Chanukah is the Jewish holiday of illumination and holy feast. This joyous occasion remembers the miracle of one day’s worth of oil burning for eight days in the candlestick of the Temple of Jerusalem. That is why we will teach you how to light a 7 candle menorah.
The chanukiah, or candelabra, is the focal center of Chanukah. The lighting of the chanukiah is a ceremony with extremely particular rituals that vary somewhat each of the eight nights of Chanukah! So, how to light a 7 candle menorah?
How To Light A 7 Candle Menorah
Lighting the Shamash and Saying the Blessings
Ignite the shamash candle. Light the shamash candle with a match, lighter, or other flame sources once the sun has fallen. It is critical to fire the shamash first. Because the shamash will be used to light the other candles, you should never ignite them before the shamash.
Begin lighting the candles before sunset on Friday night. Select long-lasting candles that will burn for at least 30 minutes after the sun goes down. First, say the blessing over the candles.
When lights are lighted at a Jewish ritual, prayer is always uttered over the lighting of the candles. It is the first blessing you will say on each of the eight nights of Chanukah. After that, the benediction might be sung to a traditional song or simply said.
If you can’t pronounce Hebrew, you can say it in English. Nonetheless, you should use Hebrew if you can. It is customary for all present to say “amen” after each blessing is recited.
You should recite the second benediction. The second blessing, read every night of Chanukah following the candle lighting blessing, honors God for marvels accomplished for the Jewish forefathers. Then, on the first night of Chanukah, recite the Shehecheyanu.
Recite the Shehecheyanu after the other two blessings on the first night of Chanukah. The Shehecheyanu is a particular blessing. It is customarily recited every time you do something new or perform a specific ritual for the first time this year.
It attributes to the fact that you will be lighting such candles for the first time this year. So, only offer this prayer on the first night of Chanukah, not on the subsequent evenings. It is the first part of knowing how to light a 7 candle menorah.
Lighting the Other Candles
With the shamash, light the candles. Pick up the shamash candle with your dominant hand once you’ve finished chanting the blessings. Use the shamash to light the candle/s, traveling from left to right.
In other words, light the newest candle first, then light the previous candles. Light the candles from left to right, beginning with the new candle marking the first night of Chanukah. To ignite the candles, always use the shamash.
Never use a candle that has already been lighted to light the others. Instead, replace the shamash candle in its holder. After you’ve finished lighting the candles, return the shamash candle to its slot; you just completed lighting the chanukiah!
Insert the chanukiah into the window. Placing the chanukiah in the window is a way to display your Jewish ancestry and traditions with pride. The ancient Jewish Maccabees’ defeat of the Hellenistic soldiers is essential for the Chanukah tale.
The Greeks seized control of the old Jewish temple and attempted to suffocate the Jewish faith. As a result, displaying the chanukiah and showing your Judaism is a crucial element of the festival. If feasible, position the chanukiah in a window to the left of the door.
Place the chanukiah on the left side of a doorway against the mezuzah. So that when the family celebrates Chanukah, they are surrounded with mitzvot. Allow the candles to go out on their own. Allow the candles to burn out rather than extinguishing or blowing them out.
Make sure they continue to burn for at least a half-hour after dark. If you must leave the house, make sure they burn for at least 30 minutes after you light them. If it’s Shabbat, use long-lasting candles that burn for at least a half-hour after the sun goes down.
Arranging the Candles
Chanukah begins on the same day of the Jewish calendar, the 24th of Kislev. However, because the Jewish and Roman calendars diverge, each year on the Roman calendar, Chanukah begins on a different day. Just after dusk, gather your family or friends.
All Jewish festivals begin at sundown, so pick your friends or family to light the candles shortly after sunset. The Chanukah celebration must include relatives and friends in the candle lighting process. In addition, sharing the miracle and passing on the custom to your children is a crucial element of Judaism.
As a result, attempt to involve others in the candle lighting! Insert the shamash into the chanukiah. You should observe 9 candle spaces on your chanukiah, with eight on one level and one elevated above the others.
It is the location for the shamash or the candle used to light the other candles. Put one candle in this high position. Add the remaining candles.
Every night of Chanukah, one additional candle is lit. Place a candle in the right-most slot on the first night of Chanukah. After the first night of Chanukah, add one candle for each subsequent night, beginning with the right-most position and working your way left.
Conclusion
So here are three simple steps on how to light a 7 candle menorah. This celebration is sacred and essential. That is why you must be knowledgeable about executing such rituals as lighting a menorah.