by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen
In the Talmud (Shabbat 21b), the rabbis discuss how to light thehanukkiah - the Hanukkah candelabrum. The famous sages Hillel and Shammai disagree as to whether we should start with eight candles and day by day diminish the number we light until on the last day of Hanukkah there is only one candle (plus the shamash, or helper candle) burning, which is the view of Shammai, or, if we should startwith one (plus the shamash) and add a new candle each night until we have eight (a total of nine with the shamash) burning on ...
