The Seven Branches Menorah
and
the Seven Laws of Noah
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Rabbi Dr Z Aviner
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Noahidesevenlaws.com
Among the golden vessels that stood in the main sanctuary of the Holy Temple was the seven branches Candelabra called Menorah.
It has become a symbol of Judaism in the eyes of the world. For instance, the Roman Emperor Titus depicted the Menorah on his Victory Arch to celebrate his victory over Judea and Judaism.
Little did he know that the Light of the Menorah presents God’s Love and Message to all Mankind.
Soon a day is coming, and the Holy Temple will be rebuilt
and the Menorah will shine again its Light to all peoples, ushering a new world of peace on Earth.
So first, how do we know that the Menorah shines its light to the whole world?
The Talmud notices that obviously, Hashem does not need the light for Himself, but for Mankind – outside the Temple in the whole world.
A proof for this is the way the Temple windows were constructed – narrow in their opening inside the sanctuary and wider in their opening o the outside, as if to spread the light from the the Sanctuary out.
What Light does it spread?
The Light of wisdom, many say. But it must be the Wisdom of Judaism, meaning the Torah.
And if it is designed for the world,
It must be the Seven Commandments of Noah.
This makes sense. The Seven Menorah’s Candles
Present the Seven Commandments for the whole world.
Indeed, the Zohar says – the Menorah Light for the Nations is a new offer to correct what they had missed at Sinai.
When Hashem gave the Torah to Israel on Sinai He wished to give it also to Mankind, but no nation was ready to accept it. He therefore gave it to Israel who accepted it readily.
Now that the Temple is built and the Light of Torah radiates to the World, Hashem offers the Seven Commandments again to the Nations as He had intended at Sinai.
What can we learn from this analogy between the Seven Branched of the Menorah and the Seven Commandment?
For that, let’s pay attention to the location of the Menorah in the Sanctuary.
Here isa diagram showing
There were other vessels in the Sanctuary besides the Menorah, and each presented another message.
Thus, there was the Golden Table that presented a blessing for material wealth and success in this world, and the Golden Altar that presented human kingship such as the House of David.
The Rabbis attributed much significance to the specific location of each of the vessel in the sanctuary and their relation to each other.
At the west side of the Sanctuary was the Holy of Holies Chamber that was separated from the Sanctuary by a Fabrick Partition.
Behind it to the west stood the Holy Ark with the two Golden Cherubs over it.
Inside the Ark were the original Torah scroll that Moses had written in the wilderness, along with the two stone Tablets with the Ten Commandments to Israel inscribed on it.
According to Maimonides, the Menorah stood in front םf the Fabrick Partition so that the Spiritual Light of the Torah and the Ten Commandments was radiated so to speak from the Ark to the Menorah and from it to the rest of the World.
But the Light of the Torah that comes from the Holy Ark is influenced by the Two Golden Cherubs that Moses placed over the Ark.
The Cherubs had much to do with the Torah in the Ark.
As you may remember, they had faces of a boy and a girl looking at each other with Love. Their Wings also touched each other as in Love.
The Space under their Wings presented the Entrance to the Graden of Eden from Earth.
As we recall, when Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden, they passed through a tunnel called The Road to Eternal Life.
They also carried with them the knowledge of good and evil, truth and a lie.
They had already received part of the Torah, the Six of the Seven Commandment:
IDOLATRY, ADULTERY, BLOODSHED, THEFT, JUSTICE and BLASPHAMY,
From which they could – and did – violate only number 1 and 2, IDATETRY and DULTERY.
IDOLATRY – by merely disobeying Hashem’s Command about the Forbidden Tree,
ADULTERY – when the Woman, married to Adam, conferred in private with the cunning Serpent.
They could not violate in Eden the rest four – BLOODSHED, THEFT, NJUSTICE and BLASPHAMY.
These four would become meaningful only on Earth, where Mankind lives under the angel of death and form large societies.
As Adam and Eve passed through the tunnel gate from Eden to Earth, to Mount Moriah to be exact,
they passed through the Cherubs on one side and the Revolving, burning Sword on the other side, as if to say to Mankind –
Now that you are about to live and prosper on Earth, be aware that your moral trial and Judgment is not yet over. Moreover, it would be even more difficult than in Eden.
