Chanuka FAQ

How many candles are lit?

Minimally, one candle per household per night. Better than this, is to light one candle per resident per night. The best is to light one candle the first night, two the second, three the third, etc. This is the universal custom today.

When there are multiple residents, Ashkenazic Jews have each resident light his / her own set of candles each night. The sets should be placed some distance apart, so that an observer can easily tell which night it is by counting the candles. Sefardic Jews only light one set per household.

It is customary to have an additional candle called the shamash, which is used to light the other candles, and not to light one chanuka candle from another. After lighting, the shamash should be left adjacent to the other candles, but in a distinct position that makes it clear that it is not another chanuka candle. If there is no shamash and no other light source in the room, one is not permitted to use the light of the chanuka candles for functional purposes.

Where are the candles lit?

Originally, the candles were placed at the left side of the door that adjoins a public area. This was intended to publicize the miracle to passersby. During times of persecution, it became customary to light the candles inside one’s home, and this is still the prevalent custom outside Israel, even in countries such as ours where persecution is fortunately not a concern. Even when lighting inside, many people attempt to retain some of the publicity by lighting in a window. But even if one lights indoors, not near a window, he fulfills the mitzvah as long as the residents of the room see the candles.

Those who wish to light at their doors, should light at the door to their personal rooms, not at the door to the entire residence hall.

One must first set up the candles in the location where they will burn, and then light them and leave them in place, rather than light them first and then move them to their proper spot.

When are the candles lit?

There are different opinions regarding the optimal time to light candles. Some maintain that they should be lit at sunset, others when the stars come out. The times listed below are a compromise that may fulfill both opinions.

Lighting times for Brandeis

Night	Tues. 7	Wed. 8	Thurs. 9	Fri. 10	Sat. 11	Sun. 12	Mon. 13	Tues. 14
Time	4:35	4:35	4:35	After 3:14*	After 5:00	4:36	4:36	4:36

* Shabbat candles should be lit at 3:54, and chanuka candles should be lit before them.

One should attempt to light candles at the earliest possible time, and not engage in eating, Torah study, or other activities prior to lighting. However, if one’s schedule keeps him out of the house until later at night, he may light even very late at night, as long as there are people up outside, or in his home. In a college setting, this would seem to cover almost the entire night, until dawn.

If one must light earlier because he will not be home later, he may light as early as Plag Hamincha, which is about 56 minutes before sunset at this time of year. In such a case, one must use long-burning candles that will last at least until one half hour after the stars come out.

On Friday, it is acceptable to light prior to Mincha, and to use long-burning candles that will last until one half-hour after the stars come out. This is true even though there is an apparent contradiction in lighting the candles, a night mitzvah, and subsequently reciting Mincha, a daytime mitzvah. Some prefer to recite mincha early in the day on the Friday of Chanuka, to circumvent this issue. An early mincha option will be available at Brandeis for this purpose.

On Saturday night, we light the chanuka candles at shul first, and subsequently recite Havdala. At home, we do havdala first (if we didn’t hear it at shul) and then light chanuka candles.

What should a person do if he/she cannot remain in the room indefinitely and does not want to leave the candles unattended? One may stipulate before lighting that he will extinguish the candles after they have burned for one half hour. After staying with the candles for that time, he is then permitted to extinguish them and leave. If one did not stipulate this and needs to leave unexpectedly, but has a safety concern about leaving the candles alone, he may also extinguish the candles provided a half hour has passed.

What type of candles should be lit?

The best type of light to use for Chanuka is an olive oil lamp, because this was the oil used in the Temple. However, wax candles are also acceptable. Candles should have a single wick and should be arranged in a straight line, in order that an onlooker be able to count them easily. One who does not have a “menora” may simply arrange the requisite number of candles in a straight line and light them.

