by Barry Marcus

Created on: November 13, 2009   Last Updated: November 24, 2009

The festival of Hanukkah is marked by the lighting of candles on each of the eight days of Hanukkah. The festival commemorates the miracle of the Temple menorah (candelabra) when a single day's supply of oil burned for eight days. The Hanukkah menorah holds eight lights plus one for the 'shamash' used to light the other candles.

The eight lights on the menorah must be at the same height and in a straight line as no candle is superior or inferior to the others. A circle of lights is not acceptable as it is necessary to distinguish which light is for each night. The shamash should be set apart from the others - either higher or lower or simply on a different plane to distinguish it.

Hanukkah menorahs burn either candles or oil. The rabbis consider an oil burning menorah to be the best option. Any type of oil may be used, but first choice must go to pure olive oil (as used in the Temple) using a cotton wick. The use of oil for a menorah pre-dates the use of candles. It produces a purer, brighter light and burns for a longer duration. Most people choose candles for simplicity and cost.

The menorah should be placed in a doorway or on a windowsill where it can be seen by passers-by to publicize the miracle to the world.

The menorah is lit after nightfall except on Friday night when the candles must be lit before lighting the Sabbath candles. The small Hanukkah candles that are widely available just burn for the required minimum thirty minutes. These are fine for the week-days, but on Friday night longer burning candles that will burn until after nightfall are required.

Place the candles in the menorah from right to left. On the first night, place just one candle in the right of the menorah. On the second night, place two candles in the menorah starting from the right. On each successive night an additional candle is placed to the left of the original candles until there are eight candles on the last night of the festival.

Light the shamash and recite the blessing "Baruch Ata Adonay Eloheinu Melech Haolam shetzivanu lahadlik ner shel Hanukkah" - "Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, that commanded us to light the Hanukkah candle". Now recite the blessing "Baruch Ata Adonay Eloheinu Melech Haolam she-asa nissim la-avoteinu beyamim hahem bezman haze" - "Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, that performed miracles for our forefathers in these days and in this season."

On the first night only, recite "Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheynu Melech Haolam

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