Menorah

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1. Vessels of the Mishkan

   Prof. Jonathan Grossman

   The second mention of the Menorah opens the unit discussing the priests, and expresses the service of those who do not have access to God's direct revelation. The Altar of Incense and the washing basin are not mentioned alongside the other vessels, because they are not vessels that define the Mishkan; rather, they enable the work in the Mishkan. The washing basin enables the priests to work in the Mishkan, while the incense enables the Divine Presence to dwell in the Mishkan without endangering the people.

2. Wall or Doors

   Haftarot: Shabbat Hanuka

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   After speaking out against the nations who have disrupted the lives of those who have returned to Zion, the prophet turns to the Jewish nation and explains that the nature of the redemption will be determined by them.

3. "When You Kindle the Lamps"

   Rabbanit Sharon Rimon

   Why is the Menorah discussed on three different occasions in the Torah? What is the significance of the Menorah in the context of its appearance in Bemidbar? An analysis of the appearances of the Menorah and the oil throughout the Torah demonstrates that the lighting of the Menorah holds special significance, symbolic of the relationship between the nation of Israel and the Mishkan - a relationship that is expressed in the book of Bemidbar as well.

4. The Function of the Temple Menora

   Rabbi Moshe Taragin

    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?

5. Routine in Tanakh

   Elisheva Brauner

6. Two Reasons for Reading Zekharya’s Vision as the Haftara of Shabbat Chanuka

   Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein

   What is the connection between Chanuka and the passage from Sefer Zekharya read as the haftara on Shabbat Chanuka? This article closely examines the text of the haftara and highlights a number of key connections between the two time periods relating to the choice of Jewish identity over cultural assimilation, and the potential for redemption yet ultimately settling for an incomplete realization of the goal. 

7. Menorah and Oil Miracles in Tanakh

   Elisheva Brauner

8. Zerubavel and the Menorah

   Rabbi David Silverberg

9. “And You Shall Make a Menora of Pure Gold”

   Rabbi Gad Eldad

   The command concerning the menorah in Parshat Teruma seems to be out of place, and linguistically difficult. The command is addressed throughout in the second person singular, to Moshe, including the conclusion, which describes the purpose of the vessel – up to and including the making of the lamps. The instruction to light the lamps, however, is formulated in the third person (“he shall light…”). Through a close analysis of the text we can learn about the unique dual nature of the Kohen as both a servant of God and a representative of Bnei Yisrael. 

10. Rav Amital on God's Commandment and Message for Aharon

    Rabbi David Silverberg

11. Sefer Zekharya: Optimistic Visions

    Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky

    Yehoshua, the Kohen Gadol is a survivor who has returned to lead his people in the service of the Temple that had been destroyed. Despite his imperfections, Yehoshua is appointed to a prominent position due to this status as a survivor.

    Like Yehoshua, the people are perhaps not fully innocent and worthy. Still, just as in the high priest’s poignant story, they are all deserving of consolation after the trauma they have endured. Therefore, God will ensure the success of their endeavors.

    As in the imagery of the rock, the seven-pronged menora indicates that God’s providence will ensure the success of the rebuilding. Once again, as opposed to Haggai, Zekharya’s message is not an instruction to build, but that the project will succeed. Despite its humble start, no one should “scorn a day of small beginnings.” The method for achieving those steps is not by military might, but through spirituality.

    The olive trees would appear to signal the durability of Zerubavel and Yehoshua’s leadership. God’s eyes will watch over the community and its leaders, ensuring the survival of the imperiled community.

12. Terumah: Is There a Face Hiding in the Tabernacle?

    Rabbi David Fohrman |

    In Parshat Terumah, we are given explicit details about how to build the mishkan, the Tabernacle that traveled with the nation of Israel through the wilderness. In this video, Rabbi Fohrman suggests that the mishkan might represent a hidden 'face' - and asks us to think about who we really are, our physical bodies, or the souls that lies behind them?

     

    If you enjoyed this video, please visit AlephBeta.org to watch more.

13. “And You Shall Make a Menora of Pure Gold”

    Rabbi Baruch Gigi

    In reviewing the command to construct the menora, we discover an inherent tension in the verses. The command opens with the words:

    “And you shall make a menora of pure gold; of beaten work [or, “all of a piece”] shall the menora be made: its shaft, and its branches, its bowls, its bulbs, and its flowers shall be of the same.” (Shemot 25:31)

    There is a tension between the active command “you shall make” and the passive description “it shall be made.”

    Through an analysis of the text we will attempt here to understand God’s demand of Moshe and the actual execution of the command. Thereafter, we will address the ramifications of the meaning of these verses for our worldview.