Menorah Jewelry

The menorah is one of the most powerful and oldest symbols in Judaism. The menorah is a 7 branched candelabra made of gold explicitly detailed in the Bible for use in the worship of G-d in the wilderness and later in the great temple. Prior to the emergence of the Star of David, it was the most popular Jewish symbol and can be found on the emblem of Israel.  Find beautiful gold and silver menorah jewelry and menorah motifs woven into other Jewish symbols throughout or collection.

Menorah FAQs

Where should a menorah be placed?

The Hanukkah menorah or hanukkiah represents the miracle of Hanukkah, that a small amount of the oil lasted for 8 days. During the holiday it is customary to light the menorah every night and place it somewhere visible to the outside world so that everyone can remember the miracle. Some place a menorah outside

Where is menorah mentioned in the bible?

The menorah is first mentioned in the book of Exodus, the second book of the Torah. In chapter 25:31-40, G-d reveals the detailed design of the candelabra to Moses at Mount Sinai. The menorah is used to light up the tabernacle, the portable temple that the Israelites used when wandering through Egypt.

How many branches does a menorah have?

A menorah has 7 branches. According to the classic design the enter branch is higher than the other 6 branches, which are positioned 3 on each side of the center branch. A menorah burns olive oil.

What is the difference between a menorah and a hanukkiah?

A menorah which is a fixture of the Beit Hamikdash (holy temple) has 7 branches. In the story of Hanukkah, after the temple was destroyed the Maccabees found one small jug of oil. It looked like enough oil for 1 day but it lasted for 8 days. Therefore, on Hanukkah, we light the hanukkiah which looks just like the menorah but has 9 branches instead of 7. There is one branch that sits higher than the rest, this is called the shamash and it is used to light all the other candles.

What does the menorah symbolize?

There is a lot of symbolism tied to the menorah. The 7 branches are often thought to represent the 7 days of creation. In the first temple, the priests lit the menorah every night and cleaned and replaced the wick the next morning, so the menorah is thought to symbolize “ner tamid” or the eternal flame. It has also been said the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel which is said to be a “light unto the nations.” You can find the menorah on the emblem of Israel.

Which side of the menorah do you light first?

We light the menorah for 8 nights, and every night we add another candle so that on the 8th night the entire menorah is lit.  The candles are placed from right to left (the same way we read Hebrew) but they are lit from left to right. This way our hand never crosses over creates a shadow over the candles, which actually only works if you are right-handed! You light the candles just after dark each night of Hanukkah.