In the haftorah that
is read on Hanukah, the prophet Zechariah is given a vision of the
menorah. It is described as a
candelabrum with seven branches. Each branch has a candle on it comprised of a
cup of olive oil with a wick. Oil is supplied to each cup via a pipe from one
of two large bowls which are to the right and left of the menorah. Beside each
bowl is an olive tree which constantly replenishes it.
Before that he sees in
the vision the high priest Yehoshua being told to change out of his filthy
clothes and put on beautiful clean clothes. He is then admonished to walk in
the ways of G-d. If he does that G-d will send His servant whose name is
Tsemach (sprout, grow – צֶמַח). Also G-d is placing
before him a stone that has seven “eyes” on it. The prophesy is generally one
of redemption and concludes by saying, “Not by force nor by power, but by my
spirit says the Lord of Hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).
The obvious connection
between the haftorah and Hanukah is the menorah. The menorah, olive oil, and light
are all symbols of wisdom and education. Both Hanukah and the menorah are
associated with the oral law as opposed to the written law which is symbolized
by the chest in the Temple containing the tablets on which the Ten Commandments
are engraved. The written law is basically knowledge that we have obtained from
the Holy One, blessed be He. The oral law is basically knowledge that the Jews as
a people have acquired on their own.
The lesson of the
vision of the menorah is that over time we accumulate wisdom and this in and of
itself is what will bring the redemption. This is the idea of the G-d’s
servant, “Sprout”. The olives are going to grow and will be refined into oil
and then produce light. When there is enough light the redemption will occur.
There are two
principle ways to understand the idea of the stone with seven eyes. Eye is a
biblical idiom for aspect. Therefore the stone placed before the high priest
has seven aspects. Seven is often an expression for a large unspecified number.
Therefore it is saying that through the multiplying of religious knowledge, sin
will be removed and peace will come in its place.
Seven can also have
specific meanings for example that G-d created the world in six days and rested
on the seventh. The Redak brings a homily from the Sefer Yetzira of three
doubles opposite each other and a center which unites them all. Likewise Hashem
unites the opposite forces in the universe. This hints that there are specific
lessons that we must learn.
Hanukah is a
commemoration of a military victory. It is possible to misunderstand its
message and believe that victory basically goes to the stronger. We celebrate
the open miracle that one day’s supply of oil lasted for eight days. We also
reckon the military victory as a miracle albeit as one that is a little bit
concealed. This is because victory came to the weak and few rather than to the
mighty and many.
We also mention
factors that generally are considered irrelevant to military power specifically
that the dirty were delivered into the hand of the pure, the evil into the hand
of the righteous, and the wanton into the hand of those that were immersed in
Torah, as if these really made a difference. However, the message of the
prophet is that these are the real reasons that the Jews prevailed. In addition
we will not build the Temple and triumph in the war to end all wars through
force or power. Rather we will win because we have studied the Torah and lived
according to its precepts.
לע"נ, הסבא ,אהרן בן יוסף ז"ל
נלב"ע כז טבת תשכ"ו
Acknowledgements to websites:
תורת אמת, וויקיטקסטdictionary.reference.com/, http://hebrewbooks.org/,
Blogger English
http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com/2014/12/message-of-menorah.html
Blogger Hebrew http://dyschreiber.blogspot.com/2014/12/103.html
YouTube
http://youtu.be/jvNddFIp7GQ
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