Commentaire de citation sur L’Exode 40:24

After mentioning the holidays that require a fire-offering [23:37], Scripture must discuss the showbread [:5]. First, however, Scripture interposes the passage of pure olive oil because the Lamp stood directly opposite from the bread table.

בהעלותך את הנרות, “when you light the lamps, etc.;” this command was issued on the day that the Tabernacle had been erected (and stayed up) because they started to light the lamps in order to teach that these lamps burned throughout the night, also. The light in the Tabernacle was like an eternal flame (Ibn Ezra) We find something similar in connection with the prophet Samuel, (Samuel I 3-4) 'ונר אלוקים טרם יכבה״״ויקרא ה אל שמואל“the lamp of G-d had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Temple, when G-d called to Samuel.” (Chavell directs the reader to the commentary known as karney or, to follow up on this subject) בהעלותך את הנרות אל מול פני המנורה, “when you kindle the lamps towards the front of the menorah;” the priest or High Priest performing this procedure was to take up position facing the seven lamps on the menorah. As a result, the lights would all illuminate. The words: אל מול פני המנורה, do not refer to the words that follow: יאירו שבעת הנרות, as understood by Rashi, but as is clear from what Aaron actually did as reported in the verse following, אל מול פני המנורה העלה נרותיה, “he had lit the lamps while facing them.”A different interpretation: the words בהעלותך את הנרות, are to be understood literally. i.e. “when you raise the lamps;” you will then place the wicks in their positions. They are not considered as fixtures in their respective positions, seeing that we have read in Exodus 37,17: ויעש את המנורה, “he constructed the candlestick,” and subsequently we read: (Exodus 37,23) ויעש את נרותיה שבעה ומלקחיה, “and he made the lamps thereof, seven, and their tongs;”“ ,אל מול פני המנורה יאירו שבעת הנרות He turned the seven mouths for the wicks towards the center shaft of the front of the candlestick, which faced the dividing curtain in the Sanctuary which was hung between the Sanctuary and the innermost holies housing the Ark. This would make sense according to the sage who claims that the position of the menorah was in a north-south direction i.e. its broadside was facing the dividing curtain, in one direction whereas the opposite broadside faced the entrance of the Sanctuary. According to the sage who claims that the menorah was positioned in an east-west direction, it would have faced the Table in the Sanctuary. This is how we can interpret what is written in Exodus 4,24: וישם את המנורה נוכח השולחן, “he placed the menorah opposite the Table.”

ותקע, was dislocated, separated. We find the word as having a similar meaning in Jeremiah 6,8 פן תקע נפשי ממך; “lest My essence not become separated from you (Israel).” Whereas in the words ירך the emphasis is on the first syllable, in verse 33 in the word הירך the emphasis is on the letter ר, seeing that there it is used as a noun, whereas here it appears in an adjective mode. Whenever ירך appears in a construct form (Exodus 40,24, i.e. as something subordinate, its stress is on the first syllable) Also the kametz changes to a segol, as the word in unadorned mode is yarech and not yerech. [the author quotes parallels from the word gezel and gazel, respectively, claiming that the unadorned noun for robbery is gazel not gezel. He makes the same claim for the words geder and gader (fence) respectively. [In modern Hebrew the latter is accepted whereas “robbery,” גזל, does not appear with a kametz, but the difference between the construct mode and the unadorned noun is merely that the latter has a chataf segol instead of a regular vowel segol. Ed.]

Five on the right and five on the left. It is impossible to say five were on the right side of the entrance and five were on the left of the entrance, if so, we find a candlestick on the north [side] and the Torah states, “on the south side of the Tabernacle.”⁶⁵Bamidbar 3:29. The verse quoted by Rashi describes the location where the Kehas family encamped. It is not stated in reference to the candlestick. See Shemos 26:35 and 40:24 for the location of the candlestick. Therefore, Moshe’s [candlestick] was in the middle, five [candlesticks] on its right and five on its left.