Building the Golden Menorah

וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מְנֹרַ֖ת זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר מִקְשָׁ֞ה תֵּֽיעָשֶׂ֤ה הַמְּנוֹרָה֙ יְרֵכָ֣הּ וְקָנָ֔הּ גְּבִיעֶ֛יהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶ֥יהָ וּפְרָחֶ֖יהָ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִֽהְיֽוּ: And you shall make a menorah of pure gold. The menorah shall be made of hammered work; its base and its stem, its goblets, its knobs, and its flowers shall [all] be [one piece] with it

Parshat Teruma discusses the building of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary that accompanied the Israelites in the wilderness. Among the many holy items constructed for the Mishkan was the Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum made of pure gold. The Menorah was to be placed in the Sanctuary and kept burning continuously, providing light to the sacred space.

The Midrash teaches that the Menorah was not an easy item to construct. According to Midrash Tanchuma, when Moshe was first commanded to create the Menorah, he had difficulty envisioning how it should look. God then showed Moshe a heavenly image of the Menorah, allowing him to properly construct it. This Midrash teaches us the importance of receiving guidance and inspiration from a higher power, especially when dealing with holy items and projects.

Rashi offers insight into the symbolism of the Menorah. He notes that the six branches of the Menorah represent the six weekdays, while the central branch represents Shabbat. This highlights the importance of Shabbat, the holy day of rest and reflection in Judaism. It also teaches us that the light of the Menorah represents the light of the Torah, which should illuminate our lives every day of the week.

Another interesting interpretation of the Menorah comes from the Baal HaTurim, Rabbi Jacob ben Asher. He notes that the word Menorah can be rearranged to spell the word “ner tamid,” which means “eternal light.” This highlights the eternal nature of the light of the Menorah, which should never be extinguished.

The Menorah also holds great significance in Jewish history. It was one of the items taken by the Babylonians when they destroyed the first Temple in Jerusalem. When the Second Temple was built, the Menorah was once again placed in the Temple and lit daily. The Talmud teaches that during the time of the Second Temple, the miracle of Chanukah occurred, when a small amount of oil miraculously lasted for eight days, allowing the Menorah to remain lit even when there was not enough oil.

The building of the Menorah teaches us about the importance of receiving divine guidance, the symbolism of the Menorah as a representation of the Torah, and the eternal nature of its light. It also reminds us of the historical significance of the Menorah in Jewish history and the miracle of Chanukah. May we continue to be inspired by the light of the Menorah and strive to fulfill the commandments of the Torah in our daily lives.