A. Lighting or Building?
This week’s Torah reading opens with the command to kindle lights in the Holy Temple (Source 1). Why, asks the Rebbe, does the Torah again tell us that the menorah must be built from one solid block? This was mentioned earlier, when describing the Temple vessels, and here the discussion is not regarding the vessels themselves.
B. Seven Lights, Seven Kinds of Jews
In the Haftarah reading, we read of the prophet Zechariah’s vision of a menorah with seven branches (Source 2). The midrash notes that unlike other prophets, Zechariah always saw the good in the Jewish people, referring to them as “a menorah of solid gold” (Source 3).
The Alter Rebbe explains that the seven branches of the menorah represent seven kinds of Jews, each of whom serve G-d in a different way. The High Priest’s duty is to “illuminate the lights,” (Source 4) and help them flourish and grow in their Divine service.
The verse states: “The seven lights should shine facing the menorah,” all the lights must shine in one direction. How can these seven kinds of Jews all shine in the same direction, asks the Rebbe. They are each so different from one another, how can each shine its light the same way?
The explanation is that the menorah was crafted from one solid block of gold. Rashi explains how exactly it was done (Source 5), and the midrash describes how challenging it was (Source 6). Being that all seven branches – the seven kinds of souls – were all made of one solid block of gold, they remained one piece. Even as they each adopted their own unique style, they still retained the same objective: to illuminate the world with G-dliness.
3. A Unified Purpose
Judaism appreciates the diversity of people; different Jews have different approaches to serving G-d. But despite these differences, the overarching goal remains the same: lighting up the world. Like Zechariah saw all Jews as “pure gold,” the High Priest of each generation must see the good in every Jew and encourage them to be unified in their Divine service.
Story – “I have given you the match“.
