Chanuka candles may not be used during the time they are lit. This halakha (among others) indicates a halakhic association between the menora we light and the one lit in the Mikdash (whose oil is not to be used for non-hekdesh purposes). In light of this linkage, this article will analyze the menora of the Mikdash. What is the function of the menora, and what is its relationship with the Mikdash? What is the purpose of the Mikdash? What is the difference between an ideal menorah and a less-than-ideal one?

Courtesy of the Virtual Beit Midrash, Yeshivat Har Etzion