Most Hanukkah articles hand you the blessings and stop there. Nobody tells you which candle goes where, or that lighting five minutes too late on a Friday actually matters. I put this together after fielding the same three questions from readers every December — in what order, by when, and does it actually matter if we’re running late.
Short answer: yes, some of it matters more than people assume. The blessings themselves are the easy part. Getting the shamash right, and knowing the Friday-night exception, is where most families trip up.
This guide walks through the full sequence — placing the candles, lighting them, saying the blessings, and the timing rules that change on Shabbat. If you just need the blessing text, the full collection is here. If you want to do it in the right order, keep reading.
Quick Answer
- Candles go into the menorah right to left, but you light them left to right — newest candle first.
- The shamash (helper candle) is lit first, always, and used to light the rest.
- Say the blessings before lighting, while holding the shamash.
- Candles must stay lit for at least 30 minutes after nightfall.
- On Friday nights, light early — before sunset, not after.
- You never use one Hanukkah candle to light another. Only the shamash does that job.
The Full Lighting Order, Step by Step
Here’s the sequence, in order. Do it the same way every night.
1. Place the candles first
Set the candles into the menorah before you light anything. New candles go on the far right, and each night’s candle gets added just to the left of the one before it. The shamash sits apart — higher, lower, or off to the side — so it’s never confused with the count.
2. Light the shamash
Pick it up. This is the only candle you’re allowed to strike a match to directly.
3. Say the blessings
Hold the shamash while you recite them. Two every night. Three on the first night only.
Blessing One — for the mitzvah: Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha’olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu l’hadlik ner shel Hanukkah. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who made us holy through Your commandments and commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light.
Blessing Two — for the miracle: Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha’olam, she’asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim hahem baz’man hazeh. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who performed miracles for our ancestors, in those days, at this season.
Blessing Three — Shehecheyanu, first night only: Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech ha’olam, shehecheyanu v’kiy’manu v’higianu laz’man hazeh. Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.
After night one, drop the third blessing. It’s reserved for firsts, and this only counts once a year.
4. Light the newest candle first
Use the shamash to light the candle furthest to the left — the one added tonight. Then move right, lighting each candle in turn, oldest last.
5. Set the shamash back in its own spot
Once every candle is lit, return the shamash to its place. It stays lit too, but it’s never counted among the eight.
6. Let the menorah sit and be seen
Place it somewhere visible — a windowsill, near a doorway. The point of the whole ritual is pirsumei nisa, publicizing the miracle. A menorah lit and hidden in a back room misses that part entirely.
Timing: When to Light, and For How Long
This is the part most guides gloss over, and it’s the part people actually get wrong.
Regular nights: light shortly after sunset, once it’s dark enough that stars would be visible. Whenever your household can realistically gather works too — the exact minute matters less than the fact that everyone’s there.
How long they need to burn: at least 30 minutes after nightfall. That’s not a suggestion. If you’re using short candles, you may need to relight before that window closes.
If a candle goes out early: you don’t have to relight it once the 30-minute mark has passed. Before that, though, most families do relight — without repeating the blessing.
The Friday Night Exception
Shabbat changes everything about the timing, and this is the single most common mistake.
You cannot light a flame after Shabbat begins. So on Friday, the Hanukkah candles get lit before sunset — not after, not at the usual time.
Because they’re lit earlier, they need to burn longer to still be going 30 minutes past nightfall. Use bigger candles, or more oil, than you would on a normal night.
Light the Hanukkah candles first, then the Shabbat candles right after. On Saturday night, the order flips — most families light the menorah before Havdalah, so the light is still visible while everyone’s around.
Placement and Menorah Rules Worth Knowing
A few smaller details that trip people up:
- All eight candle holders should sit at the same height, in a straight line — no zigzags.
- The shamash needs to be visibly set apart from the other eight, by height or position.
- Ideally, the menorah goes in a window facing the street, or near the doorway. Upper-floor apartments should still use a window.
- Never light one Hanukkah candle from another. Only the shamash does the lighting.
- Once lit, the menorah shouldn’t be moved.
Common Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
Lighting oldest-to-newest instead of newest-to-oldest. Placement runs right to left. Lighting runs left to right. Mixing those up is the single most common error, and an easy one to fix once you know it.
Forgetting the Friday exception. Treating Friday like any other night is the second most common mistake — and the one with real consequences, since it can mean lighting after Shabbat has technically begun.
Skipping the shamash’s own spot. If it’s not visibly separated from the other eight, it can accidentally get counted as one of them.
Not accounting for burn time. Thin candles that burn out in fifteen minutes don’t meet the 30-minute rule. Worth checking before the first night, not during it.
FAQs
What is the correct order to light Hanukkah candles?
Place candles right to left, adding each night’s candle furthest right. Light them left to right, starting with the newest candle and finishing with the oldest.
How long do Hanukkah candles need to burn?
At least 30 minutes after nightfall. On Friday nights, they need to burn longer, since they’re lit earlier.
What time should I light Hanukkah candles on Friday night?
Before sunset — typically around 18 minutes before, matching Shabbat candle-lighting time. Never after.
Do you light Hanukkah candles left to right or right to left?
Both, depending on the step. Place them right to left. Light them left to right.
What happens if a Hanukkah candle goes out early?
If it’s within the first 30 minutes after nightfall, most people relight it without saying the blessing again. After that window, it’s fine to leave it out.
Can you use one Hanukkah candle to light another?
No. Only the shamash is used for lighting. The other eight candles are for looking at, not for lighting anything else.
Where should the menorah be placed?
Somewhere visible from outside — a window facing the street, or near the front door. The idea is for the light to be seen, not tucked away.
What blessing do you say before lighting?
Two blessings every night, a third only on the first night. The full text in Hebrew, transliteration, and English is here.
Key Takeaways
- Candles are placed right to left, lit left to right — newest candle first.
- The shamash is lit before anything else and used to light the rest.
- Blessings come before lighting, not after.
- Candles need to burn at least 30 minutes past nightfall.
- Friday nights require lighting before sunset, with bigger candles or more oil.
- The menorah should be visible from outside, not lit in a back room.
Last Thing
None of this is complicated once you’ve done it twice. The order becomes automatic by night three. What trips people up is the exceptions — Friday night, a candle that goes out early, a shamash that isn’t set apart. Get those right and the rest takes care of itself.
