How to Choose a Hanukkah Menorah

What does a Hanukkah menorah need?

A Hanukkah menorah needs room for eight lights, one for each night of the festival, plus a ninth light called the shamash, which lights the others. The eight should stand in a straight row at the same height, far enough apart that each flame stays separate, and the shamash should stand apart so it is clearly not one of the eight. All of our menorahs are made this way: eight sockets in a straight row at one height, with the shamash set apart.

These rules come from the Talmud (Shabbat 21b-23a) and are set out in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 671-673. Lights arranged in a circle, or so close that their flames merge, can look like one bonfire rather than eight separate lights, which is why the classic guidance asks for a straight, even line.

Customs also decide how many menorahs a home needs. In many Sephardi homes one menorah is lit for the whole household; in Ashkenazi homes each member of the family usually lights their own. Opinions differ on some details of design, so if you are unsure whether a particular menorah suits your family's practice, ask your rabbi.

Should you use candles or oil?

Both are fine. Any light that burns long enough may be used, and most families light wax or paraffin candles because they are simple and clean. Many authorities consider pure olive oil the finest way to keep the mitzvah, because it recalls the oil of the Hanukkah miracle (Rema, Orach Chaim 673:1).

Whatever you use, the lights must burn for at least half an hour after nightfall, and on Friday afternoon, when they are lit before Shabbat, for considerably longer. Check that your candles or oil cups sit firmly upright in the menorah's sockets. Our menorahs take standard Hanukkah candles, and oil cups can be placed in the sockets instead.

How to light the menorah, night by night

Which shape: Half-Moon, Rectangular or Trapezoid?

Choose the shape that suits the room. All three of our shapes are the same size, 33 cm long and 27 cm high, in double-sided handmade glass, and all three cost the same. The Half-Moon has a soft, curved outline, the Rectangular is clean and straight-edged, and the Trapezoid has angled sides that give it a more architectural look.

There is no right or wrong here. Think about the lines of the window, sill or shelf where the menorah will stand, and the other Judaica in your home. A curved shape softens a room full of straight lines; a straight one sits neatly in a window frame.

Half-Moon menorahsRectangular menorahsTrapezoid menorahs

Which glass color should you choose?

Pick the color for the room and for how it looks when lit. Our menorahs come in eight glass colors: Pearl White, Blue, White and Blue, Clear, Emerald Green, Light Blue, Terracotta and Turquoise. The glass is double-sided and shaped by hand, so each piece looks a little different by day than by candlelight, and no two are exactly alike.

Clear and Pearl White sit quietly in any room and let the flames lead. Blue, Light Blue and Turquoise bring a cool, bright note to a window. Emerald Green and Terracotta are warmer and richer, especially against wood. Colors may look slightly different in person, because every piece is handmade.

Silver-tone or gold-tone sockets and base?

Choose the finish that matches your other pieces. Every one of our menorahs has its sockets and base in a silver-tone or a gold-tone finish. Silver-tone is cool and bright, gold-tone is warmer. It is a colored finish, not plating with a precious metal, and both finishes cost the same.

If the menorah will stand near 925 silver-plated candlesticks or a gold-plated Kiddush cup, matching the tone makes the pieces read as a set.

What size menorah do you need, and where will it stand?

Measure the spot first. Our menorahs are 33 cm long, 27 cm high and 3 cm deep, about 13 x 10.6 x 1.2 inches. Check that the sill, shelf or table is long and steady enough, with open space above and around the flames, and nothing nearby that could catch fire. The base has a 4.5 cm radius, so the menorah stands steadily even on a narrow windowsill.

Tradition places the menorah where it publicizes the miracle: at the entrance, on the left as you come in, opposite the mezuzah, or in a window facing the street. Ideally the lights stand above three handbreadths and below ten from the ground, roughly 25 to 90 cm, though opinions on the exact measure differ.

How do you use a glass menorah safely?

Treat it like any open flame. Stand the menorah on a steady, heat-resistant surface, away from curtains, paper and anything that can catch fire, out of reach of children and pets, and never leave the lights burning unattended. Let the menorah cool completely before you touch, move or clean it.

• Keep it out of drafts, which make candles drip and flames lean.
• Use candles or oil cups that stand firmly upright in the sockets.
• Put a heat-resistant mat or tray underneath to catch drips.
• Glass can crack if it is heated or cooled suddenly, so never pour cold water on a hot menorah.
• If the glass is ever chipped or cracked, stop using it and contact us.

How do you clean wax off a glass menorah?

Let the wax harden, then lift it off gently. Once the menorah is completely cool, ease hardened drips away with a fingernail or a wooden or plastic tool, never a knife or a scourer. Then wipe the glass with a soft cloth dipped in lukewarm water with a little mild dish soap, and dry it well.

Avoid abrasive cleaners and scouring pads on the glass and on the silver-tone or gold-tone sockets and base. A soft, dry cloth is all the finish needs. Clean the menorah after the last night, before you put it away, so the wax does not set hard for a whole year.

Is a menorah a good Hanukkah gift?

Yes, and often the most lasting one. A menorah is lit on eight nights every year, kept for decades and often handed down. It suits a couple's first Hanukkah together, a family in a new home, an older child who now lights their own, or a host. Order early, because most of ours are made to order, though some are in stock and ship right away.

Most menorahs are made to order in Israel and ship within 14 business days, and some are in stock and ship right away. Shipping is ₪35 within Israel and $45 internationally, or collect from our gallery in Karnei Shomron. Our Hanukkah gift guide has more ideas for Hanukkah 2026.

Hanukkah gift ideas and order-by datesMenorah or hanukkiah? The difference