On the first night of Hanukkah, you place one candle (for that night) on the far right of the menorah and light that one first, using the shamash/helper candle.

Basic rule

  • Put the candles into the menorah from right to left as you face it. On night one, that means one candle in the far-right holder (plus the separate shamash).
  • Light the shamash first, then use it to light the “night’s candle” that you just placed.

Which candle is lit first?

  • On the first night there is only one Hanukkah candle (on the right), so that is the one you light with the shamash.
  • On later nights, you still add new candles to the left, but you always light the newest candle first (so you light from left to right).

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