While back in Eden you were challenged by only two Commandments, IDOLATRY and ADULTERY,
henceforth on Earth you will be challenged judged by the attraction of the entire Six.
And the message to Mankind is –
Be aware of your trial. if you prevail, the two Cherubs – the two Attributes of Hashem- will bless you with material wealth and happiness presented by the Golden Table with the showbread in the Sanctuary.
But if you fail, you will be driven out not only from Earth but also be barred from ever returning to the Garden of Eden.
The Revolving, burning Sword will terminate you and your souls to nothingness.
These Six Commandments of Adam that are activated on Earth, have become the base of the entire Torah given on Sinai to Israel. Each of the 613 Commandments of Sinai can be traced to those primordial Six of Adam.
Now we see the connection between the Menorah’s Light and the Torah given in Eden.
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The origine of the Commandments is in the Garden of Eden, where Hashem gave them to Mankind as a sign of Love and guidance. Eden, by definition, is the Garden of Love.
That primordial Love and Commandments were transformed on Earth into the full Six Commandments which are the core of the entire Torah in the Holy Ark
How did the Six of Adam became the Seven of Noah?
As it happened in history, Mankind failed to keep those Six Commandments of Adam in Noah’s time
And the Revolving Sward decimated humanity by the Flood, apart from Noah.
Noah then offered his prayer on Mount Moriah and Hashem answered him by entering the Rainbow Covenant between Noah and his descendants, signed by adding a new, the Seventh Commandment- prohibiting the consumption of Blood and a living animal limb.
From thereon Mankind is obliged by the total of Seven Commandments – two from Eden and Five activated on Earth, including the one of Noah. Hence the Seven Branches of the Menorah.
Those ideas continue to play a major role also in the way the Seven Branches of the Menorah were enkindled twice daily, morning and nights.
First came the stage of cleaning the Candles from the previous day burning and preparing them for the new day.
Only then came the second stage f kindling the candles, in a specific order ordained by the Toah
Let’s focus on the cleaning. It was done in the wilderness by Aaron the High Priest himself, with great humbleness but also with great pride.
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For our discussion let’s follow the Nachmanides view that the Menorah stood not in front of the Partition but rather along the southern wall of the Sanctuary. The Candles therefore formed a straight line along the southern wall from east to west.
As the priest entered the sanctuary from the entrance at the east, he cleaned the Menorah’s’ cups at the top of each Branch, filled it with new pure live oil and set up new wicks.
In the process he could extinguish the fire from any cup besides the last one on the West that was supposed to burn forever, hence its name the Candle of Eternal Life.
Since it was located at the end of the line, it was also called the Western Candle.
Why Eternal Life?
The story goes that when Adam and his woman were driven out of Eden to confront death on Earth they lamented so much that Hashem had mercy on them and allowed them to take with them to earth a brunch of the Tree of Life. He told them that whoever owns it and keeps Adam Commandments would live forever.
Adam and Eve lived for many years and bequeathed it to Enosh who also lived many years and he to Noah.
Noah bequeathed the Brunch to Abraham down to Moses, who made from it the handle made for the Torah Scroll that he placed in the Holly Ark. As long Israel abides by the Torah, Israel will live forever.
No wonder then that the Western Candle of the Menorah is also called the Eternal Light that never extinguish, since it reflected the promise of the Tree of Life that was inside the Holy Ark close to it.
There is another reason why the Western Candle burned forever.
Since the Candles stood for the Seven Commandments, in their order, it comes out that the Western One presented Commandment number 1, IDOLATARY. It should never be allowed to extinguish, since without the believe in Hashem there is no base for the other Candles.
It explains the rule that if any candle is extinguished, the priest could use the Western Candle as a source for the new Fire. But the Western Candle itself should never be allowed to extinguish.
In a rare case when it was extinguished,
a new fire would be brought from the Altar outside in the Temple’s Courtyard.
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We can also understand why the Torah emphasizes so much the cleaning stage. The designated priest should ensure that the ensuing flames would be bright, pure and beautiful.