Adequate fuel should be present in the candles or oil to last a half hour. If the candles/oil were such at the time of lighting, but went out for some reason before one half hour, one still fulfills the Mitzvah. If they were not, and one added oil later, one does not fulfill the mitzvah.

One should also be careful to place the candles in a location where they are not likely to be blown out by wind or an opening door.

Electric lights should not be used to fulfill the mitzvah of Chanuka candles, even though they may be used for the mitzvah of Shabbat candles.

How are the candles arranged?

When arranging the candles, the first night we place the candle on the extreme right of the Menorah (left when observed from the street). Subsequent nights we add one candle to the left, inserting the rightmost candle first and proceeding leftward.

When lighting the candles, we light the newest candle first, and therefore light the leftmost candle and proceed from left to right.

If one lit or arranged the candles in a different order, the mitzvah is still valid.

The candles should be arranged in a straight row, so that they can be easily counted. The shamash should be placed in a distinct position, so it will not be confused with the other candles.

Does a guest light separately from his hosts?

The best practice is for the guest to light his / her own candles. Alternatively, the guest can contribute a nominal amount of money towards the cost of the oil or candles. In this way he fulfills the mitzvah through the lighting done by the hosts.

What is said when the candles are lit?

On all nights, the following two blessings are said before lighting the candles:

1) ברוך אתה ה' א-להינו מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר [של] חנוכה.

Baruch Ata Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha’olam Asher Kideshanu Bemitzvotav Vetzivanu Lehadlik Ner [Shel] Chanuka.

Blessed are you God, our Lord, King of the universe, who sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us to light the Chanuka candle.

2) ברוך אתה ה' א-להינו מלך העולם שעשה נסים לאבותינו בימים ההם בזמן הזה.

Baruch Ata Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha’olam She’asa Nisim La’avotenu Bayamim Hahem Bazman Hazeh.

Blessed are you God, our Lord, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our fathers, in those days, at this time.

On the first night, the following bracha is also said

3) ברוך אתה ה' א-להינו מלך העולם שהחיינו וקיימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה.

Baruch Ata Adonai Elohenu Melech Ha’olam Shehecheyanu Vekiyemanu Vehigi’anu Lazman Hazeh.

Blessd are you, God, our Lord, King of the universe, who kept us alive, and sustained us, and brought us to this time.

After lighting the candles (some say, after lighting the first candle) the following is recited:

הנרות הללו אנו מדליקין על הנסים ועל הנפלאות ועל התשועות ועל המלחמות שעשית לאבותינו על ידי כהניך הקדושים וכל שמונת ימי חנוכה הנרות הללו קודש הן ואין לנו רשות להשתמש בהן אלא לראותן בלבד כדי להודות לשמך על נפלאותיך ועל ניסיך ועל ישועתך.

Hanerot halalu anu madlikin al hanisim ve’al haniflaot ve’al hateshuot ve’al hamilchamot she’asita la’avotenu bayamim hahem bazman haze al yedei kohanecha hakedoshim vechol shemonat yemei chanuka hanerot halalu kodesh hem ve’en lanu reshut lehishtamesh bahem ela lirotam bilvad kedei lehodot ulehalel leshimcha hagadol al nisecha ve’al nifleotecha ve’al yeshuatecha.

These candles we light for the miracles and wonders and salvations and wars that you performed for our fathers in those days, at this time, through your holy Kohanim. And all eight days of Chanuka, these candles are holy, and we are not permitted to use them, rather only to see them, to thank and praise your great name for your miracles and your wonders and your salvations.

What is done with leftover oil or wax?

The remaining oil or wax from each night can be used for subsequent nights. Any oil or wax left in the Menorah after the eighth day is burned, because it was said aside for the mitzvah and any lesser use would be disrespectful.

One may stipulate before lighting that he only intends to consecrate the oil or wax that will actually be burned. Any remaining oil may then be discarded. This is the simpler method to address this issue.

This only pertains to oil and candles that were lit, not to what remains unused in the bottle or box.