Lighting the Chanukiah

A modern chanukiah or Chanukah menorah. There is no prescribed design for a chanukiah, but the shamash light should be set at a different elevation from the others so that it may be easily distinguished and recognised. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).

The only specific mitzvah involved with Chanukah is the lighting of the chanukiah on each of the eight nights of the festival. The chanukiah has eight lights, in contrast to the menorah that has only seven. Either wax candles or special oil lamps can be used in the chanukiah to create the lights of Chanukah.

The accepted procedure of lighting the candles is to start with one candle being lit and end up with eight candles lit on the last night, by increasing the number of candles each night. For example, on the third night three candles are lit and so on. This is to emphasise the increase in joy of commemorating the Chanukah miracle. By the end of the festival forty-four candles should have been kindled in total. The Talmud also suggests an alternate practice, decreasing the candles from eight on the first night to one on the final night, but the practice is as described previously.  

Each night the candle should be placed in the menorah, from right to left. The chanukiah has eight holders, plus an additional one at a different elevation to hold the  shammash, which is the candle used to light the others. The candles are lit from left to right using the shammash, so that the new candle is lit first.  To view a video on how to correctly light a chanukiah, click here.

The candles should be lit after evening has begun and should burn for at least half an hour. Two blessings are then recited. On the first night an extra blessing is said. It is customary to sing “HaNerot Halalu” (“We Kindle These Lights”) and “Maoz Tzur”  (“Rock of Ages”) after the lighting of the candles, to enhance the mood of the occasion.  

The chanukiah is usually placed in the front window of the house, on the opposite side of the doorway from the mezuzah. It is an old custom to light the chanukiah in the doorway. This is done to publicise the miracle by making the lit chanukiah visible to those in the street.   

The Chanukah lights are sacred. Therefore it is forbidden to use the light shed by the chanukiah candles for any purpose besides the commemoration and celebration of the miracle of Chanukah. 

On Shabbat the Chanukah candles are lit before the Shabbat candles on Friday Night, and after Havdalah on Saturday night.    

The candles used for Chanukah are often available in an assortment of colours, to further symbolise the happiness felt during this time.

Modern chanukiot may be of whimsical design,
especially if designed for children.
Here, each candle holder takes the form of a rabbi.
Note that, notwithstanding the whimsical design,
the candleholder for the shamash is still at a
different elevation to the others.
(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)