What is a menorah called in Hebrew?
The menorah (/məˈnɔːrə/; Hebrew: מְנוֹרָה, Hebrew pronunciation: [menoˈʁa]) is a seven-branched candelabrum that is described in the Hebrew Bible as having been used in the Tabernacle and in the Temple in Jerusalem.
What is the difference between a menorah and a Chanukiah?
A menorah, which has only seven candleholders, was the lamp used in the ancient holy temple in Jerusalem — now a symbol of Judaism and an emblem of Israel. A Hanukkiah, however, has nine candlesticks — one for each night of Hanukkah and an extra one to light the others.
What is the meaning of Menora?
: a candelabra with seven or nine lights that is used in Jewish worship.
What is a shammash?
shammash, also spelled shamash or shammas (Hebrew: “servant”), plural shammashim, shamashim, or shammasim, salaried sexton in a Jewish synagogue whose duties now generally include secretarial work and assistance to the cantor, or hazan, who directs the public service.
Why do menorahs have 9 candles?
Eight of the nine branches hold lights (candles or oil lamps) that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday; on each night, one more light is lit than the previous night, until on the final night all eight branches are ignited.
What is the middle candle on a menorah called?
Step 3: Light the Shamash The candle that is raised or in the center of the menorah is the shamash (helper candle). It’s the one you use to light the other candles. Light it first. (Don’t use any of the other candles to light the others.)
What is another name for a menorah?
Menorah synonyms
In this page you can discover 3 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for menorah, like: candlestick, candelabrum and hanukkah.
What is a Ner Tamid in a synagogue?
ner tamid. ner tamid, (Hebrew: “eternal light”), lamp that burns perpetually in Jewish synagogues before or near the ark of the Law (aron ha-qodesh).
What are menorahs used for?
A menorah, the Hebrew word for lamp, has seven branches. It was originally used in the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. Menorahs were lit daily using olive oil of the purest quality. A hanukkiyah is a Hanukkah menorah used specifically to light the candles (often used today instead of oil) on Hanukkah.
How do you pronounce Shamash in Hebrew?
How to Pronounce Shamash (Real Life Examples!) – YouTube
What is the Shamus candle?
The shamash or shammus is the “helper candle”. It is the ninth candle for the Hanukkah menorah, also known as the Hanukkiah/Chanukiah. It is lit before the prayers are said and the other candles are lit. Shemash was the ancient Babylonian sun-god.
Do you light a menorah right to left?
Placing The Candles On The Menorah
Each night, add a new candle before lighting. Now, here’s the tricky part: candles are placed in the menorah from right to left but candles are lit from left to right. “Left to right, that’s how you light!”
Why are Hanukkah candles lit from left to right?
The reason given is that sanctity should always be increased, not decreased. Q: In what direction should the candles be lighted? A: The candles are lighted in the opposite direction from how they are placed in the chanukiah. They are lighted from left to right, so that the newest candle is always lighted first.
What is the main room in a synagogue called?
Aron Hakodesh (the ark)
The Aron Hakodesh, often known as the ark, is the most important place inside all synagogues. The Aron Hakodesh is where the Torah scroll is kept. The ark is usually wooden and has the features of a cupboard, and will often have a curtain or door.
What is the Yiddish word for synagogue?
The term synagogue is of Greek origin (synagein, “to bring together”) and means “a place of assembly.” The Yiddish word shul (from German Schule, “school”) is also used to refer to the synagogue, and in modern times the word temple is common among some Reform and Conservative congregations.
How do you pronounce the word Shamash?
What is the candle in the middle of the menorah called?
the Shamash
Step 3: Light the Shamash The candle that is raised or in the center of the menorah is the shamash (helper candle). It’s the one you use to light the other candles. Light it first. (Don’t use any of the other candles to light the others.)
What is a Shammes Yiddish?
Definition of shammes
1 : the sexton of a synagogue. 2 : the candle or taper used to light the other candles in a Hanukkah menorah.
What are 3 traditions of Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is celebrated in several ways. In addition to lighting each day one candle on the menorah, religious rituals can include daily reading of Scripture, recitation of some of the Psalms, almsgiving, and singing of a special hymn.
Why are there 9 candles on a menorah?
The centerpiece of the Hanukkah celebration is the hanukkiah or menorah, a candelabra that holds nine candles. Eight candles symbolize the number of days that the Temple lantern blazed; the ninth, the shamash, is a helper candle used to light the others.
What is prohibited during Hanukkah?
It is customary for women not to work for at least the first half-hour of the candles’ burning, and some have the custom not to work for the entire time of burning. It is also forbidden to fast or to eulogize during Hanukkah.
What are you not allowed to do during Hanukkah?
How is Hanukkah celebrated? Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days, in honor of the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days in the Holy Temple. Unlike some other Jewish holidays where work is forbidden, there are no restrictions on doing work during Hanukkah.
What is the altar called in a synagogue?
The bimah represents the altar in the Temple .
Why do synagogues have windows?
Another commentator also suggests that the windows are aimed at improving application during prayer, albeit by a different means: Windows allow light to filter in to the synagogue and this has a calming effect on those present, allowing them to concentrate on their prayers (Rabbeinu Yona Gerondi, 13th century, Spain).
What does Frum mean in Yiddish?
pious, observant
frum (comparative more frum, superlative most frum) (Judaism) pious, observant; committed to obeying all the laws of Judaism.