פירוש על שמות 27:20

ואתה תצוה ... זך CLEAR — without lees; and this was effected not by straining the oil but as we learn in Treatise Menachoth 86a “He lets it (the olive) ripen on the top of the olive-tree etc.”

Scripture states here, and thou shalt command [and does not say, “command the children of Israel”], because He always said with reference to the Tabernacle and thou shalt make,¹Above, 25:11, etc. which means by your command [i.e., “you Moses command them to do it”]. Therefore He said here “and you yourself command them that they bring to you the oil for the light.” [It says that they bring and not “that they make”] because they had no way of making the oil in the wilderness; [therefore they were told] to bring it if they had it in reserve. Actually it were the princes that brought it.²Further, 35:27-28.

ואתה תצוה, If, prior to this admonition, the Torah introduced its instructions with the words ועשית, “you will do, etc.,” the meaning had been that Moses was not to do this personally, but that he was to delegate the tasks in question. The formulation ואתה, however, means: “and you personally.” He, personally, was to issue instructions to the Israelites concerning providing the oil for the Menorah. He, personally, was to assemble Aaron and his sons and to address all the חכמי לב, “wise-hearted people.” (28,1 and 28,3)

You shall command the B’nei Yisrael. This is the only parshah in the Torah since Moshe first appears in which he is not mentioned (outside of the book of Devarim in which he is the narrator). This is in fulfillment of the curse that he proclaimed against himself, “[And if not,] blot me out from Your book” (Shemos 32:32). Although this curse was conditional upon God’s refusal to forgive the people for the sin of the Calf, the curse of a scholar is fulfilled in some way, even when made conditionally. The expression “command” is used in connection with both the oil and the daily sacrifice (Bamidbar 28:2) because both entail a daily expense and therefore need reinforcement.

ואתה תצוה, "And you shall command, etc." We need to explore why the Torah had to write the words "and you," seeing G'd had been speaking to Moses continuously; He had not spoken to anyone since He commenced chapter 25. Moreover, why did the Torah write תצוה instead of merely צו (as in Leviticus 6,2). Why did G'd employ an imperative altogether? Our sages in Torat Kohanim at the end of Parshat Emor have written a number of commentaries about this, such as that the word צו is employed when performance of the commandment involves a financial outlay by the person who is to fulfil the commandment.

ואתה תצוה, whereas in 25,2 Moses had been told by G’d to raise the donations for the building of the Tabernacle with the words ויקחו לי תרומה, and that had referred to a one time contribution, now Moses is instructed of the ongoing obligation to provide oil for the Menorah in the Tabernacle. The syntax has been changed here with the introduction of the word תצוה, “you will command.” Whenever that root occurs the subject matter it addresses is one of ongoing importance, not a commandment to be carried out only once, only because of special circumstances. This principle has been spelled out by Torat Kohanim in Leviticus at the beginning of Parshat Tzav, as well as in Sifrey on Parshat Nasso section 1.

ואתה תצוה, “and you are to issue instructions, etc.” Moses has not been mentioned by name in this portion, seeing that he had said to G’d that He should erase his name from His Book. (Exodus 32,32) Although Moses had said this conditionally, i.e. if G’d were to kill the Jewish people as punishment for the sin of the golden calf, we have a rule that a curse of a sage, even if uttered only as something conditionally, is taken by G’d at face value. (Zohar Chadash, 60) Other commentators explain the absence of the mention of Moses’ name here as due to the subject matter following being the priestly garments of Aaron, the High Priest. Originally, Moses himself had been slated to be the High Priest. The fact that this honour was now being given to Aaron, might have produced a certain amount of regret on Moses’ part if he had heard his name mentioned as being part of transferring this rank to his brother. To forestall as much as possible any feelings of sorrow on Moses’ part, the Torah referred to him anonymously. After the Torah had completed its instructions about the building of the Tabernacle, it gave directives concerning the illumination that was to be part of the daily service in the Sanctuary. The reason that the Torah mentions the priesthood of Aaron at this juncture, is because he was the one who would attend to lighting the menorah on a regular basis. Seeing that the Torah had already revealed the status of Aaron as the High Priest, it continued by describing the special garments to be worn by the High Priest when he was not inside the Sanctuary. This is also the logical place when the details of the golden altar, the altar on which the incense was offered are described another task performed by Aaron both in the morning and in the afternoon of every day. It was important to inform us that the golden altar did not serve the purpose of sprinkling the blood of sacrificial animals upon it.

