The core ritual of the eight-day Hanukkah holiday is the lighting of the menorah, or hanukkiah. This nine-stemmed menorah is lit each evening of the holiday after sunset, with one candle added each additional night. It is customary to place the menorah in a window or some other publicly visible location to fulfill the custom of publicizing the miracle, in which a jar of oil sufficient to burn for one night burned for eight in the ancient Temple. Prior to lighting the candles each night, a series of blessings are recited.
Click here to download a printer-friendly PDF of the Hanukkah blessings
Click here for more information on lighting the menorah, including audio recordings of the traditional Hanukkah blessing melodies.
Explore Hanukkah’s history, global traditions, food and more with My Jewish Learning’s “All About Hanukkah” email series. Sign up to take a journey through Hanukkah and go deeper into the Festival of Lights.
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