The Menorah was one of the vessels in the Mishkan (Sanctuary in the desert in Biblical times) and later in the Beis Hamikdash (Temple in Jerusalem). It had place to kindle seven lights and was fueled by olive oil. It is described in Parshas Teruma (Shemos 25:31-40).
At the time of the Chanukah story (during the second Beis Hamikdash) the miracle of the menorah occurred when the Maccabees came to rededicate the Beis Hamikdash and only found one cruse of oil that had not been defiled by the Syrian-Greeks. Although that cruse of oil was only enough for one day, the oil miraculously burned for eight days until new oil could be obtained. The sages of the generation legislated Chanukah as a holiday, and created a mitzvah for every Jew of “Lighting the Menorah”, commemorating the miracle that occurred in their time. Intriguingly they legislated an eight day holiday, using an eight branch menorah, unlike the Menorah of the Beis Hamikdash which had seven. For a further contrast of the mitzvah of menorah in the Beis Hamikdash with the mitzvah of Menorah of Chanukah click here to listen to a Talmud Class entitled : Difference between the Menorah in Beis Hamikdash and Chanukah Menorah
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