Q&A for How to Light a Chanukah Menorah

You can have it ready as early as you wish. Lighting it, though, starts on the first night.

No, you use different candles each night, always letting them burn down.

I've heard of people doing this, though it is not common. It makes a certain sense though, as one can consider it the same as the oil slowly being used up. If you're concerned about whether or not it's proper, better ask a rabbi.

You need 44 candles: 2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9, 1 candle for each night plus the shamash.

In Judaism, there is a principle that the right is superior to the left unless indicated otherwise in a certain situation.

You should select candles that will burn for at least a half hour. Light all your candles, from left to right, after the last prayer is said. This should take less than a minute in total...plenty of time to light the last candle before the first burns down.

You need two candles the first night, three the second night, four the third night and so on.

The colors are not really important. As a matter of fact, you could use all candles of the same color, or just 2 colors.

After the eighth night, the holiday is over! Congratulation on celebrating eight nights for Judaism! Let the candles burn until they go out on their own.

You cannot fulfill the ritual of candle lighting on an electric chanukiah, so therefore the usual practices don't apply.

Of course! Whether you're Jewish or not, lighting a menorah can be just a fun way of celebrating all of the holidays.

It is preferable not to extinguish the candles at all, but to light candles that will burn for at least 30 minutes and then go out by themselves.

Take down your chanukiah after the eighth day of Chanukah is over.

It would mean the right as you face it. You can also think of it as the farthest from your left hand when you're lighting it.

As long it is not Shabbat, yes. Chanukah is not considered a major holiday.

You would turn on the on switch. Usually a menorah will have separate switches for each candle to represent the days.

No. The Shamash is permitted to be put out after lighting the Menorah, so you can therefore reuse the same candle for all 8 nights.

You can remove the burned out candle whenever necessary, or whenever you have the time.

You should wait until you get home or nighttime has come. Candles lit during the day are not going to fulfill the obligation.

Ideally, you should let it burn for a half an hour, or until it burns out on its own. It is best to let the candles burn out all the way.

The first candle to the left of the shamash, the center candle, should be lit on the fifth night. The first four days are represented by the four candles to the right of the shames, which is the "attendant" candle that occupies the higher center spot and is used to light all the other candles.

You will first light from the right side of the Menorah when facing it.

There is no need to display the menorah any longer than the holiday lasts.

The more frequent a halachic ("Jewish legal") obligation is, the more it takes precedence. Chanukah candles are lit 8 days a year but memorial candles are lit once a year so Chanukah candles take precedence.

There's no need to keep it lit once the holiday is over, but you may do so if you wish.

You should keep the shamash lit the entire night along with the other candles.

You light the candles from left to right, but place them starting on the right side. For example, on the second night, you light the second candle from the right first, then the one on the far right.

You should put it next to your menorah or in one of the cups in a higher position. Make sure it is visible that it is the Shamas and not one of the lights.

There should be videos on YouTube that show the order, but you'll have to search for "how to light up Menorah candles" on there since links don't work on these questions.

The candles should be arranged from right to left from the inside. What matters is how you light them, not how they appear to passersby.