Hanukkah Part 3

Hanukkah is an 8-day celebration but this year it falls between Dec. 16 and 24. Isn’t that 9 days? No. Jewish days begin at sunset. So their first day was the evening of Dec. 16 and throughout the daylight hours of Dec. 24. Today, the 20th, is the 4th day, which started last night. The final day begins the night of the 23rd and ends on the 24th at sundown. The ceremony revolves around the menorah. On each evening of Hanukkah the number of candles corresponding to the number of the day are lit. One on the first day, 2 on the second and so forth, until the 8th day. Then 8 candles are lit as well as the central candle, the shamash (“servant” candle). Hanukkah evenings that fall on Friday have a slight change. Since it is the beginning of the Sabbath, and no fire is to be lit on the Sabbath, the candles are lit slightly before sundown. Tomorrow's final entry includes a few miscellaneous facts.