From The Archive: The Chanukah Menorah of the Rebbe

This article was originally published on December 11th, 2019, and is being republished this Chabukah.

As we approach the days of Chanukah, the “Chanukah Menorah” of the Rebbe, is presented here – in the Exhibition of Our Rebbes, at the Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad.

Despite the fact that the Rebbe received a gold menorah from one of the chasidim, the Rebbe always kindled the Chanukah lights using the present Menorah.
Likewise, the Rebbe always kept the wine for Kiddush in a glass bottle, wrapped in a paper bag. On Sukkos, he kept his Esrog in a cardboard box. The Rebbe did not agree to use a silver decanter for the wine or silver box for the Esrog, as he wrote to R. Shneur Zalmon Jaffe, on 1st Rosh Chodesh Adar 5742:

P.S. Mrs. Schneerson has mentioned to me about the question of a silver wine decanter. I certainly appreciate your good intention and desire. But for practical considerations I must take the thought for the deed. For, as a matter of principle and practice over the past 30-odd years, I prefer to use a “bagged” glass container that conceals its contents, though I have, thank G-d, silver vessels. Similarly, I do not use a silver Esrog box.

I cannot go into the reasons for the above hare. But one reason, if it will satisfy you, is that I do not wish to make a distinction between me and those surrounding me.
The remainder of the oil and wicks in the Menorah are from Chanukah 5754 (1993). At that time, the Menorah was kindled in the Rebbe’s office by his attendant, in the Rebbe’s presence.