how to light the menorah

Lighting the menorah follows a clear step‑by‑step ritual: place the candles from right to left, use the separate shamash (helper) candle to light them, and on each night light the newest (left‑most) candle first and proceed left to right, after saying the blessings.

How to Light the Menorah

Basic setup

• Use a Hanukkah menorah (chanukiah) with spaces for 8 candles in a row plus a separate spot for the shamash, usually higher or offset.

• Place the menorah somewhere stable and visible, often in a window facing the street to publicize the miracle, while keeping fire safety in mind.

• Candles or oil cups should have enough fuel to burn at least about 30 minutes after nightfall on weeknights.

Placing the candles each night

• The 8 main lights go in a straight line; the shamash is not counted as one of the 8.

• Night 1: Put one candle in the far right holder as you face the menorah.

• Nights 2–8: Add one new candle each night to the left of the previous ones, so you are filling the menorah from right to left.

Order of lighting

• Light the shamash first (often the elevated or center candle), then use it to light the others; do not light candles directly from one another.

• Say the Hanukkah blessings while holding the lit shamash, just before lighting the main candles. On the first night, three blessings are recited; on subsequent nights, two.

• Each night, light the newest candle first (the left‑most one), then move to the right, so you light from left to right even though you placed them from right to left.

Timing and special notes

• The candles are usually lit after nightfall and should burn at least about half an hour; many people avoid using the light for practical tasks and instead sit, sing, or watch them.

• On Friday night of Hanukkah, light the menorah before Shabbat candles and early enough that they will still burn into night but are lit before sunset.

• Traditionally, the candles are allowed to burn out on their own rather than being blown out.

“Fill the menorah from right to left, but light the miracle from left to right, starting with tonight’s newest candle.”

TL;DR: Place the Hanukkah candles from right to left, light the shamash, say the blessings, then use the shamash to light the newest (left‑most) candle first and continue to the right, letting them burn for at least about half an hour.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.