▷ How Many Candles Are There On A Hanukkah Menorah?

Hanukkah is a joyous Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. At the center of Hanukkah is the menorah, a nine-stemmed candelabrum that is lit with special holiday candles, giving a special joy to the celebration. But how many candles are there on a Hanukkah menorah?

The candles lit on a Hanukkah menorah, commonly called the Chanukiyah, are usually 32 or 33 in number – enough for eight days of light. On each night of the holiday, an additional light is lit, and each night the lights get brighter, culminating on the eighth night.

The Chanukiyah is technically a nine-stemmed candelabrum, although not all are used for holding candles. The center stem, called the shamash (or “servant”), is used to light the other eight candles. The additional stem provides a symbolic reminder that sometimes, when we work together, greater wonders can be achieved.

The Eight Lights

On each night of Hanukkah, one light is added to the Chanukiyah. The light to be lit that evening is placed at a higher level or “above” the other existing lights. On the first night, only one light is lit, on the second night two and so on.

The Blessing

Before lighting the holiday lights, many people say a special blessing in recognition of the miracle of the lighting of the Menorah in the Temple. The blessing consists of two parts:

The Blessing on the Opportunity to Perform the Commandment.
The Blessing on the Flame or Lights Itself.

When the Menorah Is Fully Lit

On the eighth night, all lights of the Menorah are lit with one light on a higher level than any other. Doing so serves as a reminder of the seven-lamp light of the Temple lampstand which stood on a higher level than the others. This is also meant to symbolize the higest level of joy that is associated with the 8th day of Hanukkah.

In conclusion, there are a total of 32 or 33 candles on a Hanukkah menorah. On each night of Hanukkah, an additional light is lit, and each night the lights get brighter, culminating on the eighth night, when all lights of the Menorah are lit with one light on a higher level than any other – giving a special joy to the celebration.

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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.