What does the menorah symbolize?
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.
What do the eight candles on the menorah represent?
Light the Menorah 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. They’re filled from right to left (a new candle on each consecutive day) but lit left to right so each new candle is lit first.
What is the order of the menorah?
On the first night of Hanukkah, place a candle in the holder on the far right, and light it with the shamash. Then put the shamash back in its spot (leaving it lit). On the second night, light the candle second from the right, then the candle on the far right, and replace the lit shamash.
Why does the 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 long do you leave the Menorah lit?
The minimum time the menorah must stay lit is for 30 minutes after lighting or 30 minutes after nightfall, whichever is later. There is no maximum time. Since the purpose of lighting the menorah is to share the miracle with others, it only serves its purposes while there are people awake to see it.
Do you light the menorah left to right?
The candles are placed on the menorah from right to left, the same direction in which one reads Hebrew. However, when lighting the menorah you move in the opposite direction, using the shamash to the light the candles from left to right.
What is the difference between a 7 candle menorah and a 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.
Where is the menorah located today?
The menorah which stands today in Jerusalem’s old city Jewish Quarter, overlooking the Temple Mount, is the work of the Temple Institute. It was created exclusively to be used in the new Holy Temple.
How was the menorah made?
The menorah which stands today in Jerusalem’s old city Jewish Quarter, overlooking the Temple Mount, is the work of the Temple Institute. It was created exclusively to be used in the new Holy Temple. The menorah was painstakingly crafted after years of extensive research by the Temple Institute’s full time staff of researchers.
How many kilograms of gold are in the Menorah?
It contains forty five kilograms of twenty four karat gold. Its estimated value is approximately three million dollars. The construction of the menorah was made possible through the generosity of Vadim Rabinovitch, a leader of the Jewish community of Ukraine.