CELEBRATING HANUKKAH & MENORAH LIGHTING

By Messianic Rabbi Eric Carlson

Shalom,

The Hanukkah celebration is a time for family and prayer. Hanukkah is a time to focus on the light of the world, Yeshua. The Hanukkah (9 branch) menorah should be placed in a window or outside to publicize this great miracle. The candles are placed in the menorah from left to right and the candles are kindled from right to left. The center candle is called the shammash (caretaker/helper). The shamash is removed, lit, and used to kindle the other candles then returned to its holder. The first night of Hanukkah you will have two candles in your menorah, the Shamash and one candle for the first night of Hanukkah. The second night you will have three candles, the Shamash and two candles on the far right of the menorah representing two nights of Hanukkah and so on through the eight days! On the last night of Hanukkah you will have all nine candles in the menorah. You will need a total of 44 candles for the entire Hanukkah celebration. The candles should be lit at sundown and the whole family should be gathered (it's acceptable to wait past sundown so that the entire family can gather around the menorah). The candles should remain lit for at least 30 minutes. The following blessings are recited when kindling the candles:

Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheynu Melech ha’olam, Asher Kid’shanu b’mitsvotav vitsivanu, Le-had-lik Ner Shel Hanukkah.

Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has set us apart by Your commandments and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Hanukkah.

Baruch Ata Adonai, Eloheynu Melech ha’olam, She-o-so Ni-sim La-avo-sei-nu Ba-yo-mim Ho-haim Bi-z’man Ha-zeh.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who wrought miracles for our fathers in days of old, at this season.

Shema, Yisrael Adonai EloheynuAdonai Echad.Baruch shem kavod, malchuto, l’olam vayed.

Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be His name, His glorious kingdom forever. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheynu Melech haolam, asher natan lanu et Derek ha’Yeshua, b’Miashiach, Yeshua.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has given us the way of salvation in Messiah Yeshua.

After the blessings, kindle the candle or candles. The following scriptures may be read, followed by prayer and family fellowship. This is a quiet time, a time focused on our heavenly Father. Shut off the television, turn off the radio, and enter into the presence of the most high!

Night one: Adonai is our light. Isaiah 60:19, Psalm 27:1.

Night two: God's word is our light. Psalm 119:105, 119:130, Proverbs 6:23.

Night three: We are to be a light unto the world! Matthew 5:16, Luke 11:30.

Night four: The eye is the light of the body. Luke 11:34, Acts 26:18.

Night five: Yeshua is the light of the World! John 1:4-5, John 8:12, John 12:35-36.

Night six: Shaul saw the light. Acts 26:12-18.

Night seven: If Messiah is your light, your not in darkness. Ephesians 5:8-11, I Peter 2:9 Ephesians 5:11-15, I John 1:5-9.

Night eight: Let our light shine! Philippians 2:14-16.