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There are two types of menorah. One has seven arms for seven candles - this is the original menorah as used as a symbol of Judaism for many thousands of years. The other type is the nine-branched Hanukkah menorah, also known as a hanukiyah, which holds a candle (or, ideally, burns oil) for each of the eight days of Hanukkah and also holds a ninth candle called the shamash (attendant or helper) which is used to light the other candles. Since the menorah candles should not be used for lighting, the shamash is kept lit in case a candle is needed while the hanukiyah is in use.
One is the shamash used to light the others. The other eight candles are to publicize the miracle.
On Hanukkah the chief celebration is for the miracle of the oil (Talmud, Shabbat 21b). As an augmentation to the celebration of that miracle, we also thank God during Hanukkah for the Hasmoneans' military victory (during which they ousted the Seleucids and their lackeys, the Hellenizing Jews, making possible the rededication of the Temple).
The Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks) under Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BCE), at the instigation of the Hellenizers, had forbidden various Torah-practices such as Sabbath-observance, and pressed the Jews to offer up idolatrous sacrifices. The Hasmoneans (a family of religious Jews) fought to retake the Holy Temple, which had been seized by the Seleucids, and to enable the people to once again observe the Torah. When they reached the Temple grounds, they found only one day's supply of unsullied olive oil, but the oil lamps miraculously burned for eight days (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), allowing enough time for new oil to be prepared and brought.
The significance of the miracle is that it demonstrated that God's presence still dwelt in the Holy Temple.
The Torah Sages instituted the festival of Hanukkah at that time (Talmud, Shabbat 21b), to publicize the miracle (Rashi commentary, ibid). The eight-day rededication of the Temple is also mentioned in the book of Maccabees (I, 4:36; and II, 1:18); and Josephus mentions the eight-day festival in Antiquities ch.12.
The Al-Hanisim prayer which we recite during Hanukkah centers around the Hasmoneans' victory, while the candle-lighting commemorates the miracle of the oil.
The ninth candle that sits higher than the other candles is called the 'shamesh'
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What is the ninth candle in the channukiah called?
The ninth candle in the menorah is called the Shamash (or "helper" in English.)
What is the name of the nine-candle holder for Christmas?
The nine-candle holder at Christmas is called a Menorah. It is used for Hanukkah. The ninth holder is called a Shamash.
What do they eat on Menorah?
a menorah is a candle holder. You can't eat on it.
What is used to light a menorah?
a candle
What is the menorah candle made of?
ordinary wax.
How many candle in Hanukkah menorah?
there are nine.
Which candle is the tallest on the menorah?
The middle candle on the Menorah is called a Shamash - with the "a" being pronounced as in "father" and the stress being on the last syllable - [shaMASH].However, it needn't be the middle candle - sometimes the shamash is at the end of the row and sometimes next to it.Customary configurations would include:xxxxSxxxxSxxxxxxxx or xxxxxxxxSxxxxxxxx......SSome people have the custom of having 2 Shamash candles for each menorah.
What is The highest candle on the menorah?
It is called the Shamash. It is used to light all of the other candles on the Menorah or Chanukiah.
What symbols and Hebrew script are on a menorah?
A menorah can have any design or words on it. It depends on the menorah. There is no rule about this.
How mnay candels does a menorah usually hold?
The menorah holds nine candles. Eight of these candles each symbolize one of the eight days of the celebration of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The ninth holder, called the shamash is for a candle used to light all the other candles.
Why are there 15 candles on the menorah?
There are only eight candles on the menorah; plus a ninth which is used to light the other candles.
What lights a menorah?
The Shamash is the candle that lights the other candles
