On the first night of Hanukkah, you use the helper candle and light the single Hanukkah candle on the far right side of the menorah as you face it. That one candle (plus the helper) represents the first night.
Placing the candles
On night one, place two candles in the menorah: the shamash (helper), usually in a higher or otherwise separate spot, and one regular candle in the far- right holder of the row of eight. The right-most spot is always where the first night’s candle goes.
Lighting order
Customarily, candles are added from right to left over the eight nights, but each night they are lit from left to right. On the first night there is only that one right-most candle, so you light the shamash first and then use it to light that single right-most candle.
