THE SHAPE OF THE MENORAH

The MENORAH Is Emplyed most frequently as a Jewish symbol. But the authenticity of the different designs of the menorahs is subject to analysis. Well there are several inconsistencies between the drawings and the descriptions often used in traditional sources cited. For example the arms of the Menorah is usually portrayed in a semicircular way.

However Rashi in his commentary on the Torah (Exodus 25:32) explicitly writes that the arm is extended upward in a diagonal "In fact the Hebrew word that the Torah uses to describe the arms of the Torah Kanim, implies a straight line . What is the perspective of Maimonides? Part of the confusion with respect to the arms of the lower is because Maimonides not made a definitive explanation on this point, neither in his commentary to the Mishna, or in their Magnus Opus, the Mishene Torah. For this reason commentators were brought to the conclusion that also agrees that the arms were semicircular.

But nothing could be further from the truth, Maimonides does not describe the shape of the arms of the menorah because it is unnecessary, both in his commentary on the Mishna and in his Mishnah Torah, he added that the drawings portray the children, and opportunities in both arms extended upward in a diagonal and straight. Unfortunately when Maimonides wrote this work while there was no printing press. It was not until several centuries after his death that his text was printed in these pages and the original design was omitted.

Similarly, clear evidence of the prospect of Maimonides can be recognized in the commentary of the Torah written by his son, Abraham Rabeinu. When describing how it was made the Menorah "six arms ... extending upwards from the central axis of the lower straight draw as my father and not half as did others.

The root of the error

How did these errors occur? The source is usually accepted for the description of the Menorah is represented on the Arch of Titus in Rome. When Tito returned from the conquest of Jerusalem was to build an arch in honor of his victorious army, on the arch is a relief that includes the Menorah. The design of this arch is obviously representing an artist and not an exact replica of the smallest of the Beit Hamikdash. This is reflected by the fact that certain aspects of the lower are omitted in this representation, the child was such that legs extended from its base and the lowest on the Arch of Titus has not. Similarly the representation contains addictions, since its axis is a representation of a sea dragon, one of the false gods worshiped by the Romans.

Therefore can not rely on this relief as an accurate source on the design of the lower, particularly in light of the points at which contradicts the opinion of the chief of our people.As mentioned the Menorah is often used as a Jewish symbol. This is appropriate because our Sages teach (Talmud Menajot 86b) that the Menorah is "a testimony to all inhabitants of the world that the divine presence rests within Israel" When abuse is then that instead of drawing the symbol according to the design of the Elders of the Torah, using instead the concept of the arc that proudly states "Judea expired" .

Adapted from a talk by Rebe of Lubavitch, for Sich in english