Without sediment . . . Rashi explains this, lest we ask: How can oil have no sediment? It says in Bava Metzia 40a: R. Yehudah says that even refined oil has one and a half logim of sediment per one hundred logim of oil. This shows there is no oil without sediment. Therefore Rashi explains: “As we have learned . . . ‘He lets it ripen. . .’”

V. 20. Wir haben schon oben Kap. 25, 6 bemerkt, wie dort "Öl zur Leuchte" mit unter den Gegenständen aufgeführt wird, die zur Herstellung des Heiligtums zu spenden sein sollen. Es und das ebenfalls dort aufgeführte קטרת, obgleich beide im engeren Sinne der עבודה und nicht dem מקדש angehörig, drücken doch, als Erleuchtung des Geistes und in Gottes Wohlgefallen aufgehende Vollendung der Tat, zusammen das ganze Ziel der Menschenveredlung aus, dem das מקדש als Werkzeug dienen soll, und dessen Ausdruck somit wesentlich zur Gesamtdarstellung des מקדש gehört. (Auch als עבודה, in der Diensterfüllung sind נרות und קטרת mit einander, ja in einander innig verbunden. Siehe Kap. 30, 7—8.) Von קטרת kann hier noch nicht die Rede sein, da die Herstellung des מזבח הקטרת erst später angeordnet wird. Indem somit hier sofort nach vollendeter Anordnung des zu bauenden Heiligtums das Weitere über den "Dienst der Leuchte" folgt und zwar der Bestimmung hinsichtlich der Priestergewänder vorangeht, so ist damit einerseits die עבודת הנרות, die "Pflege der Leuchte" als der Zeit nach allen übrigen Erfüllungen vorangehende Obliegenheit gezeichnet, da die aus dem Gesetz zu schöpfende Geisteserleuchtung die Mutter der Taterfüllung ist, גדול תלמוד שמביא לידי מעשה; andererseits ist damit die wesentliche Bestimmung des כהן als Pfleger der aus der תורה zu schöpfenden Erleuchtung gezeichnet — שפתי כהן ישמרו דעת ותורה יבקשו מפיהו — und diese Charakterisierung zum Verständnis der Priestergewänder notwendig, deren Anfertigung in den gleich hierauf folgenden Sätzen angeordnet wird.

.ואתה תצוה “and you are to command;” after G-d had completed giving Moses the instructions about all the work pertaining to the Tabernacle, He informed him how to ensure that it would be illuminated inside, [seeing that it did not have any windows. Ed.] This is similar to how He had proceeded when He created the universe. He created the sun and moon only after the earth had already produced vegetation on the third day. (Compare Genesis 1,111,14.) The commandment mentioned here became effective only in Numbers 8,1. How are we therefore to understand our verse here? G-d instructed Moses that when the time is ripe, after the Tabernacle has been constructed, the people should supply him with the appropriate kind of oil for lighting the lamps on the candlestick. תצוה את בני ישראל, “you are to command the Children of Israel;” we note that G-d used a different word for instructing Moses here as the command would not have to be carried out immediately but only some time in the future, seeing that it was still seven months before the Tabernacle would become operational.

כתית BEATEN — he pounds the olives in a mortar and must not grind them in a mill, so that there may be no lees; and after he has thus extracted the first drop of oil he may bring them into the mill and grind them. The second oil (that obtained by grinding) is unfitted for use in the candelabrum but is permissible for the meal-offerings (which had to be mingled with oil) since it is said here, “Beaten for the light”, and hence it is not essential that it should be beaten for the meal-offerings (Menachot 86a; cf. Rashi on Exodus 29:40).

