The Triennial reading cycle for this week (
Shemot / Exodus 27:20 – 28:30) details the construction of the priestly
garments and that the sons of Yisrael are to bring clear oil beaten from olives to be used
to keep the menorah burning from evening until morning. God says “Ve’atah
tetzaveh et-benyi Yisrael…” telling Moshe to command the sons of Yisrael to
bring the oil for the Menorah. The English translation of “tetzaveh”
(an III-Heh verb written in the Piel imperfect form) translates the word as “charge”
27:20 ‘You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they
bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.
27:21 ‘In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony,
Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before the Lord; it shall
be a perpetual statute throughout their generations for the sons of Israel. (NASB)
The menorah overshadows the altar, the table of the show-bread, and the laver, in the holy
place but what does the menorah symbolize? The uniqueness of the menorah’s construction
and symbolism, what spiritual lessons can we learn from it?
Read More here.
