בס”ד
A THOUGHT ABOUT PARSHAT TETZAVEH 5785
In Exodus 27:20-21 we read about the command given to the children of Israel to bring pure olive oil for the Menorah, so the lamp would burn continually.
| 20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually. | כ וְאַתָּה תְּצַוֶּה אֶת-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְיִקְחוּ אֵלֶיךָ שֶׁמֶן זַיִת זָךְ כָּתִית–לַמָּאוֹר: לְהַעֲלֹת נֵר, תָּמִיד |
| 21 In the tent of meeting, without the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall set it in order, to burn from evening to morning before HaShem; it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel. | כא בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד מִחוּץ לַפָּרֹכֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל-הָעֵדֻת, יַעֲרֹךְ אֹתוֹ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מֵעֶרֶב עַד-בֹּקֶר–לִפְנֵי ד’: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתָם, מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. |
But why was this light so essential? Not for G-d Himself, but as a testimony to Israel and to the nations.
A Light Not Needed by G-d, but for the World
This light was not necessary for G-d, as we read in Shabbat 22b:
Does (G-d) truly require the light (of the Menorah)?…Rather, it serves as a testimony to all humankind that the Divine Presence rests among Israel.
But how can this light be a testimony for the world, when the nations could not enter the Temple? The answer is found in 1 Kings 6:4 which mentions that the Temple had windows:
| 4 And for the house he made windows broad within, and narrow without. | ד וַיַּעַשׂ לַבָּיִת, חַלּוֹנֵי שְׁקֻפִים אֲטוּמִים |
These windows were uniquely designed. Typically, windows are built to allow outside light to enter, with the outer part narrower than the inner. However, in the case of the Temple, the design was reversed: the windows were narrow on the inside and wide on the outside.
Rashi (1 Kings 6:4) explains that this design had a deeper meaning. The Temple required no external light, as the presence of G-d itself was its source. The Menorah symbolically radiated this light outward, serving as a sign that the Divine Presence dwelled among the Jewish people and as a testimony to the nations.1
The Menorah’s Light and the Wisdom of Torah
This light of the Menorah was meant to always shine, with special emphasis on the night, as stated in Exodus 27:21
| 21 In the tent of meeting, without the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall set it in order, to burn from evening to morning before Hashem; it shall be a statute for ever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel. | כא בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד מִחוּץ לַפָּרֹכֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל-הָעֵדֻת, יַעֲרֹךְ אֹתוֹ אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו מֵעֶרֶב עַד-בֹּקֶר–לִפְנֵי ד’: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתָם, מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. |
he night is often seen as the most dangerous time of the day. As we read in Psalms 104:20:
| 20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. | כ תָּשֶׁת-חֹשֶׁךְ, וִיהִי לָיְלָה– בּוֹ-תִרְמֹשׂ, כָּל-חַיְתוֹ-יָעַר. |
Physically, night is when we are most vulnerable. It symbolizes the times in life when we may feel distant from G-d and His Torah. Throughout history, the Jewish people have endured much suffering, oppression, and exile, yet in even the darkest times, they have always turned to the Torah for guidance. As we read in Bava Batra 25b:
Whoever seeks wisdom should turn to the south.
The Menorah stood in the southern part of the Temple and represents the Torah, as we find in Proverbs 6:23:
| 23 For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life; | כג כִּי נֵר מִצְוָה, וְתוֹרָה אוֹר; וְדֶרֶךְ חַיִּים, תּוֹכְחוֹת מוּסָר. |
The Ramban explains that the Menorah, through the Torah, is a symbol of G-d’s eternal presence. No matter how dark the night, G-d’s presence remains constant through His Torah.
Olives and the Life Path of Torah
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi teaches in Menachot 53b that Israel is like the olive tree: just as its leaves never fall, so too the Jewish people will always endure. Rabbi Yoḥanan adds that olives yield their precious oil only when pressed—so too, the Jewish people have strengthened their commitment to HaShem and His Torah through hardship. During the Middle Ages, despite persecution, Torah learning flourished in Spain, France, and Eastern Europe, producing some of the greatest scholars in Jewish history.
Just as the olive tree’s oil is used to fuel the Menorah, which symbolizes the light of Torah, the Jewish people’s enduring wisdom has illuminated the world throughout history. Even in the darkest times, their knowledge and faith have been a beacon of light, just as the Menorah’s flame shone brightly in the Holy Temple.A powerful example of this is Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides), whose works influenced figures like the Christian philosopher Thomas Aquinas and even Muslim rulers like the Sultan, who sought his wisdom. This demonstrates how Jewish learning, under great pressure, radiated light into the world, inspiring both Jews and non-Jews alike.
A Light to the Nations and to the World
Let us return to Rashi’s explanation, which highlights that the Menorah symbolically radiated light outward, serving as a sign that the Divine Presence always dwelled among the Jewish people and as a testimony to the nations.
This brings us to the concept of Israel as an “Or LaGoyim” (a light to the nations), as described in Jesaja 42:6.2
| 6 I Hashem have called thee in righteousness, and have taken hold of thy hand, and kept thee, and set thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations; | ו אֲנִי ד’ קְרָאתִיךָ בְצֶדֶק, וְאַחְזֵק בְּיָדֶךָ; וְאֶצָּרְךָ, וְאֶתֶּנְךָ לִבְרִית עָם–לְאוֹר גּוֹיִם. |
Through the centuries, the nations have been able to see that the Divine Presence has always been with the Jewish people, as they have continually discovered new wisdom and truths in the Torah, despite—or perhaps because of—the suffering they endured.
This testimony should encourage the nations to study the Torah as well. For the light of the Torah is not only for Jews. In Sanhedrin 59a, we read:
“A non-Jew who studies the Torah is like a High Priest.”
Every person encounters personal difficulties in life, whether it’s illness, financial struggles, or other challenges that make it difficult to remain focused on G-d or continue studying the Torah. In such times, it can feel overwhelming to stay connected to our faith or to find meaning in our hardships. However, the Jewish people have shown us that it is precisely through these trials that we can experience profound learning and spiritual growth. The struggles they have faced throughout history have not only tested their endurance but have also led them to deeper wisdom and insights, teaching us that challenges can be transformative if we remain committed to learning and growing through them.
Through the study of the Torah, and especially the 7 Noahide Commandments, just as the Jews bring light to the world, non-Jews can illuminate the world by keeping the 7 mitzvot and their ramifications.
By Angelique Sijbolts
With thanks to Rabbi Tuvia Serber for his input and feedback
Sources
- See also Menachot 86b:7 ↩︎
- See also the explanation of Malbim on this verse. ↩︎
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