The meaning of the word eilecha (unto thee) — [that they bring ‘unto thee’ pure olive oil] is that they were to bring it to Moses and he would see if it was pure and beaten properly. A similar intent is present in the verse, Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee [pure olive oil beaten for the light].³Leviticus 24:2.

ויקחו אליך, as the need would arise in the future, after the Tabernacle had been completed. The people should not think that donating oil for the Menorah now was the only time that this commandment would be actual. It would have to be replaced from time to time as the supply kept would become depleted on an ongoing basis.

זך, free from sediments. The olives are to be crushed in a mortar for if they were to be ground in a mill the result would not be satisfactory.

ואתה תצוה, according to Ibn Ezra, Moses was to issue a directive to the community of the Jewish people at large, to provide top quality olive oil for the lamps on the menorah. The community at large was similarly instructed to donate the funds for the mandatory daily communal offerings, described in the Torah by G’d as קרבני לחמי, ”My offering, My food.” (Numbers 28,2) Nachmanides writes that seeing that in connection with the donations of the materials for the Tabernacle the Torah had constantly added the word: ועשית, “you are to make out of it, etc.,” so here too the idea of determining which oil qualified for lighting the menorah was not left to the good judgment of the community at large, but the Torah writes ויקחו אליך, “they will present it to you,” i.e. you will then examine it if it measures up to the required degree of refinement. One of the reasons the Torah did not leave the refining of this oil up to each individual Israelite, was that they did not possess the tools to refine the oil to that degree. They could only donate what they had taken with them out of Egypt, if it had remained in good condition. In fact, the princes brought the kind of refined olive oil fit for kindling the menorah. The meaning of the words את בני ישראל, [if they did not have such oil, was Moses to command people who did not have it to bring it as a contribution? Ed.] is that Moses himself was to accept from the Israelites whatever grade of olive oil they were willing to donate for the cause. The words are to be understood in the same way as the opening line in Parshat Terumah, מאת כל איש אשר ידבנו לבו, “from every person whose generous heart moves him to donate, etc.”

He lets it ripen on top of the olive tree. . . Meaning: he picks the olives growing at the top of the tree, one from here and one from there, because these olives are well ripened and do not have sediment.

Perhaps another reason is the very fact that lighting lamps in a Sanctuary which is supposed to be the source of our enlightenment seemed quite inappropriate. The Torah had to tell Moses that such considerations not withstanding, Aaron was to light the lamps on the Lampstand. This commandment was not given to Israel by G'd, for the reason I have just mentioned, but Moses himself (in his own name) should proceed to instruct the Israelites as a sign that they should honour the Lampstand by providing the oil to light its lamps. By saying to Moses ואתה, G'd hinted that the directive was to appear as if it had emanated from Moses rather than from G'd. By telling Moses to "command" the Israelites rather than merely to "speak" to them as was the norm, this served to make the matter more urgent in their eyes. Had G'd used the normal form of address the Israelites would not have felt especially urgent about this directive. G'd meant for Moses to add his own exhortation to that of G'd. The expression תצוה rather than צו was meant to make the directive appear as having emanated from Moses rather than from G'd Himself. G'd mentioned to Moses that although the directive was phrased as תצוה, and not as תדבר, and this was to convey the impression that it emanated from him, this was no reason to treat it more lightly than if it had appeared to emanate from G'd Himself. Using the root צו rather than the root דבר was meant to ensure that the people would relate to this commandment with urgency, eagerly. The combination of the use of the root צו on the one hand and the future tense as expressed by תצוה rather than the imperative צו, were meant to achieve that the donations for the oil should be motivated by the desire of the donors to honour the Tabernacle, i.e. to honour G'd. At the same time the fact that the directive appeared to emanate from Moses rather than from G'd was not to result in it being considered as an unimportant command. Perhaps the words: "and they shall take to you (pure olive oil)," are an expression of the nature of this commandment, i.e. that the people should feel they bring it to Moses, personally, not to Moses in his capacity as G'd's representative.

ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל. "Du", als Überbringer des Gesetzes, dessen Erkenntnispflege durch diese Versorgung der Leuchte für alle Zeiten in allererster Linie als Pflicht vergegenwärtigt werden soll, תצוה, lege es ihnen als besondere Pflicht auf, wie überall, wo ein Gebot מיד ולדורות, sofort und für alle Zeit erteilt werden soll, וביותר שיש בו חסרון כיס vor allem da, wo es gilt, materielle Güter für geistige, ideelle Zwecke zu opfern, deren Gewinnst nicht sofort greifbar erscheint — nach der Bemerkung der Weisen — der Ernst der Verpflichtung mit besonderem Nachdruck hervorgehoben wird. — את בני ישראל und so auch V. 21 wiederholt: מאת בני ישראל, die Sorge für die Geistespflege soll allgemeines Anliegen der Gesamtnation bilden, nicht Kastenangelegenheit der Priester sein. Das "Öl" der Nation soll sich zum Lichte der תורה darbieten; der Baum des Nationalgeistes, nicht des Priestergeistes, ist in der מנורה vergegenwärtigt. Ist doch in tief charakterisierender Weise nur הטבת נרות: die tägliche Versorgung mit Leuchtmitteln und des das klare, helle Leuchten bedingenden Zustandes der Lampen, eigentlich עבודת כהונה, das Anzünden selbst durfte erforderlichen Falls selbst durch einen "Nichtpriester", einen "Laien" geschehen, הדלקה לאו עבודה היא (Joma 25 b; Maim. ביאת המקדשי IX,7).

ויקחו אליך, “they will bring to you;” in order that you will be able to see inside the Tabernacle when you enter it and when you wish to leave it. The point G-d is making is that it is not He for Whom the lamps of the candlestick have to be lit. The best proof for this is that the candlestick stood in the Sanctuary, not in the Holy of Holies from which it was separated by a heavy curtain, the latter being in absolute darkness. Not only that, but at the beginning of the chapters dealing with the Tabernacle, G-d had said: “they shall donate a contribution for Me,” whereas here this contribution was to be for Moses.

להעלות נר תמיד TO CAUSE THE LIGHT TO BURN (lit., to ascend) CONTINUALLY — he must enkindle it until the flame ascends by itself (Shabbat 21a).

The meaning of the expression of the children of Israel,⁴Verse 21. is that they bring you the oil from the children of Israel, from whoever has it in his possession, just as He said, of every man whose heart maketh him willing.⁵Above, 25:2. Similarly He said, And bring thou near unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him,⁶Further, 28:1. meaning that you yourself are to call them and give them the tidings of this distinction. And thou shalt make them holy garments⁷Ibid., Verse 2. means by commanding the wise men who wrought the work as was done with all the work of this pattern.⁸I Chronicles 28:19. Likewise, And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted⁹Further, 28:3. means that Moses himself is to speak to them, for he will recognize their qualifications and know which is the work that ought to be given over to each of them. Now because He said, And bring thou near;⁶Further, 28:1. And thou shalt make,⁷Ibid., Verse 2. it was necessary that He explain, And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted […that they make Aaron’s garments],⁹Further, 28:3. for it was by the command of Moses that they were to make the garments,¹⁰For one might have thought that since Verse 1 [And bring thou near unto thee…] means that Moses himself is to speak to Aaron and his sons, as explained above, Verse 2 following [And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron…] also means that Moses himself is to make them; hence it was necessary to explain in Verse 3 [And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted… that they make Aaron’s garments], meaning that they are to be made in the same way as the rest of the work. as was the case with the rest of the work of which it is said, See, I have called by name Bezalel etc.¹¹Further, 31:2.

ויקחו אליך, “they shall take it to you,” i.e. for your benefit, seeing you are charged with the task of having the Tabernacle constructed, G’d is at pains to make clear that if the Israelites were not going to provide oil for the menorah, He, being G’d, certainly did not need them to illuminate any space for Him, seeing that He is the source of all illumination. In fact, after the Tabernacle was erected, it was found that the light of the menorah inside the windowless Sanctuary provided illumination also for the surrounding area.

