▷ How Many Candles Total For Hanukkah?

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an excellent time for celebration in the Jewish faith. It calls for the lighting of eight candles over a period of eight nights: one candle on the first night, two on the second, and so on. As a result, there is plenty of tradition and symbolic significance in the lighting candles process to commemorate the Rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. As the festival goes on, one may ask, how many candles are lit in total throughout Hanukkah?

During Hanukkah, a menorah is lit each night, unless there is a ninth branch, in which case an additional candle is lit. The menorah starts with the shamash, a facilitating helper candle, and the remaining 8 candles are placed in the menorah in pairs, with one candle per night lit thereafter. On the first night, the candle on the right of the shamash is lit and so forth. The traditional shamash and lighting method is called a “Hadlakat Nerot” or the kindling of lights. The Hadlakat Nerot is the ritual of lighting the menorah using the shumash as an indirect light source. Since the menorah is lit over 8 night, that puts the average number of candles lit for Hanukkah at 44. However, some communities will have a ninth branch in their menorah, which means a total of 45 candles would be lit. The ninth branch is considered a overflow to signify the miracle of the oil and it is intended to be the highest flame on the menorah. There is also a custom of lighting an additional candle for each of the eight nights, which brings the total up to 52 candles. It is a common tradition to provide these additional candles to symbolize the eight miracles of the oil and the Maccabean victory over the Syrian-Greeks.

In conclusion, the number of candles that are lit for every Hanukkah celebration is dependent on tradition and religious inclination. Traditionally, 44 candles are lit over the 8 nights, however some communities will light 45 candles if they have a ninth branch, and some extra candles can be added for a total of 52 candles. Whichever way the family chooses to light the Hanukkah candles, the core tradition remains the same: lighting candles to celebrate the Rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem.

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