Menorahs
Looking for quality Chanukah menorahs and lighting accessories? Explore Cazenove Judaica’s wide range of traditional and modern Hanukkiot. Our collection features elegant Lucite menorahs, portable magnetic travel sets, budget-friendly tin menorahs with candles included, children's craft menorahs and protective foil drip trays to keep your surfaces wax-free. Do you need also need candles? Visit our Chanukah Candles collection to discover premium quality candles to compliment your menorah.
A Complete Guide to Menorahs
Find out more about Menorahs in our comprehensive guide including what a Menorah represents, how to light it and how to maintain it.
What does "menorah" mean in Hebrew?
When preparing and lighting the Chanukah menorah each night, the direction of loading candles is the opposite of the direction of lighting them:
Placement (Right to Left): Place candles into the menorah starting from the right and moving toward the left, adding one new candle for each night of the festival.
Lighting (Left to Right): Light the Shamash (helper candle) first. Then, use the Shamash to light the newest candle first (the leftmost candle added for that night) and move left-to-right to light the rest of the candles.
What does the Chanukah Menorah (Chanukiah) represent?
A Chanukah menorah (or Chanukiah) represents the miracle of the oil and the triumph of religious freedom during the rededication of the Second Temple in 165 BCE. After defeating Syrian-Greek forces, the Maccabees found only enough consecrated oil to light the Temple menorah for a single day, yet it miraculously burned for eight continuous days until new oil could be prepared. Today, lighting the Menorah symbolizes light prevailing over darkness, spiritual resilience and the public declaration (Pirsumei Nisa) of gratitude for faith surviving against all odds.
What is the difference between a Menorah and a Chanukiah?
A traditional Temple menorah features seven branches. A Chanukah menorah (properly called a Chanukiah) has nine branches: eight main lights representing the eight nights the holy oil burned in the Temple, plus one Shamash (helper light) used to light the others.
What is the Shamash and where should it be positioned?
The Shamash is the name of helper candle that is used to light the other candles.
The Shamash must be clearly set apart from the eight main candles, either raised higher, set lower or positioned noticeably to the side so it is obvious that it is not part of the nightly counting.
In what order do you place and light the candles each night?
When preparing and lighting the Chanukah menorah each night, the direction of loading candles is the opposite of the direction of lighting them:
Placement (Right to Left): Place candles into the menorah starting from the far right side and moving toward the left, adding one new candle for each night of the festival (plus the Shamash). This mirrors the direction of reading Hebrew.
Lighting (Left to Right): Light the Shamash (helper candle) first. Then, use the Shamash to light the newest candle first (the leftmost candle added for that night) and move left-to-right to light the rest of the candles.
How long must the Menorah flames burn each night?
The flames must burn for a minimum of 30 minutes after nightfall (when stars appear).
How do you safely clean wax off a Menorah?
Avoid using sharp metal objects or knives that scrape metal finishes or scratch Lucite.
Metal & Ceramic: Pour hot (not boiling) water over the menorah to melt away residual wax, or place the menorah in the freezer for 1 hour until the wax hardens and pops off easily.
Lucite & Acrylic: Soak briefly in warm water and wipe gently with a soft microfibre cloth.
What safety precautions should be followed when lighting a Menorah?
When lighting a menorah, set it on a sturdy, non-flammable metal or glass tray to protect surfaces from hot wax and falling embers. Position the menorah on a level surface away from curtains, drafts, paper decorations and high-traffic areas where it could be bumped. Ensure every candle fits snugly into its socket so it cannot tilt, keep children and pets at a safe distance and never leave burning flames unattended.
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