Vzeh ma’asei hamenorah… kamareh asher her’ah Hashem et Moshe…
And this is
how the menorah was fashioned… according to the pattern Hashem had shown Moshe…
The menorah is an ancient and powerful symbol.
Its creation and design are commanded by God. Its light illuminated the Ohel
Moed during our wandering and the Beit Mikdash afterwards, until being carried
into exile, as we were, by the Romans. This is a recognizable picture to any
familiar with the Arch of Titus. For centuries, Roman Jews have refused to walk
beneath this arch, which has symbolized the end of our sovereignty in the Land
of Israel.
In Haftarah B’ha’alotcha, Zechariah sees a vision
of the menorah. An angel explains to him the meaning, “…lo b’chayil v’lo
b’choach ki im b’ruchi amar Hashem Tz’vaot; not by might and not by power, but by My spirit
said the Lord of Hosts.”
Today, the menorah stands outside the Knesset and
adorns the emblem of Israel. On the emblem, it is flanked by olive branches
with Yisrael beneath. The image of the menorah is taken from the Arch of Titus.
Its presence on the emblem represents a return from the Diaspora to the Land.
The connection of the menorah to our haftarah stands for the Jewish ideal of
peace, hope, and faith. We have
reached this point not by might and not by power, but by Spirit. With the two
olive branches representing the balance between secular and religious, the
symbol of the menorah connects our history as a great and ancient nation, but also
just as connected to our ancient religious traditions.
When David Ben Gurion declared the establishment
of the State of Israel, the chief rabbi gathered the Roman Jewish community by
the arch. Together they walked, in solemn procession, under the arch towards
Israel acting out our return. With the establishment of the modern state, the
tangible menorah may not have returned, but the one forever illuminating our
hearts burns bright.
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