You place Hanukkah candles right to left , but you light them left to right.

Basic rule

  • Facing the menorah, put the first night’s candle in the far right holder.
  • Each night, add the new candle to the left of the previous ones (so the row grows from right to left).
  • When lighting, light the newest (left‑most) candle first, then move to the right, one by one.
  • Use the shamash (helper candle, usually higher or set apart) to light the others, then return it to its place.

Step‑by‑step, night example

  • Night 1:
    • Place 1 candle in the far right slot.
    • Light shamash, say blessings, light that single candle.
  • Night 2:
    • Place last night’s candle on the right, new candle to its left.
    • Light shamash, say blessings, light the left candle first (tonight’s), then the right.
  • Nights 3–8:
    • Always add the new candle on the left end.
    • Always light from left to right , newest to oldest.

Why this order matters

  • The placement honors the flow of time: the row shows all the nights so far, from first (right) to latest (left).
  • The lighting order honors the newest miracle each night by giving that candle priority.

TL;DR:
Remember the simple rhyme: “Place right to left, light left to right.”

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