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Do-It-Yourself Chanukah

How to light the Chanukah menorah

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Do-It-Yourself Chanukah: How to light the Chanukah menorah

Simple-to-follow instructions on how to do the mitzvah of lighting the menorah on Chanukah.
Topics: Chanukah, Menorah
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Robert Johnson San Francisco December 25, 2024

I’ll be there Reply

Michael Heiss Los Angeles December 24, 2024

What is Chabad's comment on what I call the Shamai way, where you start with eight candles and go down to one. To me, at least, that seems to capture the story a bit better. Yes, I know, Hillel always seemed to "win" the arguments and machlocus, but here one has to side with the "other side". Reply

Michael Francis Stoltz Planet Earth December 16, 2022

Olive Oil is also "OO" which looks like an 8 when combined. This will be the first year ever that I have celebrated Hanukkah. I was able to get a Menorah and candles but wasn't aware of the olive oil candles. Next year I will be better prepared. Thanks for all the good info. Reply

Yehuda USA. December 22, 2019

Translate the Chanukah brachot (blessings) WADR, if you are gong to show transliteration of the various Chanukah brachot (the blessings), please edit and add the English translations.
Chang Chanukah Sameach. Reply

Nino Indonesia December 21, 2017

how to download this video ? Reply

Ely Montreal December 17, 2017

Love this video! I've been watching it every year, for the last five years. Reply

Liz December 13, 2017

My brother and I argue about this every year. He thinks that when the menorah is placed in a window, the candles should be arranged from left to right so that people outside will observe them to their right to left. I say it's what members of the family inside see and that's what counts. He does it his way and I do it mine. He's wrong, isn't he? All that aside, Happy Chanukah everyone Reply

Avrahum Broward County, FL December 14, 2017
in response to Liz:

My Chanukah Menorah My electric menorah is lit so it appears correctly from the outside of our home. We do light the menorah from the right side starting with candle no. one. We will then start to light the first candle on the menorah that represents the day of Chanukah that it happens to be, and the other candles in succession. This direction being from left towards the right after the first night of Chanukah. Reply

Mendel Adelman December 14, 2017
in response to Liz:

Hello Liz,

While the many halachic authorities debate the order of lighting the menorah, no one says that it has to face a specific way when seen.

The Talmud (Shabbat 24a) only stresses that when lighting, you should start from the left and move right.

Once they are lit, the order of the candles and their specific spot in the menorah is not important.

The only important thing to remember when placing a menorah facing the street is that it should be visible from inside the house as well (Nitei Gavriel Chanukah p. 104). Reply

Arnold Lefkowitz Broward County, FL. December 14, 2017
in response to Liz:

Do you think a Jew wants to be thought as ignorant or even stupid all writings in the Hebrew language are written from right to left. I to thought that I display my window menorah for the purposes of illustrating that a Jewish family resides here, and not displaying it correctly to the viewers eye would be a mistake. Remember the electric menorah does not represent the Hanukah menorah as was intended, as only a candle lit menorah has some authenticity.
I wish all of you a very Happy Chanukah Reply

Ely Montreal December 17, 2017
in response to Liz:

Hahahaha Reply

Yehuda USA December 22, 2019
in response to Liz:

It's not a matter of right vs left, it's about Right vs wrong! Reply

Liz December 14, 2017
in response to Avrahum:

Thank you, Avrahum. So, you light your electric menorah that's in the window from left to right and an indoor candle menorah right to left? My brother says it's a mitzvah either way Reply

Liz Vancouver BC, Canada December 15, 2017
in response to Mendel Adelman:

Thank you so much, Mendel Adelman for your detailed response. I so enjoy learning about the Chanukah Menorah with your references. I have one more question and I hope you don't think it disrespectful. I remember as a child my dear Aunt told me that the Shamash could be used to light anything; even a cigarette. She then proceeded to light hers, cigarette holder and all. I watched with horror and told no one because I didn't want my favourite Aunt to get into trouble. She was a bit of a rebel and graduated top of her Journalism class with a gold medal. She was my hero and inspiration but to this day I wonder if what she did was proper. She's gone now and I still miss her. I hope your answer does not malign my wonderful memories of her. Thank you, Liz Reply

Mendel Adelman January 11, 2018
in response to Liz:

Hey Liz,

Sorry for the delay. I didn't see your response until now.

