How to Light an Oil Hanukkah Menorah

Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, lasts for eight days. Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in the second century B.C. The festival starts on the 25th day of Kislev as recorded on the Hebrew calendar. On the Georgian calendar, Hanukkah begins either in late November or in late December.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Olive oil
• Nine-candled menorah
• Matches

1. Set a time aside to light the menorah. The time needed is 10 to 15 minutes if there is oil in the menorah already. Use olive oil in the menorah.

2. Check to make sure that the menorah you use has nine candles. A nine-candled menorah is a Hanukkah menorah. The tallest candle is the Shamash and used to light the other eight candles.

3. Find a Hebrew calendar and calculate the 24th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev. At sunset of the 24th day, the first candle is lit on the menorah. You want to be ready to light the candle as the sun goes down.

4. Gather everyone in your family so that all are present. Let the candle burn for at least 45 minutes. If the candle goes out, re-light it, but not on Shabbos.

5. Calculate the days to see if the 24th day of Kislev falls on Shabbos. If it does, light the first candle before the Shabbos candles.

6. Read all three blessings on the first night. All the other nights read only the first two blessings.

7. Maintain the tradition of lighting the menorah in consecutive nights and light each candle, one a night, from left to right.

Tips & Warnings

• Schedule the lighting of the menorah with your family before the 24th day of Kislev as this is a special moment in the Hebrew year that includes all your loved ones.
• Don't wear long sleeves when lighting candles because accidents happen very quickly.