Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most popular Jewish holidays celebrated around the world. A menorah is a special nine-branched candelabra used as part of the Hanukkah celebration, and is lit to commemorate the holiday. But how many candles should be placed on a menorah?
According to traditional Jewish law, a Hanukkah menorah should be lit with nine candles – eight branched candlesticks for the eight nights of the holiday, plus a ninth candle, the shamash, which is used to light the other candles. The eighth candle is traditionally placed in the center of the menorah, while the others are placed to the left and right sides.
What Is the Meaning of the Menorah?
The menorah is said to represent the spiritual illumination that multiplies in the darkness of oppression. This is a both literal and figurative interpretation of the holiday’s celebration. The menorah is also rabbinically interpreted to represent the spiritual and moral teachings of the Torah.
How Is the Menorah Lit?
Every night of Hanukkah, additional candles are lit until the entire menorah is ablaze. On the first night, one candle is lit. It is placed in the holder farthest to the right (traditionally, the left side). This is done so that no matter how many nights of Hanukkah are being celebrated, each night starts with only one light.
On each additional night, one more candle is lit. The first night, two candles on the right of the center candle, are lit, then the third night has three candles, and so on, until the last night when all nine are lit. The shamash candle is lit first, and this candle is then used to light the branches to either side of it. Each night the same order of lighting take place.
How Can I Make My Menorah Interesting?
Though the traditional menorah is often quite plain, there are a few creative ways to add a personalized touch to make your Hanukkah celebrations more special. Some of these include:
- Choose colored candles – choose special colors of candles for each night of festivities to make the ceremony more interesting.
- Choose creative holders - find interesting materials to make your own menorah or buy a funky pre-made one.
- Choose special decorations – decorate the menorah with symbols of Hanukkah, like traditional tokens, emblems, and toys.
- Choose creative music - to make the lighting of the candles even more special, play some traditional Hanukkah music.
In conclusion, a nine branched menorah is lit with a total of nine candles on the eight nights of Hanukkah. A shamash candle is lit first, and then used to light the other candles for each additional night until the entire menorah is ablaze. To make this ceremony more exciting, creative holders, decorations and music can be used. Hanukkah is celebrated around the world and the menorah is an important part of this tradition as it is a reminder of spiritual and moral teachings of the Torah.
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Last update 2023-11-27. Price and product availability may change.