Parshah Tetzaveh - Exodus 27:20-30:10
Torah Reading for Week of March 1-7, 2009 |
The Menorah is one of the oldest and most recognisable symbols of Judaism and, while the Star of David is used on Israel’s Flag, it is Zechariah’s Menorah with two olive trees, one on each side, that has become the emblem of Israel. To understand why the Menorah is such a powerful symbol in both Judaism and the State of Israel, we need to look to Scripture.
In this week’s Torah portion we see that it is God’s Design. When God met with Moses and instructed him to build the Tabernacle, one of the things he was told to make was a seven branched golden candlestick – the Menorah, which he made according to the pattern God showed him on the mountain. Exodus 25: 31-40 tells us that it was to be decorated with cups shaped like almond flowers, with buds and blossoms reminding us of Aaron’s Rod which blossomed and even produced almonds overnight (Numbers 17:8). Josephus, the 1st Century Jewish Historian, describes the Menorah that Bezaleel made for Moses as having knops, and lilies, and pomegranates, and bowls (the ornaments amounted to seventy in all).
But what did it actually look like? Moses’ original Menorah has disappeared. In the Jewish tradition, it is believed to have been taken and hidden by an Angel, who will then return the original to its rightful place when the Temple is restored. Our idea of the Menorah comes from a wall relief on the Arch of Titus (shown above) which shows the Romans carrying away items from the Temple after its destruction in AD70, and from it we get the familiar design that we all know - 6 curved branches extending from the central stem on a tiered base. However, many Jewish scholars believe that the original Menorah looked quite different. Its branches straight, not curved, and its base a tripod.
Many Menorahs were made; the first, of course, was the Mosaic one. Solomon had another ten made for the Temple. But some of these were plundered by the Babylonians when Jerusalem fell in 586BC.
“So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the LORD: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence, the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, before the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold.” (1 Kings 7:48-49)
Zerubbabel probably used one of these when he restored temple worship. The last Menorah that we know of was made by the Maccabees for the Temple which had been plundered by Antiochus Epiphanies around 170BC. But it has also been suggested that Herod had one made and it is this one that was carried away and this is the one depicted on the Titus Arch, and that this accounts for the pagan influences seen on it - for example, the sea dragon. It has also been suggested that this Menorah is the artist’s impression as well as a historical record of the conquest.
Although many believe that it was one of Solomon’s ten Menorahs that is shown and some historians believe that later when the Temple artefacts were stolen from Rome to be taken to Carthage the ships sank in a storm. So perhaps the lost menorah lies on the seabed in the Mediterranean. Though others even claim it is deep in the vaults of the Vatican. And it is even reported that in 1996 Israel’s Minister of Religious Affairs asked Pope John Paul to help find Israel’s ancient Menorah.
The Menorah represents many things. The seven branches of the Menorah are said to represent the seven days of the creation of the universe guided by the light of God. They are also seen to represent the number of the planets: or even the seven days of the week, the central one representing the Sabbath.
The rabbi’s explain that the purpose of the menorah was not to illuminate the Sanctuary, but rather to spread its light throughout the entire world. They believed that the Menorah was a symbol of light and that Jerusalem was the light of the world. It is said that the Temple’s windows were unique in that they widened from the inside out so that the light would shine outwards. I think that reminds us of Israel’s calling to be a Light to the Nations.
"I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.” (Isaiah 42:6)
The Menorah was lit every afternoon by the priest. One of the lamps, called the “western Lamp”, while receiving the same amount of oil as the rest, continued to burn even when the rest gave out. According to tradition it is because the light of the Menorah represented God’s presence. Also, according to tradition, the Menorah was lit from the fire from the altar and the priest lit first the Western Lamp and then lit the rest from this one just as we do at Chanukah – we light the servant candle first and each night we light the candles one by one from it and we rejoice in the symbolism of Yeshua who is the light of the world and who came as a servant to bring us the light of salvation and who shines his light in our hearts.
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)
“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9)
Interestingly, the rabbis talk about how we have a role as priests to kindle the light of God in others. Let me here quote a Jewish commentator: “For this reason the highest mode of giving charity to the poor is to set the needy person up in business, while in spiritual matters the goal is to ignite the flame of the person's ‘lamp’ so that he or she can then ignite and inspire others.” Sound like a model for evangelism and discipleship.
“... You, yourselves, like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
Ultimately, the Menorah reminds us that Yeshua said that He is the Light of the world and that when we follow Him we will be filled with the Light of Life. Just as God led the Children of Israel through the desert with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night so too He will never leave us floundering lost and alone in the darkness. He offers us Yeshua and a well lit path that will lead us to Himself. And as He fills us with His light, both as individuals and corporately as the Body of Messiah, we become God’s Menorah. We are to be light shining in the dark world in which we live pointing others to Yeshua the Messiah whom the Father sent to seek and to save the lost.
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