History of the Jewish menorah

One of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith is the menorah. The first menorah in the Temple of Jerusalem was a seven-branched candelabrum that was used, not to light the Temple, but to symbolize the Jewish mission to be "a light unto the nations" (Isaiah 42:6). This artifact was lost when the Temple was destroyed. Following the tradition of not duplicating anything from the destroyed Temple, later menorahs were designed with six or eight candles.

Today, the Jewish menorah is used most prominently during the celebration of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights. The holiday commemorates the restoration of order to Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. The Temple had been desecrated, and in order to restore the Temple's sanctity, ritual oil was needed. There was only a day's worth of oil to be found, but it lasted for eight days--a miracle that allowed the Temple to be purified and rededicated.

You can add beauty to your own Chanukah tradition with a finely crafted menorah from Kolbo.com. You can buy from our Judaica shop online or visit our retail store in person to select the perfect menorah, Honey & Apple Set, or embroidered Kipot.

The menorah used for Chanukah is called "hanukiyah." The hanukiyah holds nine candles, one for each night of Chanukah, and the Shamash, which is used to light the other eight candles. One candle is lit on the first night of Chanukah. On the second night, the first candle is relit and a second is lit, and so on. The candles are added from right to left but are lit in the opposite direction, with the newest candle being lit first. The hanukiyah is generally placed in the window of the home.

We have a wide assortment of Jewish menorah that will be part of the cherished Chanukah memories you create with your family. They also make wonderful wedding gifts and presents for new families. Our "paint-your-own" kits make fun gifts for B'nai Mitzvah celebrations. Kolbo.com is possibly the only Judaica shop online to offer such a huge selection of finely crafted menorahs.

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