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The Menorah - Parashat Beha’alotecha 5778, June 1, 2018

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This week’s parasha, Parashat Beha’alotecha, records the transition of b’nei yisrael from ascendant nation on the cusp of entering the Land of Israel to a nation beset by self-inflicted challenges blocked in its path to inheritance of the Land and speedy redemption. This transition is marked by the well-known passage, “It came to pass, when the Ark journeyed forth, that Moshe said: Arise, O G-d, so that Your enemies may be scattered and those that hate You flee from before Your Countenance. And when it gently came to rest, he said: Return, O G-d, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel.” These passages are set off from the text by the presence of one “inverted letter nun” before and after.

In the first section of the parasha – the ascendant section – the Torah renews its description of the mitzvah of the menorah, the candelabra. The menorah was (and will be in the time of the third Temple) a central light connected to a base and accompanied, in two directions, by six branches – three in each direction. Aharon and his descendants were commanded to maintain a lit menorah in the Mishkan, and later in the Temple, at all times. It is this menorah which miraculously remained lit during the Chanukah story.

Our rabbis discuss the placement of the menorah in the Mishkan. One position maintains that the menorah was placed in a north-south orientation, perpendicular to the opening to the Holy of Holies. According to this understanding, the central light was directed west, towards the Holy of Holies and the lights on the branches were directed towards the center (north to south and south to north, respectively). The other position maintains that the menorah was placed in an east-west orientation, parallel to the opening to the Holy of Holies. According to this understanding, the central light was directed upwards and the lights on the branches were directed towards the center (east to west and west to east, respectively).

In his commentary on the Chumash, Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch elucidates each of the positions in this discussion. To understand his explanation, one must first understand that each design element of the Mishkan and the vessels used to serve Hashem within the Mishkan convey a message, an idea, regarding Hashem or His relationship with the Jewish People and the world. (Regarding the aron as one such example of this phenomenon, see my article in this publication, Parashat Terumah 5778).

Regarding the second position mentioned above – that the menorah was placed in an east-west orientation, parallel to the opening of the Holy of Holies – Rav Hirsch explains that the light burning in the Mishkan conveys to the onlooker the idea of the spirit rising upward to Hashem. The western lights shining eastward away from the Holy of Holies conveys that from the Torah contained within the Holy of Holies, and from G-d’s nearness which is manifest there, an outpouring of knowledge will radiate to the people of Israel, who await in the east. The eastern lights shining westward towards the Holy of Holies conveys that the Jewish People, who await the light of holiness, must enlighten their eyes and revitalize their hearts in Hashem’s Torah and its promises. The spirit of the Torah, as embodied by the Jewish People, and our devotion to this spirit are both directed towards the goal of rising and ascending to Hashem. (This paragraph liberally excerpts from The Hirsch Chumash translated by D. Haberman)

This is the final publication of this newsletter for this school year. When looking back on our teachers’ and students’ hard work and accomplishments in Judaic Studies this year, what most stands out is the connection and relationship that our students have forged with Torah. Our Celebration of Learning Night program last week showcased so many examples of this hard work and the fruits of their labor. Creating such a bond is difficult and requires knowledge, skills, thinking, practice and mentoring. However, once forged, such a bond does not easily break and often lasts a lifetime. The critical importance of this relationship between the student of Torah and Torah itself and the elevating impact that this bond has on one’s connection to Hashem is illustrated by one of the central vessels in the Mishkan – the menorah.


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