▷ How To Make A Hanukkah Menorah?

Making a Hanukkah menorah, or Chanukiah, is a special tradition during the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. By lighting a menorah, the Jewish people commemorate the miracles associated with the rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem. Making a menorah out of everyday objects is a great way to get creative, and it’s a wonderful activity to do with children when teaching them about the holiday.

Table of Contents

1 What you’ll need
2 Setting up the menorah
- 2.1 Lighting the Menorah
- 2.2 Caring for the Menorah

What you’ll need

8 candlesticks
1 “shamash” (helper candle)
44 Hanukkah candles
Matches or lighter

Setting up the menorah

Have all your candlesticks set before you in the proper shape. The shamash should be taller in the middle of the menorah. You might find it difficult to select a set of nine candlesticks since many commercial sets only come with eight. In that case, choose one that stands out from the group as your shamash.

Lighting the Menorah

Light the shamash first with your matches or lighter. Then, starting on the right side, light each new candle with the light of the shamash. You should then recite a blessing to remember why you are lighting the menorah: “Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Haolam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Channukah.” This translates to “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us with his commandments, and commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.”

Caring for the Menorah

Every evening, you should light the shamash first, and the candles starting from right to left. On the first night, you should light one candle. On the second night, two candles, and so on until all eight candles are lit on the last night. Traditionally, the lights should burn for at least 30 minutes.

Extinguish the flame of each candle by carefully dipping the top of each candle into the melted wax of the other candles in order to avoid any burns. After the last night, it is customary to collect the remaining Hanukkah candles in a box and store them for later use.

Making a Hanukkah menorah is a special tradition that has been celebrated for centuries. With the right supplies and some guidance, constructing your own menorah can be a fun and creative activity. And when you light the menorah each night while reciting the blessing, you’ll join in the rich Jewish tradition of Hanukkah and remember the miraculous victory of the Maccabees.

Related Products:

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