Maddie James
The menorah is a multibranched candelabra used in the religious rituals of Judaism. The seven-branched menorah was originally found in the wilderness sanctuary and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. The word menorah means lamp in Hebrew. The nine-branched candelabra, or Hanukkah menorah, is lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The Hanukkah menorah is also called a hanukkiah or chanukkiyah.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Hanukkah menorah, Hanukkiah, or Hanukkah |
| Number of Branches | 9 |
| Number of Lights | 9 (8 candles or oil lamps and 1 helper candle) |
| Candle Placement | One additional candle is lit and placed from left to right each night |
| Candle Lighting Order | From right to left, then lit from left to right |
| Candle Lighting Ritual | Blessings and prayers are recited, songs are sung, and gifts are exchanged |
| Traditional Hanukkah Foods | Deep-fried jelly doughnuts (sufganiyot), potato pancakes (latkes) |
| Symbolism | Represents the Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorates the miracle of the oil burning for eight days, and celebrates religious freedom |
| History | Mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus, designed revealed to Moses by God |
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What You'll Learn
The Hanukkah menorah
The menorah is first mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus (25:31–40), where the design of the lamp is revealed to Moses by God. The lamp was to be made of a single piece of gold with six branches, "three out of one side, and three out of the other". The menorah has been an important symbol in both ancient and modern Israel. The seven-branched menorah was originally found in the wilderness sanctuary and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. It is among the most widely produced articles of Jewish ceremonial art.
In the United States, the public display of hanukkiahs and Christmas trees has been the subject of legal battles. In the 1989 County of Allegheny v. ACLU case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the display of hanukkiahs and Christmas trees did not violate the Establishment Clause, as they were not endorsements of a particular faith but rather part of the same winter holiday season. The White House has been represented at the lighting of the National Menorah since 1979, and a hanukkiah has been lit at the White House since 1993.
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The history of the menorah
The menorah is a multibranched candelabra used in the religious rituals of Judaism. It has been an important symbol in both ancient and modern Israel. The seven-branched menorah was originally found in the wilderness sanctuary and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. It was a popular motif of religious art in antiquity. The menorah is mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus (25:31–40), according to which the design of the lamp was revealed to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. It was to be forged out of a single piece of gold and was to have six branches, “three out of one side, and three out of the other”. The cup atop the central shaft, which is somewhat elevated to signify the Sabbath, was flanked by three lights on each side.
The Second Temple, built after the Jews returned from exile in Babylon, contained one menorah that was seized in 169 BCE by Antiochus IV Epiphanes when he desecrated the Temple. Judas Maccabeus ordered the construction of a new seven-branched candelabra, which he placed in the Temple after the desecration by Antiochus. The menorah disappeared after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. Rabbinic sources teach that the menorah stood 18 handbreadths/palms (three common cubits) high, or approximately 1.62 metres (5.3 ft).
Following the destruction of the Second Temple, the menorah came to be recognised as a distinctively Jewish symbol and was depicted on tomb walls, synagogue floors, sculptures and reliefs, as well as glass and metal objects. The menorah has been used since then to distinguish synagogues and Jewish cemeteries from the places of worship and cemeteries of Christians and pagans. The seven-branched menorah was adopted as the official emblem of the state of Israel in the 20th century.
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 symbolise the eight nights of the holiday. The ninth branch holds a candle, called the shamash ("helper" or "servant"), which is used to light the other eight.
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The menorah as a symbol
The menorah is a multibranched candelabra used in the religious rituals of Judaism. It has been an important symbol in both ancient and modern Israel. The seven-branched menorah was originally found in the wilderness sanctuary and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. It was a popular motif in religious art in antiquity. The menorah is first mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus, where God reveals the design of the lamp to Moses on Mount Sinai. The candlestick was to be made of a single piece of gold with three branches on each side. The central shaft, which is somewhat elevated, symbolises the Sabbath.
The menorah is frequently used as a symbol in Jewish art. It has been found on coins, walls, objects, tomb walls, synagogue floors, sculptures, reliefs, glass, and metal objects. The menorah has also been used to distinguish synagogues and Jewish cemeteries from those of Christians and pagans. The symbol has been found in several archaeological artefacts from ancient Samaritan, Christian, and Islamic communities.
The menorah has been a central symbol of Judaism since antiquity. It has been found in synagogues, cemeteries, mosaics, and seals throughout Jewish history. The menorah is also the official symbol of the State of Israel, designed by Gabriel and Maxim Shamir. The image of the menorah has taken on new meaning since Israel's independence, representing a newfound sense of hope and victory.
The nine-branched menorah, or hanukkiah, is used during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold lights (traditionally olive oil lamps, now usually candles) that symbolise the eight nights of the holiday. The ninth branch holds the shamash ("helper" or "servant"), used to light the other eight.
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The Hanukkiah
Hanukkiah, also known as the Hanukkah menorah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold candles or oil lamps that symbolise the eight nights of the holiday. On each night, one more light is lit than the previous night, until on the final night all eight branches are ignited. The ninth branch holds a candle, called the shamash, which is used to light the other eight.
In recent years, there have been legal battles in the United States over the public display of Hanukkiahs and Christmas trees on public grounds. In the 1989 County of Allegheny v. ACLU case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the display of Hanukkiahs and Christmas trees did not violate the Establishment Clause, as they were part of the same winter holiday season and had attained a secular status in U.S. society.
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The miracle of the oil
The Jewish candle holder is called a menorah. It is a multibranched candelabra used in the religious rituals of Judaism and has been an important symbol in both ancient and modern Israel. The Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
The eight-day Jewish festival of Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is all about olive oil and the miracle associated with it. This miracle is known as the Miracle of the Cruse of Oil or the Miracle of Hanukkah. It is depicted in the Babylonian Talmud as one of the reasons for Hanukkah.
The miracle occurred after the liberation of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt. According to the story, a small jug of pure olive oil, enough to burn for only one day, miraculously lasted for eight days. This miracle is significant because, according to Jewish law, the menorah in the Temple could only be lit with specially prepared pure olive oil.
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Frequently asked questions
A Jewish candle holder is called a menorah.
The word menorah means "lamp" in Hebrew.
A menorah has seven branches, one for each day of Creation.
A Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
The shamash is the ninth branch of the Hanukkah menorah, which is used to light the other eight branches.
