You place Hanukkah candles in one direction, but light them in the opposite direction. The helper candle (shamash) is always used to light the others.
Basic order
On night one, put a single candle in the far-right holder of the menorah (plus the shamash in its separate spot). On each following night, add one new candle to the left, so you are filling the menorah from right to left as you face it.
Which way to light
First, light the shamash and say the blessings, then use the shamash to light the Hanukkah candles. Each night, light the newest candle first (the left‑most one that you just added), then move to the right, so the candles are lit from left to right.
Quick memory tip
A simple way to remember: candles are placed from right to left, but lit from left to right. Another phrase some people use is “Left to right, that’s how you light,” since you always start with the newest candle on the left.
