Tyler Brooks
The Hanukkah menorah is lit in a specific way, with prayers and blessings recited before the candles are lit. On the first night of Hanukkah, the shammash, or helper candle, is placed in the centre of the menorah and used to light one other candle. On the second night, the shammash is used to light two candles, and so on, until all eight candles are lit on the final 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 always lit first.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of candles lit on the first night | One candle is lit on the first night, with an additional candle lit each night until all eight candles are lit on the eighth night. |
| Candle placement | Candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, with the newest candle being placed on the right-most spot on the first night and then moving to the left each night. |
| Candle lighting order | The newest candle is lit first, starting with the left-most candle and moving to the right. |
| Shamash candle | The shamash, or "helper" candle, is lit first and used to light the other candles. It is placed in a designated spot, usually in the center. |
| Blessings | Three blessings are recited on the first night, and two blessings are recited on each remaining night. |
| Prayer | The paragraph Ha-neirot Hallalu is recited after lighting the candles, explaining the purpose of lighting the menorah. |
| Mitzvah | The mitzvah, or religious obligation, of lighting Hanukkah candles is to publicize the miracle that happened long ago. |
| Candle type | Olive oil is preferable, but any type of oil or wax candles with a single wick are also acceptable. |
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What You'll Learn
The Shamash candle is lit first and is used to light the others
The Shamash, or "helper" candle, is lit first and is used to light the other candles on the Hanukkah menorah. The Shamash is placed in its own designated spot, usually in the centre of the menorah, and is the first candle lit on the first night of Hanukkah. The remaining candles are then placed in the menorah from right to left, but they are lit from left to right, with the newest candle being lit first. This means that the left-most candle, representing the current night, is lit first, followed by the other candles.
On the first night of Hanukkah, three blessings are recited before the candles are lit. The first blessing is "Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah", which translates to "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", meaning "Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season". The third blessing, the She-heḥeyyanu, is given on the first night of a new event and is as follows: "Barukh attah adonai, eloheinu, melekh ha-olam, she-heheyyanu, vekiyamanu, vehigiyanu lezman hazeh", which translates to "Praised are You, Adonai, our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this occasion".
After the Shamash is lit and the blessings are recited, the remaining candles are lit one by one, starting with the left-most candle. On the second night, two candles are lit, and so on, until all eight candles are lit on the eighth and final night of Hanukkah. The Shamash is allowed to burn with the rest of the candles and is not extinguished after use. This is to ensure that the light of the Hanukkah candles is never used by itself for practical purposes.
The act of lighting the candles and reciting the blessings is a ritual that is performed by everyone in the household, including men, women, and children. It is a way to publicise the miracle that occurred long ago and to share the light of the menorah with all who pass by.
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Candles are placed in the Menorah from right to left
The Hanukkah menorah is a simple activity that the whole family can participate in. On the first night of Hanukkah, there are three prayers: one over the lighting of the candles, one over the miracle of Hanukkah, and one for a new experience. On the remaining seven nights, only the first two prayers are said.
When facing the hanukkiah (Hanukkah menorah), put the first candle in the right-most spot. On the second night, place candles in the right-most spot and the one to its left. Keep adding additional candles to the left for each night. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, just as Hebrew is written, but are lit from left to right. The newest night's candle is lit first, so you start by lighting the left-most candle.
The Shamash, or "helper" candle, has its own designated spot, usually in the centre. It is lit first, using it to kindle the rest of the Hanukkah lights. The Shamash should be allowed to burn with the rest of the candles and not be extinguished after use, ensuring that the light of the "real" Hanukkah candles is not used for any other purpose without the admixture of some "permitted" light.
In Sephardi communities, an extra candle, not part of the menorah, is used to light the candles that represent the nights, and then the Shamash is lit last, and the extra candle used for lighting is blown out.
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The newest candle is lit first
The Hanukkah menorah is lit in a specific way, with the newest candle being lit first. This is done from left to right, with the newest candle being the one furthest to the left. The shamash, or "helper" candle, is lit first and used to light the other candles. This candle usually has its own designated spot in the centre of the menorah.
On the first night of Hanukkah, there is only one candle for that evening placed in the right-most spot on the menorah, with the shamash in the centre. From the second night onwards, an additional candle is added to the left of the previous night's candle, so that by the eighth and final night, all nine candles are lit. The candles are placed in the menorah from right to left, but the custom is to light them from left to right, so that the newest candle is lit first.
The purpose of this custom is to publicise the miracle of Hanukkah. The newest candle, representing the current night, is lit first, and then the shamash is lit last. The shamash is not extinguished after use, so its light is always mixed with that of the other candles. This ensures that the light of the Hanukkah candles is never used by itself for practical purposes.
Before lighting the candles, it is traditional to recite blessings on the first night and on each subsequent night. The blessings are said while facing the hanukkiah (the Hanukkah menorah).
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Blessings are said before the candles are lit
The blessings are said to remind people of the miracles that happened to their ancestors. The first blessing is:
> Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, she-asah nisim laavoteinu v’imoteinu bayamim hahaeim baz’man hazeh.
Translated into English, this means:
> Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in days of old at this season.
The second blessing is:
> Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tsivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah.
In English, this means:
> Blessed are You, Adonai Adonaiאֲדֹנָי, our God, Sovereign of all, who hallows us with mitzvotmitzvahמִצְוָה.
On the first night of Hanukkah, a third blessing, the She-heḥeyyanu, is also recited:
> Baruch attah adonai, eloheinu, melekh ha-olam, she-heheyyanu, vekiyamanu, vehigiyanu lezman hazeh.
Translated into English, this means:
> 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 Menorah is lit after sundown
The Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, involves a candle-lighting ceremony that is steeped in tradition and ritual. The lighting of the Menorah is a key part of the celebration, and it is important to follow certain customs when doing so. The Menorah is lit after sundown each day during the Festival, with the exception of Friday, when it is lit before sundown in accordance with Jewish law.
On the first night of Hanukkah, the Menorah is prepared with two candles: the Shamash, or "helper" candle, and another candle to mark the first night. The Shamash is placed in its own designated spot, usually in the centre, and the first night's candle is placed in the rightmost spot. The Shamash is then lit first, and it is used to light the other candle, moving from left to right.
On the second night, another candle is added to the left of the first night's candle, and the Shamash is used to light the two candles from left to right. This continues each night, with a new candle added to the left and the Shamash used to light them all, until the eighth and final night when all nine candles are lit. The Shamash is allowed to burn with the rest of the candles and not blown out, to ensure that the light of the Hanukkah candles is never used by itself for practical purposes.
Before lighting the candles, it is customary to recite blessings on the first night and on each subsequent night. The first blessing is "Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tsivanu l'hadlik ner shel Hanukkah", which translates to "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 ha-olam, she-asah nisim la'avoteinu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh", meaning "Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in those ancient days at this season". The third blessing, recited only on the first night, is "Baruch atah Adonai, elohenu melech ha'olam, shehecheyanu, v'kiyimanu, v'higiyanu lazman hazeh", or "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".
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Frequently asked questions
The Shamash, or "helper" candle, is lit first. It is then used to light the other candles, starting with the left-most one.
The Shamash candle usually has its own designated spot, often in the centre of the menorah.
The Shamash candle is used to light the other candles, ensuring that the light of the "real" Hanukkah candles is not used for any practical purpose without being mixed with other light.
First, the Shamash candle is lit. Then, the blessings are recited, followed by the lighting of the other candles, starting with the left-most one. Finally, the hymn of Ma'oz Tzur may be sung.