Israel, the designated nation of priests to Noah’s congregation of Nations should also make sure the Torah they teach is clean and pure, bereaved of any shred of IDOLATRY and superstition borrowed from the idolatrous nations.
And here is another important implication to the Seven Commandments of Noah.
The priest goes in the cleaning procedure from west to east, from one Branch to the next.
Here lies the idea that the Seven Commandments affect each other like a waterfall.
Once a person stumbles over one, he would readily be challenged by the next one.
There is much logic behind this idea.
One you’ve stumbled over IDOLATRY, and you don’t fear G-d anymore, why not having an affair with someone’s else wife, committing ADULTERY, number 2 on Adam list?
And once you’ve done that, wouldn’t you expect the offended spouse to come at you with drawn knife? Or better said, wouldn’t you attempt o get rid of the spouse o secure your relationship with your beloved one, thereby committing BLOODSHED, Adam 3rd?
And once you’ve stolen some’s wife, why not stealing his property as well, a common path to Adam’s 4th, THEFT?
And then, wouldn’t you attempt to cover up your crime to escape JUSTICE, Adam’s Fifth?
And once you’ve committed all the above, wouldn’t you realize that you’ve desecrated G-d’s Name, who made you in His Image?
The sages said that when a person becomes arrogant, worshipping himself, the Heavens makes him befall over adultery. And from thereon, he or she would continue drifting down the line of Commandments.
King David demonstrates that predicted downfall.
Being at the height of his power, at a moment of arrogance, he covets Bath Sheva, a married woman. He then places her husband at the frontline of the army so that he dies. The prophet Gad accuses David not only with adultery, murder and stealing but also for committing injustice. David would not qualify to build the Holy Temple.
In fact, the entire Book of Genesis is written as if to show us how this waterfall works.
Whereas Adam and Eve stumbled over Commandments number 1 and 2,
Noah’s generations that stumbled over BLOODSHED, number 3,
then Abraham’s generation stumbled over THEFT o its kind, which is number 4,
then came Jabob who sought Justice to its kind, Commandment number 5
and then selling Joseph, which is an act of desecration of God’s Name, violating commandment number 6.
It seems that this spiritual waterfall along the Seven Commandments is deeply engraved in our psyche. It is repeated in countless stories and movies, as a natural downfall of a character.
No wonder then that the Menorah Candles are cleansed in a specific order – from West to East – from IDOLATRY to ADULTERY then to BLOODSHED and so on.
The last candle to the East – closest to the entrance of the sanctuary – presents the Commandment number Seven, that Noah added over the Six primordial of Adam and Eve.
Thus, we see a line that connects Eden to Noah Rainbow Covenant. The Light that the Menorah radiates to the World is therefore the Light of the entire line from Eden to Noah. It presents Hashem Love for us and his wish that we would win our trial and move in history to the Sabbath, as shown in Genesis Chapter 1.
Indeed, the Seven Candles also present the Seven days of the week and the holy Sabbath
After the cleaning stage, came the kindling stage performed by separate priests.
The Torah ordained that the first one would enkindle only the first Five candles from east to west, namely Candles number 7, 6, 5, 4 and 3.
Those five Candles present the Five Commandments applicable to Mankind after Eden.
Then the priest pauses and offers the incense on the Golden Altar which present kingship of David.
Then he – or a second priest – turns to the Menorah and finishes the kindling of the remaining two Branches, that present Commandments number 2 and 1 of Eden.
Why the drastic separation of the Commandments between the five and two?
The Rabbis took that as a sign that those last two – IDLATRY and ADULTERY – would be the hardest to eradicate.
Even after Mankind overcomes the passion to violate the five sins, the two of Eden would keep challenging us.
We would still be tempted to worship ourselves,
and still be haunted by our powerful Sex Drive.
We would need a great support to overcome the passion of those last two.
That support and guidance will be provided to Mankind by the Messiah the Son of David.
This is why the incense of the Golden Altar that presents kingship was offered in between the Five and the last Two Candles of the Menorah.
We pray that the Temple will be restored and that the Kingship of David will return so that the the Messiah the Son of David will come and lead us o become Very Good in the CREATOR’S eyes so that we’ll merit to enter the Sabbah.
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