Why do we light the menorah?
Lighting
the menorah or hanukiah is one of the most beautiful and meaningful symbols of Chanukah. The light from the flickering candles reminds us
of the eternal light in the Temple in Jerusalem. During
the rededication of the Temple, only enough oil was found to enable the flame to burn for
one day. Yet, a miracle enabled the one vial
of oil to last for eight days, long enough to make new oil. Or so the legend goes.
Today,
the lighting of the menorah reminds us not only of the rededication of the Temple, but of
our own rededication to the principles of Judaism. As
we add another candle each day for eight days, we are reminded of our own growing
enlightenment, as individuals and as a people.
The
sages tell us that lighting the menorah on Chanukah is not only a mitzvah, but a
requirement. They go so far as to say that
even the poorest among us must fulfill this mitzvah, going without food, if necessary, to
procure the candles needed to light the menorah.
(By
the way, what most of us call a “menorah” is actually a “hanukiah”. A menorah is a seven branched candle holder. Each branch of the menorah represents one of
the days of creation. A hanukiah is a
nine-branched menorah, with places for eight candles, one for each night of Chanukah, and
a ninth for the shamash.)