THE MITZVAH

After commanding us to construct a Shulchan (golden table) for the show-bread in the north side of the Mishkan, Hashem commands us to construct the Menorah and to place it in the south side. The Menorah is sculptured from a solid gold piece weighing one kikar (120 manah), with a central “trunk” from which emerge an additional three “branches” on each side, totaling seven lamps. It is decorated symmetrically with twenty-two long and narrow cups, eleven spheres shaped like a certain species of apple, and nine flowerlike designs. The Sages have a tradition that its height is eighteen handbreadths (approx. 1.5-1.7 meters). The wicks of the six braches on the side were turned to face toward its center (Shemos 25:31-40; Bamidbar 1-4; Menachos 28b). The Menorah alludes to many deep ideas and esoteric secrets, a selection of which will be presented here. This mitzvah has practical relevance even today, for the Kabbalists teach that the Shabbos and Chanukah lights present the Menorah in the Jewish home. Some have a custom to light seven Shabbos candles for this reason.

A ROYAL CANDELABRUM

On a simple level of understanding, Hashem commanded us to erect the Menorah next to the Shulchan in the same way a king would place a magnificent candelabrum next to his table. Light gladdens the mind because the soul is made of Divine Light, and it expands and experiences delight when exposed to light. Seven is a standard number of branches for an elegant candelabrum (Rabbeinu Bachaye).

THE CELESTIAL BODIES

On a deeper level of understanding, the Menorah symbolizes that Hashem provides illumination for His world. Its seven lamps allude to the seven significant celestial bodies (kochavei leches), namely, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the sun, Venus, Mercury, and the moon (Tanchuma 7). The central, main lamp represents the sun (Avodas HaMenorah). The Menorah is placed on the south side of the Mishkan, just as the sun runs along the equator to the south of Eretz Yisrael (Chizkuni). Its golden material resembles light. The requirement for all its parts to be made of a single piece of gold, which weighed a single kikar,the way its branches stem out from a single trunk, the way its lights turned toward the center of the Menorah — all suggests the there is a single source for all light: Hashem. Since the most basic form of idol-worship in olden times was that of the celestial bodies, and of the sun in particular, it is especially significant that Menorah proclaims Hashem’s unity with regard to them.

HOLINESS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

In addition, the Menorah alludes to the holiness that shines down into our world during the holy days of the year. The seven lamps correspond to the seven days of the week. The one in the center corresponds to Shabbos; the other six lamps turn toward it, for it is the focus of six days of the week. The twenty-two cups correspond to the twenty-two days of the festivals in the year (in the Diaspora), the eleven spheres correspond to eleven Roshei Chodesh (not including Rosh Hashanah, which is a festival), and the nine flowers correspond to eight days of Chanukah and one day of Purim (Rav Yosef Masas, cited in Mayim Chaim §277).

SYMBOL OF THE DIVINE PRESENCE

The ner maaravi (western lamp) never went out, so long as the Jewish people were worthy of this miracle. This was a constant testimony that Hashem’s Divine Presence rested amongst the Jewish people (Menachos 86b). The seven branches correspond to the seven Sefiros, all emerging from one central branch, which symbolizes Hashem’s absolute unity (Rabbeinu Bachaye).

The Menorah also symbolizes the wisdom of the Torah. This will be explained in detail in a separate article, which will appear in a future issue of Ohrnet Magazine.