hanukkah. The ninth branch holds the shamash, or "helper" candle, which is used to light the other eight. The shamash is usually positioned higher than the rest of the candles.
The lighting of the menorah is a central ritual of Hanukkah, and the holiday is celebrated with public and private candle-lighting ceremonies. Hanukkah candles can be any colour, but blue and white candles are often used, as these are the colours associated with Judaism and the State of Israel.
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Hanukkah candles don't have a special name
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that is also called the Festival of Lights. The lighting of the menorah is central to the celebration. The menorah is a multibranched candelabra that holds symbolic meaning in Judaism. While the menorah is a seven-branched candelabra, the Hanukkah menorah has nine branches to hold candles or oil lamps. The nine candles represent the eight nights of the holiday, with one candle being lit on the first night, two on the second, and so on. The ninth candle, called the shamash or "helper", is used to light the other eight.
The Hanukkah menorah commemorates the miracle of a small amount of oil lasting for eight days. The story goes that in the second century B.C., the Jewish people rebelled against the Hellenization of Judea and the outlawing of their religion. After defeating the Seleucids, they returned to their desecrated temple in Jerusalem. They wanted to relight the seven-branched menorah but found only one canister of ritually pure oil, which they believed would only last one night. However, the menorah miraculously stayed lit for eight nights.
The Hanukkah candles themselves do not have a special name. They are simply referred to as Hanukkah candles or "nerot" in Hebrew. The shamash candle, which is the ninth candle used to light the others, is considered distinct and is usually positioned higher than the rest.
The lighting of the Hanukkah candles is a ritual that is ideally performed at nightfall, defined in Jewish tradition as the moment when three stars appear. The candles can be any color, but blue and white candles are often chosen as they are colors associated with Judaism and the State of Israel. The Hanukkiah is displayed in a highly visible location, and public lighting ceremonies are also common.
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The candles are lit at nightfall
The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The candles are ideally lit at nightfall, which is defined in Jewish tradition as the moment when three stars appear. However, they can also be lit at any time of night.
On the first night, the shamash, or "helper", is used to light one candle. On the second night, the shamash lights two candles, and so on, until the final night when all eight candles are lit. The shamash is typically positioned higher than the other candles and is placed on a higher or lower plane.
The Hanukkah menorah commemorates the miracle of a small amount of oil lasting for eight days when the Jews returned to their temple in Jerusalem after defeating the Seleucids. The temple had been desecrated, and the Jews believed the oil would only last one day, but it miraculously lasted eight. The nine candles of the Hanukkah menorah represent the eight days of the holiday and the ninth candle used to light the others.
The lighting of the menorah is central to Hanukkah, which is also called the Festival of Lights. The ritual of lighting the candles each night of the holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil and commemorates the victory of the Jews over the Seleucids, who had tried to outlaw Judaism.
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Frequently asked questions
Hanukkah candles are candles lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. They are widely available from major retailers and Judaica shops.
The Hanukkah candles represent the miracle of the oil. The short version of the Hanukkah story goes that in the second century B.C., the Greek-Syrians sought to outlaw Judaism. A small group of rebels, known as the Maccabees, fought back and were able to take back the Temple and relight the menorah. Miraculously, one day’s worth of oil lasted for eight days.
There are nine Hanukkah candles. Eight of the nine branches hold lights (candles or oil lamps) that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday. The ninth branch holds a candle, called the shamash, which is used to light the other eight.
The Hanukkah candles are ideally lit at nightfall, defined in Jewish tradition as the moment when three stars appear. However, they can also be lit at any time of the night.
