The Hanukkah menorah, also chanukiah or hanukiah, (Hebrew: מנורת חנוכה menorat ḥanukkah, pl. menorot) (also Hebrew: חַנֻכִּיָּה ḥanukkiyah, or chanukkiyah, pl. ḥanukkiyot/chanukkiyot, or Yiddish: חנוכּה לאמפּ khanike lomp, lit.: Hanukkah lamp) is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah, as opposed to the seven-branched menorah used in the ancient Temple or as a symbol.
On each night of Hanukkah a new branch is lit. The ninth holder, called the shamash (“helper” or “servant”), is for a candle used to light all other candles and/or to be used as an extra light. To be kosher the shamash must be offset on a higher or lower plane than the main eight candles or oil lamps, but there are differing opinions as to whether or not all the lights must be arranged in a straight line, or if the channukiah can be arranged in a curve.
The menorah is among the most widely produced articles of Jewish ceremonial art. The seven-branched menorah is a traditional symbol of Judaism, along with the Star of David.
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Author: Wikipedia
Keywords: Menorah, Mennorah, Menorrah, Candlestick, Lampstand, Hanukkah, Hanukah, candelabrum, Candelabra
Bible reference(s): Exodus 25:31, Exodus 25:32, Exodus 25:33, Exodus 25:34, Exodus 25:35, Exodus 26:35, Exodus 30:27, Exodus 31:8, Exodus 35:14, Exodus 37:17, Exodus 37:18, Exodus 37:19, Exodus 37:20, Exodus 39:37, Exodus 40:4, Exodus 40:24, Leviticus 24:4, Numbers 3:31, Numbers 4:9, Numbers 8:2, Numbers 8:3, Numbers 8:4, 1 Chronicles 28:15, 2 Chronicles 13:11, Daniel 5:5, Zechariah 4:2, Zechariah 4:11, Hebrews 9:2, Revelation 2:5, Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 26:17, 1 Maccabees 1:21, 1 Maccabees 4:49, 1 Maccabees 4:50, 2 Esdras 10:22
Source: This article uses material from the Wikipedia article “Menorah (Hanukkah),” which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
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