The first ever recorded Chanukah Menorah was not a menorah in the traditional sense. The first menorah wasn’t even a candelabra. Instead, it was a brass box, rectangular in shape, reminiscent of the shape and design of the iconic lunch pail.
Back in the day the lunch pail of old had a rounded lid that closed on the rectangular box.
The ancient chanukiyah boasted the same shape however the lid of the brass box was made of glass.
A glass lid on a brass box…why? The brass container was made to hold exactly eight cups of oil with a cotton braided thread – the wick – placed in each one.
Russian Jews and Jews whose roots originate in Uzbekistan recall the ancient tradition that when the chanukiyah was ready to light, the brass container was closed and carried to the home of one’s oldest relative who had the honor of kindling light on the first oil cup or the first votive candle on the first night of Chanukah.
