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How to
Light a Hanukah Menorah
Chanukah
is the most known Jewish customs and yet
is minor Jewish holiday. Jews light
Hanukkah candles to remember the miracle
of the Maccabees' victory over the
Greeks and the miracle of the oil that
should have lasted one day and lasted
for eight.
Time need
to light your menorah will take
approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
Step
1 - You will need a
Menorah or you can make your own.
And a match,
candles or olive oil.
You
will need a couple of terms. A list of
them can also be found at the end of
this page. Chanukah can be spelled
Hanukkah or called Festival of Lights.
A Hanukkah Menorah is a Hanukkiah and
has 9 candles. The tallest candle is
called the "Shamash." The Shamash candle
is used to light the other eight candles
since it is forbidden to use the
Hanukkah lights for any purpose other
than viewing.
Step 2
- On the sunset of the 24th day of the
Hebrew month of Kislev, is when the
Menorah is first lighted.
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Ideally the menorah should be lit as
soon as the sun goes down but if you
can't do it then, it can be done
later in the night. Everyone in the
family should be present when the
menorah is lit and the candles or
oil should burn at least 45 minutes.
If candles go out you may relight
them except on Shabbos. On
Friday the menorah should be lit
before sundown and before the
Shabbos candles. |
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Step 3 - Blessings
All three blessings are said on
the first night, and on the rest
only the first two are recited.
Blessing one: Blessed are You, Lord
our God, King of the universe, who
has sanctified us by His
commandments, and has commanded us
to kindle the lights of Chanukah. To
pronounce it in Hebrew, here is the
transliteration: Baruk Atah Adonai
Eloheynu Melek Ha-olam Asher
Kiddeeshonu Be-mitzvasov Vi-tsivonu
Lehadlik Ner Shel Chunukah.
Blessing two: Blessed are you, Lord
our God, King of the universe, who
wrought miracles for our fathers in
days of old, at this season.
Transliteration: Baruk Atah Adonai
Eloheynu Melek Ha-olam She-oso
Nissim La-avoseynu Ba-yyomim Ho-heym
Ba-zzman Ha-zzeh.
Blessing three: This blessing is
said only the first night (the other
two are said every night of
Chanukah) Blessed are You, Lord our
God, King of the universe, who has
kept us alive, and has preserved us,
and enabled us to reach this time.
Transliteration: Baruk Atah Adonai
Eloheynu Melek Ha-olam
Sha-hekheeyonu Ve-keeyeemonu
Ve-heeggee'onu La-zzman Ha-zzeh.
Each night you light the candles and
recite the blessings, increasing the
number of candles in the menorah to
correspond with the night. Although
the candles are put in beginning on
the far right and working to the
left, the last or the candle to the
far left is always lit first and
continues from left to right.
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 Step
4 - Now you are ready to light
the Chanukah Menorah
On
the first night, the candle or oil
globe goes on far right (as you face
the menorah). Another candle is used
for the Shamash (helper candle). Say
the three blessings below and then
light the candle or oil using the
Shamash candle.
Remember on
Friday night you
light
the Menorah first, and
then the Shabbat candles.
Many Jewish families have the
tradition to recite
Hanerot Halalu while lighting
the candles and to sing Maoz Tsur
once the candles have been lit. |
To
make clean up easier, line the table
or window sill with tin foil to
catch the candle drips. Either one
menorah can be lit or everyone can
light their own. If you have
numerous menorahs in a window sill,
keep in mind the heat from the
candles could possibly cause the
window glass to crack...keep the
menorahs as far away from the glass
as possible.
 Any
kind of candles can be used in the
menorah as long as they will burn
for the required 45 minutes or
longer after sundown. Olive oil can
be used in oil menorahs and can be
purchased at your local grocery
store if necessary.
Latkes
(potato pancakes) and soufganyot
(sugared or jelly filled doughnuts)
are traditional Chunukah foods. see
Potato Latkes Recipe |
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Some Laws Concerning Menorah and
Chanukah |
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Chanukah is a Jewish holiday,
also known as the Festival of
lights. Chanukah is a Hebrew word
meaning "dedication". It is also
spelled Chanuka, Hannukah or
Hanukkah. The first evening of
Chanukah (called Erev Chanukah)
starts after the sunset of the 24th
day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.
As in Jewish tradition the calendar
date starts at sunset, Chanukah
begins on the 25th. also see:
Chanukah rituals -
Dreidel Rules -
Chanukah Cards -
Kislev
Hanukkah Menorah: also called a
Chanukiah
Mitzvah - Commandment from God |
Dates
that Chanukah falls on in the
Gregorian calendar
Chanukah begins on the evening prior
to these dates.
 Denver
Community Menorahs
December 5, 2007 |
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