I am cheating a bit tonight and posting my intended post for last night tonight.
The center candle on the menorah is called the Shamash candle. It is the first candle lit, and the one that lights all of the other eight Chanukah candles. (Note: This is not really possible to do with votive candles, so I had to improvise. Now I know why traditional menorahs use taper candles.)
Shamash and Shabbat candles are two different things. However, because the Sabbath began yesterday and it was also Chanukah, people of Jewish faith lit candles for more than one ceremonial tradition.
This was one of the posts from Chabad.org yesterday, which I follow on Facebook:
Shabbat candles are lit inside our home. By contrast Chanukah's candles have to light up the darkness of light, into the street.
Shabbat candles bring light within, but the Chanukah lights go further, also transforming the darkness outside.May Christ be our Shabbat candle that burns inside us. And may we bring light to everyone we meet.
Amen.
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