How long should the shamash be held by the candle

Place and order of lighting Hanukkah candles

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Question

Is it necessary to wait with the shamash until the flame catches well on the wick, or can one move on, and is there an issue with returning to the candle and lighting it again?

Answer

When lighting the candles, one should linger and not remove their hand from the wick until the flame catches most of the wick protruding from the oil.

Source

Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim, Siman 264, Paragraph 8); see Mishnah Berurah (Seif Katan 26) that it should be similar to the Temple; Azmera Leshimcha (Issue 118).

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