What is the meaning behind the middle candle of a menorah?

The candle that is at a different level from the other eight is called the shamos, or servant, and it is used to light the other candles. read more

Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal looks at a giant Hanukkah Menorah after its installation at the Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Friday, Dec. 7, 2012. The eight day Jewish Festival of Lights Hanukkah will start on Dec. 8. read more

The candle that is at a different level from the other eight is called the shamos, or servant, and it is used to light the other candles. It doesn’t necessarily need to be in the middle, it can be at one end of the menorah, but it is supposed to be at a different height, preferably lower. read more

One candle is lit on each day of the week-long celebration, in a similar manner as the Hanukiah (which was modeled after the menorah) during Hanukkah. In the Orthodox Church the use of the menorah has been preserved, always standing on or behind the altar in the sanctuary. read more