So that it would not contain sediment . . . When ground in a mill, it has sediment even if “he lets it ripen. . .”

Furthermore, seeing that when G'd had commanded all matters concerning construction of the Tabernacle He had always used direct speech, i.e. He told Moses: "you shall do, etc.," and had thereby involved Moses personally in every aspect of the building of the Tabernacle, the switch to indirect speech, i.e. "and they shall take" may indicate that G'd told Moses that the only way in which he was superior to the rest of the people was that it was he who would command the people to do their part. This is why G'd said: ואתה, "and you." The letter ו preceding the word אתה was a reminder that there were others beside him involved in performance of the directive. G'd may have had something similar in mind when He said תצוה instead of צו.

ויקחו אליך: es bleibt auch in deiner Verwendung noch ihr. Du bist nur נזבר dafür und die Verwendung geschieht in ihrem Namen (siehe zu Kap. 25, 2). שמן זית מזיתו :שמן זית ,זך כתית, am Baume gereift, am Baume Öl geworden. כתית, gepresst, nur durch Druck, aber nicht durch טחינה, nicht durch zerreibendes oder zerreißendes Mahlen aus der Frucht gewonnen (Menachot, Mischna 86 a). — למאור, zur Leuchte war die auf diese Weise gewonnene beste, reinste Sorte erforderlich; zu מנחות durften auch geringere Sorten verwendet werden (das.).

שמן זית כתית, “clear oil of beaten olives.” Seeing that in Exodus 25,2, the Torah had described that oil as simply “for illumination,” without specifying details, this had to be stated now that activities inside the Tabernacle which had no windows are discussed. Rashi adds that this oil was to be completely free from any residues. According to the author, Rashi also discusses the collection of individual grains of olives being permissible for profane use as long as they had not ripened. [My sources claim that they have been unable to find such a Rashi. He also claims that the olives on the top of the tree are the first ones to ripen. Ed.]

תמיד CONTINUALLY — doing something every night, as is described here, may be termed תמיד, continually, just as you speak of (Numbers 27:6) “The continual (תמיד) burnt-offering”, although this was sacrificed only from day to day. So, too, in the case of the meal-offering made in a flat pan it is said, (Leviticus 6:13) that it should be brought continually (תמיד) and yet it was only brought thus: “Half of it in the morning, and half of it at evening”. However, the expression תמיד which is used in connection with the show-bread (Exodus 25:30) denotes the whole period without a break from Sabbath to Sabbath).

