Midrasch zu Schemot 8:5

Another interpretation (of Numb. 8:2): [WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS.] This text is related (to Is. 42:21): THE LORD WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF HIS <SERVANT'S> RIGHTEOUSNESS TO MAGNIFY AND GLORIFY TORAH. The Holy One, as it were, said to Moses: Say to Israel: It was not because I need your light that I am telling you to light a lamp.⁶Below Numb. 3:7; Tanh. Numb. 3:2; Numb. R. 15:2. Rather <I am doing so> in order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment), and so it says (in Is. 42:21): THE LORD WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF HIS <SERVANT'S> RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is written about him, as it were, (in Dan. 2:22): HE KNOWS WHAT IS IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE LIGHT DWELLS WITHIN HIM; and similarly it says (in Ps. 139:12): EVEN DARKNESS IS NOT DARK TO YOU; [FOR NIGHT SHINES AS THE {LIGHT} [DAY], AND DARKNESS BECOMES LIKE THE LIGHT]. <Scripture says these things> to inform you that I do not need you. You yourself know <this truth>. Come and see. When a person builds a house and makes windows within [his house], he wants the light to enter. <So> he makes windows narrow on the outside and broad on the inside. Why? So that the light will enter from the outside and shine on the inside. But when Solomon built the Temple, he did not make the windows like that.⁷See above Exod. 8:5; PRK 21:5; Lev. R. 31:7. Rather they were narrow on the inside and broad on the outside so that the light would go out from the Temple and shine outside. It is so stated (in I Kings 6:4): AND FOR THE HOUSE HE MADE WINDOWS BROAD AND NARROW.⁸Literally: CLEAR and CLOSED. While the Hebrew is obscure the translation here follows the Targum in order to fit the midrashic context. <This text> is to inform you that all light is his and that he has no need for some of your <light>. So why did I command you <to set up the lamps>? In order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment). It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2): WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS.⁹Beha‘aloteka et-hanerot. These words can also mean: IN ELEVATING YOU WITH THE LAMPS. Ergo (in Is. 42:21): THE LORD WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF HIS <SERVANT'S> RIGHTEOUSNESS. And not only that, but if you are careful to light lamps for my sake, I will shine a great light for you in the world to come, as stated (in Is. 60:1, 3): ARISE SHINE FOR YOUR LIGHT IS COME [….] AND NATIONS SHALL WALK BY YOUR LIGHT, EVEN KINGS BY THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR RISING.

(Numb. 8:2:) “When you set up the lamps.” This text is related (to Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness to magnify and glorify Torah.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, It was not because I need your light that I am telling you to light a lamp.³Below Numb. 3:5; Numb. R. 15:2. Rather [I am doing so] in order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment).” It is likewise written, (in Dan. 2:22), “and the light dwells within Him”; and [similarly] it says (in Ps. 139:12), “Even darkness is not dark to You; for night shines as the day, and darkness becomes like the light.” [Scripture says these things] to inform you that He does not need the lamps of flesh and blood. You yourself know [this truth]. When a person builds a house and makes windows within [his house], he makes windows narrow on the outside and broad on the inside, so that the light will enter from the outside and shine on the inside. But when Solomon built the Temple, he did not make the windows like that.⁴See above Exod. 8:5; PRK 21:5; Lev. R. 31:7. Rather they were narrow on the inside and broad on the outside so that the light would go out from the Temple and shine outside. It is so stated (in I Kings 6:4), “And for the house he made windows broad and narrow.”⁵Literally: CLEAR and CLOSED. While the Hebrew is obscure the translation here follows the Targum in order to fit the midrashic context. [This text] is to inform you that He is all light and that He has no need for its light. So why did He command you [to set up the lamps]? In order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment). It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2), “When you set up the lamps.”⁶Beha‘aloteka et-hanerot. These words can also mean, IN ELEVATING YOU WITH THE LAMPS. Ergo (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Be careful to light lamps for My sake, and I will shine a great light for you in the future to come.” It is so stated (in Is. 60:3), “And nations shall walk by your light, even kings by the brightness of your rising.”

2 (Is. 42:21) “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness to magnify and glorify Torah”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, It was not because I need your light that I am telling you to light a lamp. Rather [I am doing so] in order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment).” It is likewise written, (in Dan. 2:22), “and the light dwells within Him”; and [similarly] it says (in Ps. 139:12), “Even darkness is not dark to You; for night shines as the day, and darkness becomes like the light.” [Scripture says these things] to inform you that He does not need the lamps of flesh and blood. You yourself know [this truth]. When a person builds a house and makes windows within [his house], he makes windows narrow on the outside and broad on the inside, so that the light will enter from the outside and shine on the inside. But when Solomon built the Temple, he did not make the windows like that.¹See above Exod. 8:5; PRK 21:5; Lev. R. 31:7. Rather they were narrow on the inside and broad on the outside so that the light would go out from the Temple and shine outside. It is so stated (in I Kings 6:4), “And for the house he made windows broad and narrow.”²Literally: CLEAR and CLOSED. While the Hebrew is obscure the translation here follows the Targum in order to fit the midrashic context. [This text] is to inform you that He is all light and that He has no need for its light. So why did He command you [to set up the lamps]? In order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment). It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2), “When you set up the lamps.”³Beha‘aloteka et-hanerot. These words can also mean, IN ELEVATING YOU WITH THE LAMPS. Ergo (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Be careful to light lamps for My sake, and I will shine a great light for you in the future to come.” It is so stated (in Is. 60:3), “And nations shall walk by your light, even kings by the brightness of your rising.”