Holiday - Hanukkah - Hanukkiahs

The Hanukkiah is a special candelabrum for Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights.  It commemorates a historical event where the Great Temple was destroyed during the Greco-Judean War. The oil reserves intended for the Temple Menorah were defiled. Among the ruins, a single, undefiled jar of oil was unearthed, sufficient for only a day's illumination.  Yet, in an astounding Miracle of Light, this sparse supply blazed brightly for eight consecutive days, coinciding with the time needed to replenish the Temple's oil stocks.
To honor this miracle, the Hanukkiah, a specific menorah variant is used. Designed with eight branches and a central candle (shamash) holder, this candelabrum is lit over the course of eight days. As the sun sets on the first evening, a single candle is lit, the initial spark ignited by the shamash. This central candle, placed in the heart of the Hanukkiah, is entrusted with illuminating the remaining eight. Each night, a new candle is lit, steadily increasing the brilliance. This continues until, on the eighth night, the complete Hanukkiah shines with all its candles burning. The Hanukkiah holds its special role solely during Hanukkah, as a testament to the miracle that unfolds through the luminous journey of its candles.