Many, many years ago I heard severa explanations from a Rav. The one that stayed with me (perhaps because it was the most intuitive) is that because it was assur to replicate the keilim used in the Beis Hamikdash, and the Menorah in the Beis Hamikdash had 7 lights, the rabbonim paskind that the Chanukah menorah should have 8 lights. (I’ve never confirmed where chazal bring down that is is assur to make copies of the keilim used in the Beis Hamikdash).
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