Why are candles lit for 8 nights of Hanukkah?

Eight candles symbolize the number of days that the Temple lantern blazed; the ninth, the shamash, is a helper candle used to light the others. Families light one candle on the first day, two on the second (and so on) after sundown during the eight days of Hanukkah, while reciting prayers and singing songs.

What are the 8 nights of Hanukkah?

Celebrate and Learn about Hanukkah in 8 Nights
  • First Night. Learn the Story of Hanukkah – On the first night of Hanukkah, read the story of how the Jewish people revolted against the Greeks, won, and liberated Jerusalem. …
  • Second Night. …
  • Third Night. …
  • Fourth Night. …
  • Fifth Night. …
  • Sixth Night. …
  • Seventh Night. …
  • Eighth Night.

Is Hanukkah 8 days or 7 days?

Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

How many candles are lit over the 8 nights of Hanukkah?

nine candles
It has spots for nine candles – one for each night of Hanukkah. The extra candle, called the Shamash, is used to light all of the others. Today, the menorah is also called by a modern name — hanukkiah (say “ha-NEW-key-ah”). It’s okay to use the word menorah though as most people know it better.

What do you do on the eight days of Hanukkah?

Hanukkah celebrations revolve around a mix of prayers, games, food, songs, and of course, the lighting of the menorah! On each of the eight days of Hanukkah, one new candle will be lit on the menorah, until the final day when all eight candles are lit, symbolizing the eight days the flame lasted in the Holy Temple.

Why does a menorah have 9 candles?

The defining characteristic of a Hanukkah menorah is eight lights in a row, with a ninth lamp off to the side or above, separated from the other eight. The ninth lamp is called a shamash, a “servator,” and it symbolically differentiates the eight holy flames from other, mundane light sources.

How many nights is Hanukkah?

eight nights
Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) is a Jewish holiday that lasts for eight nights, usually in November or December.

What are the nights of Hanukkah 2021?

Hanukkah for the year 2021 is celebrated/ observed on sundown of November 28 ending at sundown on Monday, December 6. Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival with the first day known as Chanukah, Festival of Lights, and Feast of Dedication.

Is the menorah in the Bible?

The menorah is first mentioned in the biblical book of Exodus (25:31–40), according to which the design of the lamp was revealed to Moses by God on Mount Sinai. … Although the menorah disappeared and the Talmud forbade its reconstruction, it became a popular symbol signifying Judaism.

What does 7 candles represent?

The seven lamps allude to the branches of human knowledge, represented by the six lamps inclined inwards towards, and symbolically guided by, the light of God represented by the central lamp. The menorah also symbolizes the creation in seven days, with the center light representing the Sabbath.

Why is the shamash higher?

The shamash always sits a bit higher or lower than the rest of the candles so as to not get confused with the others. The candles are placed on the menorah from right to left, the same direction in which one reads Hebrew.

What is the difference between a 7 and 9 candle menorah?

A menorah, which has only seven candleholders, was the lamp used in the ancient holy temple in Jerusalem — now a symbol of Judaism and an emblem of Israel. A Hanukkiah, however, has nine candlesticks — one for each night of Hanukkah and an extra one to light the others.

Why did God make the menorah?

The original menorah was made for the tabernacle in the wilderness. It was made of solid gold and placed opposite the table of shewbread (see Exodus 25:31–37; 37:17–24). It had seven oil lamps that were level with each other—a central stem with three branches curving upward on either side. … The menorah has seven lamps.

What does the Star of David represent?

The star was almost universally adopted by Jews in the 19th-century as a striking and simple emblem of Judaism in imitation of the cross of Christianity. … The yellow badge that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi-occupied Europe invested the Star of David with a symbolism indicating martyrdom and heroism.

What is dreidel?

The dreidel game is one of the most famous Hanukkah traditions. It was created as a way for Jews to study the Torah and learn Hebrew in secret after Greek King Antiochus IV had outlawed all Jewish religious worship in 175 BCE. Today we play as a way to celebrate a rich history and have fun with friends and family!

Why is it called menorah?

What is the origin of the menorah? In Hebrew, the word menorah means “lamp.” The ancient menorah had seven branches—one for each day of Creation—and it burned in the Temple in what was then Judea, a small area caught in the middle of conflict between the Egyptian empire and the Greek-Assyrian empire.

What is a menorah for kids?

The menorah is a special candelabrum with 9 candles. Each day an additional candle is lit. … This candle is generally in the middle and set higher from the other 8 candles to separate it from the rest. It is the only candle that is supposed to be used for light.

How many dreidels do you need?

Each player begins with an equal number of game pieces (usually 10–15).

What do the 4 letters on the dreidel mean?

A great miracle happened there
On each of the dreidel’s four sides is inscribed a Hebrew letter—nun, gimel, he, and shin—which together stands for “Nes gadol haya sham,” meaning “A great miracle happened there” (in Israel, the letter pe, short for po, “here,” is often used instead of shin).

How do u spin a dreidel?

How does the game of dreidel end?

The letter that is facing up when the dreidel stops spinning tells the player what to do. See the key below. When a player loses all of his tokens, he is “out” of the game. The last player remaining in the game is the winner.