Rabbi's Derasha

I always concentrate on the transition point in this Parasha, the point at which catastrophes take over the story in the wilderness.  That is the pivot point of the Parasha and of the book as a whole.  All of the preparation for the first two and a half Parashiot runs aground in what seems to be minutes.  The ideal situation turns into the fallen situation with which we still live.  So I usually talk about that.

But this year I want to talk about an aspect of the ideal, something that comes up in the very beginning of the Parasha, well before things go awry.  There is also something to learn from the ideal.  The beginning of the Parasha marks the third time the Torah has told us about the operation of the Menora.  We heard about it in the beginning of Parashat Tetzave, as the Mishkan comes online for the first time.  Then we heard about it immediately after the listing of the Moadim in Parashat Emor.  And then this week we hear about it immediately after we read about the dedication of the Mishkan with the bringing of the offerings of each prince of each tribe.  

Parsing out these three instances reveals a very big picture, more appropriate for a full Shiur like on Tuesday night.  This is what I will speak about this coming week.  But this morning we can focus on these three times, three circumstances, where each time the Menora comes to punctuate what is happening, to illuminate [if you will] what the Torah is trying to get across.  

There is a pattern to the three instances, according to R’ Moshe Shapiro, zt’l, as each is associated with a different foundation.  When we speak about what the Torah seeks to encompass, we speak about three different foundations: place, time and man.  They are usually labeled as Olam (world), Shana (year, or time), and Nefesh, or human life.  The Menora comes up as the Torah emphasizes each foundation.   

If you look at the first instance, it comes after the layout is presented of the Mishkan itself.  A microcosm of the world, the Mishkan is the place, the stage on which everything emerges and appears.  The Menora, although it is part of the Mishkan’s operation, is also part of its structure.  This is because both light and smell (the incense) are part of a building’s structure.  

The second aspect of reality is time. That aspect introduces process, which is what gives direction.  That process has an end, the culmination of which is where all operations lead.  When the Mishkan is operating, it moves toward something.  The overall structure of the movement of Creation is growth, augmentation.  That process emerges in the calendar.  The holidays contribute not just by commemorating the past but also by directing us toward the future.  The word “Moed” comes from “Ya’ad,” which means destiny.  The Moadim are like markers on the way, reminding us of the goal toward which we are moving.  The Simcha associated with the holidays is also a sign of growth.  Joy is an expansive feeling.  

The Menora also has a role as a marker.  The second mention of the Menora, coming after the listing of the holidays, comes with the word “Edut,” or testimony.  The Menora gave daily testimony to the presence of the Shechina, the divine presence.  It did that with what we call Ner Maaravi, the western light, which never went out.  It had the same amount of oil as the others but it lasted far longer.  It expanded beyond its physical limitations in an intimation of transcendence.  

Finally, this week, the Menora comes to punctuate the offering of the tribes.  This is the introduction of the human element in Creation.  This mention of the Menora is about oneness, the unity which is the goal of man.    

None of these roles for the Menora is a surprise.  In the Chumash as a whole, it’s good advice to follow the light.  Bereishit begins with light and ends with the Aron, which refers to light.  Shemot begins with the birth of Moshe, who lights up the room.  The center of the Mishkan is the Aron, again a reference to light.  

The opening section about the creation of light mentions light five times.  That corresponds to the five books.  The Torah is called Oraita in Aramaic, which means light.  The fourth mention, which corresponds to Bamidbar, is where there is a division between light and darkness, and this book divides between a section devoted to light and the last two-thirds, which are by contrast darkness.  The Menora directs us to be aware of holy places, to mind the times which direct us toward our goal, and to fulfill our role in moving the process forward.  That is what the Torah had in mind before the catastrophes.  In pursuing our restoration, these are the ideals toward which we strive.