Facts for Kids

A long time ago, people used a special lamp called the menorah. It is a seven‑branched golden lamp that the Hebrew Bible describes. The first menorah stood in the Tabernacle, a holy tent used by the Israelites, and later in the Temple in Jerusalem. Priests filled its bowls with fresh olive oil so the lamps would burn each night.

The menorah became a strong symbol for Jewish people. You can see menorahs carved on old coins, floors, and buildings. In 1948, a menorah design became the official emblem of the State of Israel. No one can say for sure where the original Temple menorah is now.

People made the original menorah for the Tabernacle, and it stayed with the Israelites as they traveled and later lived in Canaan. The Bible says King Solomon placed many lampstands in the Temple he built. Long before that, stories say David gave Solomon instructions about how heavy and grand the lampstands should be.

Later, when enemies captured Jerusalem, some stories say they took the lampstands away. During the Second Temple period, writers mention temple vessels but do not clearly say if the first menorah returned. Other records, like the book of Maccabees and the Talmud, tell of lampstands taken, made again from wood, then silver, and finally gold.

Each night priests lit the menorah with fresh olive oil so its lamps burned from sunset until morning. The oil and light were special for worship and for showing a steady presence of God among the people. Jewish writers called the always‑burning middle light the ner hama'aravi or the “lamp of God.”

Different ancient sources describe how many lamps burned all the time. Some say three shone by day; others say only the center one burned continuously. The lamp used oil, not candles, because candles were not common in the Middle East until many centuries later.

For the holiday Hanukkah people use a different lamp called a Hanukkah menorah or hanukkiah. It has nine branches: eight for each night of Hanukkah and a higher ninth lamp called the shamash (which means “servant”) used to light the others. The hanukkiah remembers a story in which a small amount of holy oil lasted for eight nights.

Because the Temple used the seven‑branched menorah, Jewish law says you should not use a seven‑branched menorah for public Hanukkah lighting. The idea of a special shamash appears in old Jewish books and becomes common in later centuries.

Menorah lamps carry many kinds of meaning for people who read the Bible or go to church. In one way, the center lamp that stays lit long was seen as showing God's presence among the people. Some call that presence the Shechinah, a word that means God being close and with them. Because the light never goes out, it reminds people of a steady, caring presence.

The menorah also appears in other books, like the New Testament book of Revelation where seven golden lampstands stand for seven churches. Long ago some writers even linked the seven lamps to the planets, and other readers connect the menorah’s decorations to the idea of the Bible as God’s light. Different groups have different ideas, and that shows how powerful a simple lamp can be for many beliefs.

Today you can still see ideas from the old Temple lamp in synagogues. A special light called the ner tamid (meaning “eternal light”) hangs or stands near the Torah ark and is kept burning as a reminder of the Temple’s always-lit lamp. Many synagogues also show menorah shapes in art, windows, and decorations.

Some groups have built full-size versions of the Temple menorah. For example, the Temple Institute made a life-sized menorah hammered from a single block of 24-karat gold weighing about 45 kg. It follows descriptions from the Bible and from a Roman stone carving called the Arch of Titus, and its makers say it is ready to be used if ever needed.

A similar seven-branched candleholder is the kinara, used in the African American holiday Kwanzaa. The kinara holds seven candles, and people light one new candle each night during the week-long celebration. This step-by-step lighting practice is much like how other holidays add light each day to remember things.

Many cultures use multi-branch lamps or candleholders to mark special times, from festivals to temple rituals. These objects help people count days, tell stories, and show hope with light. What other holidays or rituals do you know that use candles to tell a story?