At the heart of the festival of Chanukah is the nightly menorah lighting. The menorah holds eight flames, (plus an additional light, called the Shamash (attendant), which is used to kindle the other lights.) On the first night, we light just one flame. On the second night, an additional flame is lit. By the eighth night of Chanukah, all eight lights are kindled. In this easy-to-follow guide, we’ll walk you through the process, including blessings, to ensure your Chanukah celebrations shine. Get ready to light up your Chanukah with style and tradition!
The Significance of Menorah Lighting
Just over 2100 years ago, after the Land of Israel had come under the rule of the Syrian-Greek emperor Antiochus, he issued a series of decrees designed to force his Hellenistic ideology upon the Jewish people. In year 139 BCE a small, vastly outnumbered band of Jews (led by Yehuda the Maccabee) waged war against the mighty Greek armies and drove them out of the land. When they reclaimed the Holy Temple, on the 25th of Kislev, they wished to light the Temple’s menorah only to discover that the Greeks had contaminated virtually all the oil. All that remained was one jug of pure oil, enough to last one night however it would take eight days to procure new pure oil.
Miraculously, the one-day supply of oil burnt for eight solid days and nights, and the holiday of Chanukah was established. To commemorate these miracles, we light the Chanukah menorah on each of the eight nights of Chanukah. This year, we start lighting the menorah on Thursday night, December 7, 2023.
The laws of the Menorah and its lighting
The basic elements of a kosher menorah are eight holders for oil or candles and an additional holder, set apart from the rest, for the Shamash (“attendant”) candle. The Chanukah lights can either be candle flames or oil lights and must burn for at least 30 minutes after nightfall.
Shabbat – As it’s forbidden to light a fire on Shabbat, therefore, on Friday afternoon one must light the menorah before the Shabbat candles. For the Chanukah candles to burn until 30 minutes after nightfall, one must use additional oil or larger candles for the Friday night Chanukah lights.
On the first night one places the candles in the Menorah on the far right and the second night on adds a candle to it’s left and so on. However, when it’s time to light them, reverse the sequence, always lighting the new candle (ie the candle furthest left) and move to the right. First one lights the shamash candle, and then say the blessings after which you use the shamash to light the other candles.
Choosing the Perfect Spot for Your Menorah
The menorah is a symbol of the Chanukah miracle that is meant to be shared. The most ideal place is outside the door of the house that faces the street, to publicize the miracle of Chanukah as much as possible and indeed this is the prevalent custom in Israel today. In the Diaspora, the prevalent custom is to light the menorah indoors sometimes because of hostile non-Jews and often the winter weather conditions of rain and strong winds do not make it practical to light outside. There are two different customs for those who light inside their house; some light in a central doorway, near the doorpost opposite the mezuzah whereas others have the custom of placing it on a windowsill facing the street.
Following Menorah Lighting
Once your menorah is lit, take time to appreciate the beauty of the moment. One is not allowed to benefit from the light of the candles, besides from the shamash and other sources of light. Continue your Chanukah celebration by singing traditional Chanukah songs, playing dreidel with family and friends, exchanging gifts, savoring chocolate gelt, or indulging in fried foods like doughnuts and potato latkes. Work should not be done in the proximity of the burning candles. Women have a custom to refrain from household work during the half hour that the lights are burning, to honor the brave Jewish women who played a significant role in the Chanukah story.
Choosing the Right Menorah
Menorahs come in a variety of types and materials to suit a variety of tastes and budgets. Choose one that makes you happy and brings an additional element of joy to your Chanukah celebrations. Always keep in mind that the goal is to fulfil the mitzvah of lighting the Hanukkah lights and enhance the beauty of the celebration. At Sabeny, we have a variety of Menorahs that fits every taste. You can pick the one that resonates with you the best!
Happy Chanukah!
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