Lighting the Menorah
It’s History, Meaning and Tradition
Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is just about a month away, beginning on Sunday, November 28, 2021, and extending for eight days until Monday, December 6. One of the most endearing symbols of Hanukkah is the menorah, the candelabrum often considered the main ritual of the holiday. What is the origin of the menorah? How has the use of the menorah evolved over the past few millennia?
What Is a Menorah?
For some, there may be a bit of confusion between a menorah and a “Hanukkah menorah,” or “Hanukkiah.” The menorah, a candelabrum with only seven candleholders, was a lamp used in the holy temple of Israel in ancient times, and is a broader symbol of both Israel and of Judaism, whereas the Hanukkah menorah or Hanukkiah has nine candles and is typically associated only with the holiday.
The Torah describes the original menorah in Exodus, as God gives Moses direction regarding the construction of the sanctuary in the temple, after the Israelites have escaped their bondage in Egypt. Beaten out of a single piece of pure gold, the original menorah stood in the southern part of the ancient temple and was filled with fresh olive oil. The high priest would light the menorah every day.
Jewish tradition holds that the purpose of the original menorah was to spread the light of God throughout the world. The seven lamps, with three on each side of a center candle, are believed to represent six branches of human knowledge, guided by the divine light of the center branch. According to tradition, the menorah instructs us to allow our inner divine light to be seen in the world through a positive demeanor, good behavior and good deeds.
What Is the Historical Tradition of the Hanukkah Menorah?
Scholars date the first Hanukkah menorah, or Hanukkiah, to the second century B.C.E., when Judah the Maccabee led a small army of Jews and successfully defeated the Syrians, reclaiming the temple and relighting the golden menorah. According to legend, the Jews had only enough oil for a single day, but the menorah burned for eight days.
There’s little evidence that the practice of lighting a Hanukkah menorah in the home became commonplace until modern times. Historians say that Maimonides, a Jewish philosopher from the late Middle Ages, suggested that Hanukkah be celebrated by the lighting of a menorah for every night of the holiday. There’s also evidence that many Jewish immigrants to America brought Hanukkah menorahs with them across the ocean.
How Should the Hanukkah Menorah Be Lit?
There are some specific traditions regarding the lighting of Hanukkah menorah:
- On all days other than Friday, the menorah should not be lit until after dark. On Friday, however, it should be lit just before sunset.
- When you place the candles in the menorah, you should start from the right. However, when you light the candles, you should start from the left.
- On successive nights, you should light the new candle first and then follow in order to the right.
- While olive oil is preferred, you can use any candle or oil that will produce a steady light
- You may not use a lit Hanukkah candle to light another one. Instead, the Shamesh candle (the center candle) is used to light the menorah.
- Allow the candles to burn for at least 30 minutes, except on Friday, when the candles should burn into Shabbat
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