…then the fifth night…

Each night of Hanukkah, I follow the same routine. I take out the candles from the previous night and put a fresh shamash in. Then I place new candles from right to left. I light the shamash and say the blessing. Then, using the shamash, I light each candle from left to right and recite the blessing. I’m not sure if that is halachically correct, but it’s my tradition. Jewish customs and traditions like this make this unpredictable world a little more bearable for someone who needs routine.

I realize that while Judaism has set rituals, it also encourages reinterpretation and questions, which seems contradictory and comforting all at the same time.