How to Load and Light a Hanukkah Menorah (Chanukiah)

1. Arrange (load) the candles

1. Start with the rightmost holder and place one candle there for the first night.
2. Add one more candle each subsequent night to the immediate left of the previous candles.
   • This results in a right‑to‑left arrangement, with the newest candle always being the left‑most one ¹²³.

2. Prepare the shamash

• The shamash (the “helper” candle) occupies a separate, usually higher or offset, holder.
• Light the shamash directly with a match or lighter; it will be used to ignite the other candles ¹²⁴.

3. Recite the blessings

• Before lighting the Hanukkah candles, say the first blessing (Blessed are You… to command… the mitzvah of lighting the Hanukkah candles).
• On the first night (or the first lighting of the year), add the second blessing (...the miracles performed for our ancestors…).
• Many families also recite the third blessing (Hanerot Halalu) after the candles are lit.
• The blessings are traditionally recited while standing and before the actual lighting of the Hanukkah candles ²⁴⁵.

4. Light the candles

1. Use the lit shamash to ignite the Hanukkah candles.
2. Light from left to right – start with the newest (left‑most) candle and proceed toward the right.
   • Example: on night 2, light the leftmost candle first, then the one to its right ¹³⁴.

5. After lighting

• Return the shamash to its holder.
• Let the candles burn for at least 30 minutes, ideally placing the menorah near a window so the light is visible to the public ²⁵.

Quick Checklist

Step	Action	Key Direction
Load	Place candles	Right → Left
Shamash	Light it first	—
Blessings	Recite before lighting	—
Light	Use shamash, light candles	Left → Right
Display	Keep burning ≥ 30 min	—

Common Variations

• Some communities light the shamash after reciting the blessings, while others light it before; both practices are accepted, but the majority follow the “shamash first, then blessings” order.
• The placement of the shamash (centered, higher, or off to the side) may differ among traditions, but its function remains the same.

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Remember: The ritual’s purpose is to publicize the miracle of the oil (pirsumei nisa), so visibility and correct order are both important.