▷ How Many Candles On A Menorah For Hanukkah?

The Jewish festival of Hanukkah is an 8-day event that commemorates the re-dedication of the Second Temple by the Maccabees in Jerusalem more than 2000 years ago. A key part of the celebration is the lighting of a menorah — a series of 9 candles arranged in a holder. On each of the eight days of Hanukkah, one more candle is lit, so the total number of candles lit during the holiday varies.

A traditional menorah for Hanukkah comprises nine candles arranged in a holder — one at the center, with four flanked to each side. The central candle, referred to as the shamash, is used to light the other candles. On each successive night of Hanukkah, one more candle is lit from the shamash, so that the number of candles lit on each day increases from one to eight over the course of the holiday.

During the first night of Hanukkah, the shamash and one candle are lit. On the second night, the shamash and two candles are lit. On the third through seventh nights of Hanukkah, the shamash and three through seven candles are lit, respectively. On the eighth night of Hanukkah, the shamash and all eight candles are lit. Thus, over the course of the holiday, a total of forty-five individual candle-lightings occur.

It is common practice to keep the eight Hanukkah candles burning for at least half-an-hour each night of the festival, so that the candle-lights are visible. However, the tradition also emphasizes that the lights should burn long enough to fulfill the mitzvah, or commandment, of lighting the menorah. A reliable rule-of-thumb is that this mitzvah is deemed fulfilled when the candles burn for 30 minutes after nightfall.

As a result, the number of candles that should be lit on a menorah for Hanukkah can vary depending on the particular evening, the certain customs, and even the location. Generally speaking, though, a traditional menorah includes nine candles, and one more is lit each night of the holiday. On the eighth night, all eight candles plus the shamash are lit, resulting in a total of 45 candle-lightings during the 8-day festival. Regardless of the amount of candles lit each night, the larger message of Hanukkah is one of hope, resilience, and, ultimately, the power of faith.

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