do you light the menorah left to right
No, you light the Hanukkah menorah from left to right. Candles are added each night from right to left, but the lighting order starts with the newest candle on the left and proceeds rightward. This follows the widespread custom among most Jewish communities.
Traditional Lighting Steps
The process honors the miracle of the oil lasting eight days, with a structured ritual each night:
- Place the shamash (helper candle) in its center or elevated spot.
- Insert candles starting from the right holder, adding one more each night.
- Recite the blessings while standing.
- Use the lit shamash to ignite the leftmost candle first, moving right.
This left-to-right lighting symbolizes prioritizing the newest light, per Talmudic guidance to "turn only to the right" (Shabbat 9b, referenced in sources).
Common Variations
While the majority follow the left-to-right method:
- Shulchan Aruch custom : Always light the added left candle first, turning rightward regardless of placement.
- Vilna Gaon approach : Direction flips based on menorah position near the door (right-to-left if on left side).
- Some Sephardic or regional practices adjust for door proximity, but Ashkenazi/Chabad norms dominate globally.
Custom| Placement Order| Lighting Order| Notes 1
---|---|---|---
Widespread (Chabad, most)| Right to left| Left to right| Newest first;
fulfills "turn right"
Vilna Gaon| Varies by door side| Right or left| Prioritizes entrance proximity
Shulchan Aruch| Right to left| Left to right| Emphasizes added candle
Why This Order?
The direction reflects deeper symbolism: inaugurating fresh light nightly while moving rightward evokes spiritual progression. On night eight, all eight candles plus shamash glow fully. First-night setup: one candle far right, lit directly.
Forum and Modern Takes
Online discussions echo this: Reddit users confirm left-to-right lighting for displays, avoiding faux pas. Recent 2025 guides stress shamash use to prevent errors. Trending queries spike pre-Hanukkah, with videos clarifying for newcomers.
"To correctly light the Hanukkah menorah, you always add candles from right to left and light them from left to right using the shamash candle."
TL;DR : Add right-to-left, light left-to-right —newest first. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.