how do you light hanukkah candles
Hanukkah candles are placed right to left on the menorah, but each night you light them with the helper candle (shamash) from left to right, always lighting the newest candle first. There are specific blessings said before lighting, and the candles should burn for at least about 30 minutes without being used for any other purpose.
Basic setup
- Use a Hanukkah menorah (chanukiah) with space for 8 candles in a row plus a separate shamash (helper) light.
- Place the menorah somewhere safe and visible, often in a window or near a doorway to “publicize the miracle.”
- Make sure the candles or oil can burn for at least 30 minutes after nightfall (longer on Friday night if it runs into Shabbat, according to traditional practice).
Night‑by‑night candle order
- Night 1:
- Put one candle on the far right of the menorah.
- Light the shamash, say the blessings, then use the shamash to light that single candle.
- Night 2 and onward (through night 8):
- Always add a new candle to the left of the previous ones, so you place candles from right to left.
* Light the shamash first, say the blessings for Hanukkah (on nights 2–8, you usually omit the Shehecheyanu blessing), then use the shamash to light the **newest** candle first, moving left to right.
* Example: On night 4, you will have 4 candles in a row; you light candle 4, then 3, then 2, then 1.
Blessings (high‑level guidance)
- Traditionally, you recite:
- Two blessings every night (on the mitzvah of lighting and on the miracle), plus
- A third blessing (Shehecheyanu) only on the first night.
- The blessings are said before lighting the candles while holding the shamash, and then you light the candles immediately after.
- Many people then sing Hanerot Halalu and/or Maoz Tzur after the lighting.
For exact Hebrew text and transliteration of the blessings, or for different denominational customs, it is best to consult a current prayerbook or a trusted community rabbi, since practice can vary slightly between communities.