Tyler Brooks
The Hanukkah menorah is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold candles that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday. On the first night of Hanukkah, only two candles are placed in the menorah: the shamash, or helper candle, and another candle that designates the first night. The shamash is lit first and is used to light the other candle. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left but are lit from left to right, with the newest candle lit first.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the candle | Shamash or "helper" candle |
| Placement | The shamash is placed in the center or on a higher or lower plane than the main eight candles |
| Lighting order | The shamash is lit first and is used to light the other candles |
| Number of candles lit on the first night | Two candles are lit on the first night, including the shamash |
| Blessings | Three blessings are recited on the first night, including the She-heḥeyyanu, and two blessings on every night thereafter |
| Placement of candles | The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left but are lit from left to right |
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What You'll Learn
The shamash candle is lit first
The shamash, or "helper" candle, is lit first during the Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony. The shamash is placed in its designated spot, usually in the centre of the menorah, and is used to light the other candles. On the first night of Hanukkah, it is used to light one other candle, and on each subsequent night, it lights one additional candle until all eight candles are lit on the final night.
The shamash candle is allowed to burn with the rest of the candles and is not extinguished after use. This is because its presence guarantees that the light of the Hanukkah candles is not used for any practical purpose without being mixed with other light. The shamash candle is placed on a higher or lower plane than the main candles to distinguish it from the other lights.
In Sephardi communities, the practice differs slightly. An extra candle is used to light the candles representing the nights, and then the shamash is lit last, after which the extra candle is blown out.
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Blessings are recited before lighting
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 lights (candles or oil lamps) that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday. The ninth branch holds a candle, called the shamash, or "helper candle", which is used to light the other eight.
On the first night of Hanukkah, the shamash is used to light one candle. On the second night, it is used to light two, and so on, until all eight candles are lit on the eighth night of the holiday. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but are lit from left to right.
Blessings are recited before the candles are lit. On the first night, three blessings are recited, and two on each remaining night. The first blessing is:
> Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.
Translated from Hebrew, this means:
> Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who made us holy through your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.
The second blessing is:
> Baruch atah, Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, she-asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.
Translated from Hebrew, this means:
> Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.
On the first night, a third blessing, the She-heḥeyyanu, is also recited:
> Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
Translated from Hebrew, this means:
> Praised are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this season.
In Ashkenazi communities, the shamash candle is the first one lit, and it is used to light the others, starting with the left-most one. In Sephardi communities, an extra candle that is not part of the menorah is used to light the candles that represent the nights, and then the shamash is lit last.
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Candles are placed right-to-left, lit left-to-right
The Hanukkah menorah holds nine candles, eight of which are symbolic of the eight nights of Hanukkah. The ninth candle, known as the shamash, or "helper" candle, is used to light the other eight. On the first night of Hanukkah, the shamash is used to light one candle, and on each subsequent night, an additional candle is lit, so that on the final night, all eight candles plus the shamash are burning.
The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but they are lit from left to right. This means that the newest candle—the one being kindled for the first time that evening—is lit first. In Sephardi communities, an extra candle that is not part of the menorah is used to light the other candles, and then the shamash is lit last. In Ashkenazi communities, the shamash is lit first and used to light the other candles, starting with the left-most one.
Before lighting the candles, it is customary to recite blessings. On the first night of Hanukkah, three blessings are recited, and on each subsequent night, two blessings are recited. After the shamash is lit, but before the other candles, the blessings are said. The blessings are as follows:
- Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah: Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who made us holy through your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.
- Baruch atah, Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, she-asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh: Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.
- Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh: Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has given us life and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.
- On the first night of Hanukkah, a fourth blessing, the She-heḥeyyanu, is also recited: Barukh attah adonai, eloheinu, melekh ha-olam, she-heheyyanu, vekiyamanu, vehigiyanu lezman hazeh: Praised are You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this occasion.
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The newest candle is lit first
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 the ninth branch holding a "helper" candle, or shamash, used to light the others.
On the first night of Hanukkah, the shamash is used to light one candle. On the second night, it is used to light two, and so on, until all eight candles are lit on the eighth night. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but are lit from left to right so that the newest candle is the first to be lit. This means that the newest candle is the furthest left, and the shamash is the last candle to be lit.
Before lighting the candles, it is traditional to recite three blessings on the first night and two blessings on each subsequent night. The blessings are:
- Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.
- Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who made us holy through your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.
- Baruch atah, Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, she-asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.
- Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season.
- Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu, v’kiyimanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh.
- Praised are you, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who has given us life and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.
The shamash should be allowed to burn with the rest of the candles and not be extinguished after use. This is because its presence guarantees that the light of the "real" Hanukkah candles is not used for any other purpose without the admixture of some "permitted" light.
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The miracle of the oil
The Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, is a Jewish holiday that lasts eight days and commemorates the "Miracle of the Oil" or the "Miracle of Hanukkah". The miracle is recounted in the Babylonian Talmud and the Torah and is one of the reasons for celebrating Hanukkah.
The miracle occurred after the Maccabean Revolt, during which the Maccabees defeated the Syrian-Greeks in battle and expelled the Seleucids from Jerusalem. Following their victory, the Maccabees wanted to purify and rededicate the Second Temple by resuming the performance of Temple rituals. One of these rituals was the lighting of the Menorah, which could only be done with pure olive oil. However, when the Maccabees searched for pure oil, they could only find a single cruse or flask of it, which bore the seal of the High Priest. This small amount of oil was only enough to burn for one day, and it would take eight days to produce a new batch of pure oil.
Miraculously, the oil lasted for all eight days, and by the end of this period, new pure oil was ready. This miracle is said to symbolise not only purification but also a moral and political victory of self-determination in the face of oppression. It represents the restored right of people to choose how they wanted to worship and the victory of the spirit of the Jewish people.
The Hanukkah Menorah, or Hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum that is lit during the eight-day holiday. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps, with one additional candle known as the Shamash or "helper" candle. On each night of Hanukkah, one more light is lit than the previous night, until the final night when all eight branches are ignited. The Shamash is used to light the other eight candles.
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Frequently asked questions
On the first night of Hanukkah, the shamash (or "helper" candle) is used to light one other candle, which is placed in the right-most spot. Three blessings are recited on the first night, and then the candles are lit.
On the second night, the shamash is used to light two candles. Two blessings are recited on the second night and every night thereafter.
The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but they are lit from left to right.
The shamash candle is used to light the other candles. It is placed on a higher or lower plane than the main candles.
