From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chanukkiyah (חנוכיה)

A nine branched Chanukkiyah lit during Hanukkah.

The Hanukiah, or Chanukkiyah, (Hebrew: חַנֻכִּיָּה‎, pl. hanukiyot) (Yiddish: חנוכּה לאמפּ khanike lomp, Lit: Chanukah lamp) (English: Chanukah menorah, Hanukiah) is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah. The ninth branch is for a candle used to light all other candles called the shamash. The chanukkiyah has two branches more than a menorah. In the diaspora, the chanukkiyah is also commonly called a "Hanukkah menorah". The name "chanukkiyah" was given only in the end of the nineteenth century in Jerusalem by the wife of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the revivor of the Hebrew language.

Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Temple after the successful Jewish revolt against the Seleucid monarchy. According to the Talmud, the victorious Jews found only enough ritually pure olive oil to light the menorah for one day, but the supply miraculously lasted eight days until a new supply could be obtained. In celebration of this miracle, the chanukkiyah has eight branches for eight candles or oil lamps, none higher than any other, except for one higher branch for the auxiliary candle, or shamash, which guards against secular use of the other lights and is also used to light them. The common reason for the number of the candles is that they symbolize the eight days of the miracle. Each night an additional light is kindled – one on the first night, two on the second night; and so on – until on the eighth night of Hanukkah all eight lights, plus the shamash, are lit (Note, the Jewish Rabbi Shammai wanted the opposite to happen i.e., the number of candle to be reduced over time. However Hillel, another promonent Rabbi of the time defeated this proposal, along with 5995 other proposals) Another possible reason for the eight branches of the Chanukkiyah, as opposed to the seven in the traditional menorah in the temple, may be because according to halakha, it is forbbiden to make a menorah similar to the one in the temple because of its sanctity.

Another interpretation for the eight-day ceremony is that it commemorates the story of Hannah and her seven sons. The story depicted in the Talmud and in the Book of Maccabees accounts how Hannah's seven sons were tortured and executed according to Antiochus' policy when they refused to bow to a statue and to taste pork. Hannah herself committed suicide after the death of her sons.

Oil burning Chanukkiyah from Israel circa 1948 designed by Maurice Ascalon and manufactured by the Pal-Bell Company.

• Menorah
• Kinara

A big Hanukiah for a public ceremony

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Hanukiah

• "Lighting the Way to Freedom" by Aaron Ha'Tell and Yaniv Ben Or, Devorah Publishing (2006). ISBN 1-932687-66-1
• Instructions for lighting the Chanukah Menorah on chabad.org

v • d • e Jewish life
Birth	Shalom Zachar · Brit milah · Zeved habat · Hebrew name · Pidyon HaBen
Coming of age	Upsherin · Wimpel · Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah · Yeshiva
Daily life	Ritual washing · Prayers and blessings · Grace after Meals · Honorifics
Marriage	Bashert · Matchmaking · Role of women · Niddah · Mikvah · Tzniut · Divorce
Religious practice	613 commandments · Customs · Torah study (Weekly portion • Daf Yomi) · Holidays · Tzedakah
Religious items	Sefer Torah · Tzitzit · Tallit · Tefillin · Mezuzah · Kippah · Menorah · Shofar
Culture	Diaspora · Israel · Immigration into Israel · The Holocaust
Death	Chevra Kadisha · Shiva · Kaddish · Tehillim · Yahrtzeit · Yizkor · Honorifics

v • d • e Hanukkah • חנכה
Traditions	Hanukkah Symbols: Hanukkiyah (Hanukkah Menorah)/Menorah  • Dreidel (Sevivon) Hanukkah Foods: Latkas (Levivot) • Sufganiyot • Buñuelos • Gelt Hanukkah Music: Ma'oz Tzur • Rock of Ages  • Dreidel Song  • Oh Chanukah
Maccabean Revolt	Events: Seleucid Empire  • Temple in Jerusalem  • Maccabees  • Hasmonean Kingdom Historical Accounts: 1 Maccabees • 2 Maccabees People: Mattathias • Simeon • Eleazar • Jonathan • Judah • Antiochus IV Epiphanes • List of Judean rulers Battles: Wadi Haramia - Beth Horon – Emmaus - Beth Zur - Beth Zechariah - Adasa - Dathema - Elasa