She was definitely correct in what she did.

The Shamash candle is placed near the Chanukah candles in order to remind us that the Chanukah candles should not be used for any mundane purpose.

The Shamash is there just for that. It is there so you can light your cigarettes from it. And it is there to use to relight the candles. Reply

Ron Spiess Newport, KY December 12, 2017

Do we light the Shabbat candles during Channukah? Reply

Chabad.org Staff December 13, 2017
in response to Ron Spiess:

Yes we do as Chanukah lasts eight days and there is a Shabbat (or two) in that week. Special considerations need to be kept in mind: It is forbidden to light a fire on Shabbat, which extends from sunset on Friday evening until nightfall on Saturday night. Therefore, on Friday evening, Dec. 15, 2017 the Chanukah lights should be kindled early, before the Shabbat lights, which are lit 18 minutes before sundown. Additional oil or larger candles should be used for the Chanukah lights, to make sure they will last a full half hour after nightfall—the standard 30-minute Chanukah candles cannot be used on Friday.
From the time the Shabbat candles are lit (Friday evening) until Shabbat ends (after nightfall Saturday night) and until the havdalah prayer (separating Shabbat from the weekday) is recited, the Chanukah menorah should not be relit, moved or prepared.
Chanukah lights for Saturday night are kindled only after Shabbat ends after nightfall. Reply

Anonymous Hawaii December 11, 2017

Why not a circle Reply

Mendel Adelman December 14, 2017
in response to Anonymous:

Hello Anonymous,

The Rema (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 667:1) writes that when the candles are in a circle, it looks like a single bonfire, not individual candles.

In order for each candle to be easily distinguishable, so that one should know how many candles to light that day and which day of Chanukah it is and countable, they need to be in a straight line. Reply

Samantha Leon October 29, 2017

To Patricia, I think its an amazing mitzvah to do this. Reply

Rabbi Shmary Brownstein For Chabad.org December 29, 2016

To Lillian Eleanor Yes, you can use anything to light your candles or oil lights on. They do not have to be attached to each other. They should, however, be in a straight line (not randomly placed, a semi-circle or the like), so that it is obvious that these lights all belong to one Chanukah lighting. Reply

Lillian Eleanor South Africa Free State Bloemfontein December 26, 2016

I don't have a menora can I used old coldrink bottles Reply

Rochel Chein for chabad.org December 16, 2015

Forgot to light One who did not light the Menorah one night for any reason should continue lighting the next night. The number of candles should correspond to the night that they are being lit. Reply

David clovis December 7, 2015

What happens if you forget to light the candle one night Reply

Sarah Conil de la Frontera, Spain December 7, 2015

Lighting the Menorah Thank you for this really clear and informative video. I've seen menorahs in all sorts of shapes and sizes! Now I know to stick to the traditional one.

I don't know of anyone with a Jewish background in my area in Spain so I'll be looking out for menorah lights in other windows too! Reply

Patricia Lodge mashpee December 6, 2015

When I first began lighting a Menorah, It was for those who were forbidden too celebrate this Holiday. I love the Jewish people though I was not born Jewish. Am I wrong to do this. How do Jewish people feel about this? Reply

Louis Feldman UK December 14, 2017
in response to Patricia Lodge:

Not in my book. Yours is a wonderful sentiment. May the almighty bless you and keep you. Reply

Carol Canton Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA December 6, 2015

That was a beautiful presentation on Lighting the Chanukah Menorah. The presenter exuded such a sense of peace that is not found often these days.
Happy Chanukah to all at Chabad! Reply

Roberta New York December 6, 2015

re closed captions It is so nice to see the video but I am deaf and vision.I would like to understand what he talks No closed caption I do not understand and miss the story. Thank you for your helping Reply

Emese Oseni Scarborough December 5, 2015

Chanukah Lighting Beautiful presentation. Toda Rabah! Reply

Susan Vincent-Friedman Cape Coral, FL October 25, 2015

Chanukah Candles Thank you so much for this valuable information, after all these years I was lighting the candles wrong! Oops! Reply

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