TO CAUSE A LAMP TO BURN ‘TAMID’ (CONTINUALLY). “Doing something each and every night is called tamid (continually), just as you say, olath tamid (a continual burnt-offering)¹²Numbers 28:6. and yet it was brought only from day to day. Similarly in the case of the meal-offering made on the griddle [brought every day by the High Priest] it is said tamid,¹³Leviticus 6:13. and yet it was brought only half of it in the morning, and half thereof in the evening.¹³Leviticus 6:13. However, the word tamid used in connection with the showbread¹⁴Above, 25:30. signifies [the whole period without interruption] from Sabbath to Sabbath.” Thus is Rashi’s language.
But the Midrash [interpretation] of our Rabbis is not so. Instead they taught in the Sifre as follows:¹⁵Sifre, beginning of Seder Beha’alothcha.— For meaning of “Sifre” see Seder Yithro, Note 52. “The seven lamps shall give light.¹⁶Numbers 8:2. I might think that they are to burn always; Scripture therefore says, from evening to morning.¹⁷Leviticus 24:3, and Verse 2 here. I might then think that they are to burn from evening to morning and then he is to extinguish them; Scripture therefore says, the seven lamps shall give light. — How is this to be understood? The seven lamps shall give light from evening to morning. Before the Eternal continually¹⁷Leviticus 24:3, and Verse 2 here. — this refers to the neir ma’aravi¹⁸Literally: “the western light.” It is this light which is considered as being before the Eternal, and therefore is to burn continually, for it is to that particular light that the expression before the Eternal continually, applies. See further Note 23 as to which of the seven lamps in the candelabrum the term neir hama’aravi has reference to. which is to burn perpetually, since the candelabrum was lit from it in the evening.” In the Torath Kohanim¹⁹Sifra Emor 13:7. — Torath Kohanim is another name for the Sifra, which is the Halachic Midrash of the Tannaim on the Book of Leviticus. the Rabbis have likewise said: “To cause a lamp to burn continually — this means that ‘the western light’ should burn perpetually.” They have further taught there: “If [the priest who came into the Sanctuary in the morning to trim the candelabrum] found that it had gone out, he cleaned it out and kindled it from [the fire upon] the altar of the whole-offering.” Thus it is clear that even at daytime he kindled the neir ma’aravi, for that lamp always burnt regularly [and not as Rashi has it that the candelabrum was lit only in the evening]. And in Tractate Tamid²⁰Tamid 3:9. we have been taught as follows: “[The priest] who was privileged to clean out the candelabrum [during the morning service] entered [the Sanctuary], and if he found the two easternmost lamps burning, he cleaned out the rest [leaving them to be lit during the evening service], but the two easternmost lamps he left burning as they were. If he found that [the two easternmost lamps] had gone out, he cleaned them out and kindled them from those that were still burning, and then cleaned out the rest” [leaving them to be kindled during the evening service].²¹This text again shows that there were lamps burning in the candelabrum the whole day. — In case the priest found that all the lights had gone out it has already been mentioned above in Ramban’s text quoting the Torath Kohanim that the neir ma’aravi was then kindled from the fire upon the altar of the burnt-offering which stood outside in the Sanctuary Court. Now this anonymous Mishnah conforms to the opinion of Rabbi²²Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi. See in Seder Mishpatim Note 64. who says that the lamps of the candelabrum were placed in an east-west direction, and the neir ma’aravi (the western light) in his opinion is the second light from the east side.²³For since the candelabrum was standing with its six branches extending in an east-west direction, the first [the easternmost] light could not be considered as being before the Eternal, since that expression implies that there is one light still further away from the Holy of Holies [where the Divine Glory abided]. Hence the first lamp of which it might be said that it is before the Eternal is the second from the east, and since we must not pass over an occasion for performing a religious act, the second light from the east becomes affixed as being before the Eternal, and that is the neir ma’aravi (the western light). — There is, however, another opinion [mentioned further on in the text] that the candelabrum was placed in a south-north direction, and the term neir ma’aravi was given to the middle lamp, because the three lamps on each side turned towards the center one. — Menachoth 98b. See also Shabbath 22 b, Rashi. It is called ma’aravi (western) because it is to the west of the first, and since he has to kindle the western light to fulfill therewith the Divine command before the Eternal continually,¹⁷Leviticus 24:3, and Verse 2 here. he must kindle also the easternmost lamp, for the second lamp cannot be called “western” until there be an “eastern” next to it.²⁴Hence if the ministering priest found that the two easternmost lamps had gone out, he trimmed them and kindled them both. For although the command regarding the perpetual lamp [burning day and night] applied essentially to the second — the western — light, yet since it could not be called “western” unless there was an “eastern” in front of it, the priest lit both. But according to the opinion of the Sage²⁵This is Rabbi Eleazar the son of Rabbi Shimon (Menachoth 98 b). who says that the candelabrum was placed in a north-south direction, the neir ma’aravi was the middle one — on the central shaft of the candelabrum — and that light alone he kindled in the morning [for since none of the lamps were “outside” of it towards the east it was not necessary that another lamp be lighted].²⁶Thus there appears an important difference as to the number of lights that burned a whole day in the candelabrum. According to Rabbi who holds that the candelabrum was placed in an east-west direction, the two easternmost lamps burned a whole day [for reasons explained in Note 24]. But according to Rabbi Eleazar the son of Rabbi Shimon who says that the candelabrum was placed in a north-south direction, only the middle lamp burned a whole day. Thus the principle is clear that the expression before the Eternal continually applies to “the western light,” which burns regularly day and night.

