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Lighting Up Right, how to light the Chanukah Menorah
by Ira Dudovitch
Want to light up right?
Well it's easy enough to do. All you
have to do is to get your stuff, invite over a few friends - and
light up!
What time should we light
up?
The time for lighting the Chanuka
menorah is right after it gets dark. Candles lit in the day are not noticable. Many families wait until all of the family members have assembled
and then light the candles. On Friday, light it before it gets
dark.
Where should the candles
be lit?
The place for lighting is based on
the principle of spreading the light. Meaning that we spread the
light of the miracle of Chanuka by putting the menorah in one
of three places:
| Window |
Put your menorah in the window so that others in the street may see it. But if you live on the twenty-fifth floor of a high rise building, it is better to place the menorah on the dining room table.
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| Table |
Put your menorah on the table so that you and your family may see it.
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| Door |
Put your menorah outside by your door opposite the mezzuah so that your guests and neighbors may see it as they walk by..
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How are the candles lit?
The first night, the first candle
is lit. It is the candle on the extreme right of the menorah.
On the second night, the second candle (the new one) is lit first
and then the one which was lit the previous night is lit. The
same is true for the successive nights, the new candle is given
preference over the candles that have been lit, just like you
should give preference to a new guest who is visiting you over
a guest who has been by you many times before.
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| First Night
| Second Night
| Third Night
| Fourth Night
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What is the Shamash?
The shamash is the candle which is
used to light the other candles. It is not one of the Chanuka
candles, yet it is not blown out but set in a place elevated above
the Chanuka candles. The light of this candle may be used for
lighting other candles, whereas the flame of the other candles
may not be used for lighting other Chanuka candles. Simliar to
the principle of he who serves is elevated.
Who should light the candles?
It was traditional for the head
of the house to light the candles. In recent times, many young
boys have started to light their own menorahs. (Keep an eye out
for FIRE HAZARDS !) Although women and girls generally let the
men do the lighting, if no one else will light, they should do
the lighting. Women generally light the Shabbat candles, men generally
light the Chanuka candles.
What are the Blessings?
Before you light the candles, make the appropriate blessings. If you don't know them click here to get them.
What if the candle goes out?
The Chanuka candle is supposed to
burn for at least a half hour. If it went out before the half
hour has past, relight it. If the half hour has elapsed, then
it's dependent on you if you want to light it or not.
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from the December 2000 Edition of the Jewish Magazine
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