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Menorah Sizes Explained: From 12 Inches to 12 Feet
Menorah sizes run from about 12 inches for a home windowsill to 12 feet for a city plaza, with 24-inch, 3-foot, 6-foot and 9-foot steps in between. Pick the size by viewing distance and available width, not by height alone: 12 to 24 inches reads from a sidewalk, 3 feet fills a lobby desk or shop window, 6 feet suits an entrance or courtyard, 9 feet carries across a mall or campus green, and 12 feet is the standard for a public square. Menorahs up to 3 feet are steel and meant for indoor use; 6 feet and up are aluminum and work indoors or outdoors.
Menorah size chart
The figures below are the published specifications for Menorah.net’s standard LED display menorahs. Widths and weights for other brands will differ, but the proportions are a useful guide for any display menorah.
| Height | Width | Listed weight | Material | Use | Typical setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 in | 12 in (4 in deep) | 0.9 lbs | Chrome-finish steel | Indoor | Home windowsill, doorway, desk |
| 24 in (2 ft) | 23 in | 11 lbs | Coated steel | Indoor | Shop window, office, entryway |
| 3 ft | 3 ft | 13 lbs | Coated steel | Indoor | Lobby desk, reception, wide storefront |
| 6 ft | 6.5 ft | 41 lbs | Aluminum, silver finish | Indoor and outdoor | Store entrance, synagogue foyer, small square |
| 9 ft | 7.5 ft | 52 lbs | Aluminum, silver finish | Indoor and outdoor | Mall, campus green, town hall steps |
| 12 ft | 8.5 ft | 60 lbs | Aluminum, silver finish | Indoor and outdoor | City square, park, civic plaza, tall atrium |
Two patterns are worth noticing. The small sizes are roughly as wide as they are tall, while the large ones are narrower than their height: a 12-foot menorah is 8.5 feet wide, not 12. And weight rises slowly, because the large models are aluminum. A 12-foot menorah at 60 pounds is lighter than many people expect, which is why the base and anchoring matter more than the frame itself.
Small menorahs: 12 inches to 3 feet
12 inches
The 12-inch menorah is the personal size. At 12 inches wide and 4 inches deep it fits a standard windowsill, a small table in a doorway or a desk. Menorah.net’s 12-inch LED model is one piece with no assembly and is convertible: each branch takes a pre-filled oil vial or a candle for the blessing, and the LED bulbs go in afterward so the window stays lit through the night. A 12-inch LUX version lights the whole frame in multicolor LED instead.
24 inches
At 2 feet tall and 23 inches wide, this size is the step up from the plastic window menorah. It suits a shop window at street level, an office reception or a home with a large front window. The standard LED model weighs 11 pounds, has a 6-inch base and assembles in under five minutes. Menorah.net’s car-roof menorahs for Hanukkah parades are also 2 feet tall.
3 feet
The 3-foot menorah is 3 feet wide, weighs 13 pounds and stands on a 12 x 8 inch base. It is the largest size that still sits on furniture, which makes it the common choice for lobby desks, bank counters and wide storefronts. It is steel and intended for indoor use. For help matching these sizes to a particular window, see window menorahs and indoor display menorahs.
A 12-inch or 24-inch menorah can be raised to eye level on a pedestal. The LUX pedestal is 44 inches tall with a 23 x 23 inch footprint, so a 24-inch menorah on it tops out at about 68 inches.
Large menorahs: 6 to 12 feet
From 6 feet up, display menorahs are free-standing aluminum structures with a two-part main stem, arms that slot into supports, and a separate base. Menorah.net’s 6, 9 and 12 foot models ship with nine LED chimney bulbs, a wheeled canvas storage case and a choice of indoor or in-ground base. A control board adds one light every 24 hours, so the menorah advances through the eight nights without a nightly visit.
6 feet
Six feet tall and 6.5 feet wide, at 41 pounds. This is the right scale for store entrances, hotel and office lobbies, synagogue foyers and smaller outdoor squares, where a taller menorah would crowd the space. It fits under a standard 8-foot ceiling with room to spare.
9 feet
Nine feet tall and 7.5 feet wide, at 52 pounds. It suits malls, campus greens, town hall steps and large synagogue or community center lobbies where the menorah must be seen from across the space. Indoors it needs a ceiling comfortably above 9 feet.
12 feet
Twelve feet tall and 8.5 feet wide, at 60 pounds. This is the size built to carry a public lighting ceremony in a city square, park, civic plaza or high atrium. Lighting the top by hand requires a ladder or lift, so plan access when you plan the site. Bases, ballast and installation timing are covered on the outdoor Hanukkah lights and display menorahs page.
