A friend of mind asked me a question about the menorah that was in the temple. Their question is why was a monorah used and not a different kind of lamp? And why did they have to light the menorah? Was it used for anything or did they just have to light it?

B"H

Sharona, Shalom!

The injunction to make a menorah is actually given to us in the Torah. (Shemos 25:31). G-d also commanded : להעלות נר תמיד, viz., that there be a perpetual light burning. (ibid. 26:20)

The menorah was found, both, in the "Ohel Moed" (Tent of Convocation), as also in the first temple built by Solomon, and in the second temple.

Some say that this injunction was given in order for the menorah to represent the seven orbs (שבע כוכבים) that were known by the ancients, viz. The Sun, the moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Mercury and Venus. (They did not count the earth in this group, and although the sun is not a planet, it was counted in the seven. So, too, they had not yet known about Neptune and Pluto, while even Pluto has just recently been taken away from the classification of planets and is now associated with one of the moons of our solar system, because of its small size.)

Moses made it clear to Bezalel that he was to make the vessels used in the Tent of Convocation after the manner of those things that Moses had seen in the holy mount of Sinai. They say that the similitude of all these shapes and patterns were intended to represent the universe itself. The colours used in the tent, for example, (blue, scarlet, white, etc.) represented the earth, water, air, etc. By making a so-called replica of the universe, G-d was able to compress Himself, as it were, into the sanctuary built on earth, and to keep His divine presence (Shechinah) nigh to His beloved nation and people at all times.

David

Thanks

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