which way do you light the hanukkah candles

Hanukkah candles, also known as the menorah or chanukiah lights, follow a specific tradition for placement and lighting to honor the holiday's miracle of oil. The standard practice, rooted in Jewish custom, involves placing new candles from right to left each night but lighting them from left (newest) to right (oldest).

Placement Order

Candles are added progressively on the menorah's eight branches, starting with one on the first night.

• Position the first candle on the far right as you face the menorah.
• Each subsequent night, add the new candle to the left of the previous ones (right to left addition).
• The shamash (helper candle) sits separately, often elevated in the center or to the side, and lights all others.

This builds the glow nightly, symbolizing increasing light amid darkness, much like the Maccabees' triumph.

Lighting Direction

Light from left to right —starting with the newest candle on the left—to prioritize the fresh flame first.

1. Light the shamash first using a match.
2. Hold the shamash in your right hand (or left if left-handed) and ignite the leftmost candle.
3. Move rightward, lighting each prior night's candle in sequence.
4. Recite blessings beforehand, then sing "Maoz Tzur" afterward.

Imagine a family gathering at dusk on the first night of 2025 Hanukkah: one candle flickers rightward, growing to eight by the miracle's full reveal.

Common Variations

While Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions align on this, some families adapt for safety (e.g., electric menorahs). Forums buzz with tips like using beeswax for longer burn.

"Candles placed right to left, lit left to right so the newest shines first."

TL;DR: Place right to left, light left to right with shamash.

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