How lighting style changes weight
At the same height, the lighting system changes the weight considerably. The standard LED menorah has bulbs only at the top of each branch. The LUX illuminates the whole frame in a solid color on one side. The Super LUX is lit on both sides in multicolor with a remote for color and speed.
| Height | LED (bulbs only) | LUX (one-sided, solid color) | Super LUX (double-sided, multicolor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft | 41 lbs | 59 lbs shipping weight | 71 lbs shipping weight |
| 9 ft | 52 lbs | 61 lbs shipping weight | 86 lbs shipping weight |
| 12 ft | 60 lbs | 80 lbs shipping weight | 100 lbs shipping weight |
The LUX and Super LUX figures are shipping weights as listed, so they are not a like-for-like comparison with the LED column, but they show the trend. A double-sided menorah is the better choice where people approach from both directions, such as a plaza or a median.
How to choose a size
- Measure the viewing distance. A menorah seen from a sidewalk a few feet away can be 12 to 24 inches. One seen from across a street or parking lot should be 6 feet or more. One seen from across a square should be 9 or 12 feet.
- Measure the width. A 9-foot menorah needs 7.5 feet of clear width plus room to walk around it.
- Check the ceiling or overhead clearance. Allow extra height above the menorah for assembly and for the bulbs.
- Account for elevation. A menorah in an upper-floor window looks smaller from the street, so go up one size.
- Match the base to the surface. The indoor base is 34 x 21.5 inches, weighs 28 pounds and grips hard floors with four suction cups. Outdoors, use the in-ground base on grass or soil, or add the outdoor base cover with ballast on pavement.
If you are still deciding between flame and electric, or indoor and outdoor, the companion guide on how to choose a menorah walks through those decisions first.
Height rules for a menorah used for the blessing
Size has a religious dimension as well as a visual one. In mainstream Chabad practice, which this guide follows, the lights kindled for the mitzvah should stand at least three handbreadths above the floor and preferably below ten handbreadths, commonly given as roughly 10 to 31 inches. Chabad custom places the menorah on a chair or low table in a doorway, opposite the mezuzah. Lights placed higher than 20 cubits, roughly 30 feet, do not fulfill the obligation because passersby do not notice them. That limit is why the largest public menorahs in the world, such as the one at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street in Manhattan, stop at 32 feet.
Electric display menorahs are for publicizing the holiday and are not used for the blessing, so these rules apply to the oil or candle menorah. Where a public ceremony is held on a large display menorah, candle or torch conversion kits allow a real flame. Ask your rabbi about any specific case.
Sizes above 12 feet
Above 12 feet, menorahs are usually permanent or sculptural installations. Menorah.net lists art menorahs by Yitzchok Moully at 7, 10 and 15 feet. The 15-foot stainless steel model is 180 inches tall, 120 inches wide and 54 inches deep, weighs 550 pounds and is installed by a team of three, which puts it in a different planning category from a 60-pound aluminum display menorah.
Buying several sizes
Organizations often buy a mix: a 12-foot menorah for the main event, 6-foot menorahs for satellite sites and 3-foot models for partner storefronts. Menorah.net is operated by the Lubavitch Center of Essex County, New Jersey, and is the world’s largest manufacturer of public display menorahs; its installations include the Miami Heat, Harvard University and cruise lines. Volume buyers can apply for an account on the wholesale menorahs page. Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, so large menorahs should be ordered and test-assembled well before then.
Frequently asked questions
What is the standard size of a menorah?
There is no single standard. Household candle and oil menorahs vary widely by design. Display menorahs are sold at 12 inches, 24 inches, 3 feet, 6 feet, 9 feet and 12 feet.
How wide is a 12-foot menorah?
Menorah.net’s 12-foot LED display menorah is 8.5 feet wide and weighs 60 pounds. The 9-foot model is 7.5 feet wide and the 6-foot model is 6.5 feet wide.
What size menorah fits a storefront window?
A 24-inch menorah, 23 inches wide, suits most shop windows. Choose 3 feet for a wide shopfront or a window set back from the sidewalk.
What size menorah does a synagogue need?
A 6-foot menorah fits a foyer. A 9-foot menorah suits a large lobby or the front lawn, and a 12-foot menorah is used when the lighting is a public event.
Can a 3-foot menorah go outside?
The 24-inch and 3-foot models are steel and designed for indoor use. For outdoor display, start at 6 feet, where the menorahs are aluminum and take an in-ground or ballasted base.
Is there a maximum height for a menorah?
For the mitzvah, lights should not be higher than 20 cubits, roughly 30 feet. For display there is no religious limit, but the same figure is why the tallest public menorahs are 32 feet.