להעלות נר תמיד, “to kindle on a permanent basis.” According to Rashi when a light burns all night long, it is considered as burning תמיד, i.e. all the time that there is a need for it. Rashi’s proof is derived from the expression עולת תמיד in Numbers 28,7 which cannot mean that such a burnt offering was being burned up on the altar on an ongoing basis, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but meant that it was a regular sacrifice, offered on a daily basis, one in the morning and one in the evening. Other commentators understand the word תמיד as meaning that the other lamps on the six arms of the menorah were to be kindled by drawing on the already kindled נר מערבי, the lamp on the central shaft of the menorah. That particular lamp was kept alight around the clock.

He would put them into a mill and grind them . . . Because the more [oil] he extracts from the olives, the more it contains sediment. Therefore, the second oil is unfit because of its sediment.

The Torah may have introduced another element here altogether. Seeing the time had come for appointing Aaron as the High Priest, G'd used this opportunity to demonstrate to the people that Moses was to occcupy the position of king, and He "crowned" him. This is the deeper meaning of: "you shall command the children of Israel." Our verse then is G'd's blanket authority for Moses to perform the function normally performed by a crowned head, a king. Our verse would be analogous to Samuel I,13,14: "G'd has appointed him as ruler over His people." It is true that we had a similar and apparently more direct form of Moses' appointment as ruler in Exodus 6,13 when the Israelites were still in Egypt, and when the Torah stated: "He (G'd) ordered them to be in charge of the Israelites," and we stated there that the meaning of the verse was that G'd appointed Moses and Aaron as king and High Priest respectively. In our context G'd allocated the position of king specifically to Moses, and the position of High Priest specifically to Aaron. We have another instance where the Torah refers to the division of the people into different levels of authority, i.e. in Exodus 15,6 where the Torah says: "you shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." The word "kingdom" there referred to the people led by Moses, whereas the word "priests" referred to the people's religious leadership, i.e. Aaron and his sons, whereas the words "holy nation" referred to the Levites.

להעלת נר, dieser Ausdruck für Lichtanzünden kommt nur beim Dienst der מנורה vor. Er präzisiert die Aufgabe, so lange die anzündende Flamme dem anzündenden Dochte darzubieten, bis er "von selbst weiter brenne" שתהא שלהבת עולה מאליה. Die Aufgabe des תורה-Lehrers ist: sich überflüssig zu machen! Nicht: den "Laien" in steter Abhängigkeit von sich zu halten. Gleichzeitig die Mahnung ausharrender Geduld für Lehrer und Schüler.

But may be used for menachos . . . You might ask: How does Rashi know the second oil may be used for menachos? It is written: “And one-tenth of an eipha of fine flour, mixed with one-quarter of a hin of crushed olive oil” (29:40). Does this not imply that crushed is required [for menachos]? The answer is: Here it should not say, “[crushed] for lighting,” [if it is true that crushed is required in other cases as well]. Perforce, “[crushed] for lighting” is written here to exclude another case: i.e., the oil must be crushed for lighting, but not for menachos. Thus we learn that the second oil may be used for menachos. You might object: Why does it say “crushed” regarding menachos, [if the second oil may be used]? The answer is: Otherwise, we might think that only the [tastier] second oil may be used for menachos, and not the first oil. Therefore it is written “crushed” regarding menachos, to teach that the first oil may also be used. You might object: If so, why does it say here, “crushed for lighting”? Had Scripture omitted this, we still would know [that “crushed” is required for lighting, and not for menachos]. For it is written “crushed” concerning menachos only to teach that crushed, too, may be used for menachos. [We would so understand it] because if [the “crushed” of menachos meant that] only crushed oil may be used for them, but not the second oil, it would not say “crushed” at all for menachos. Then, we would learn from the [“crushed” of the] lighting oil and apply it to menachos: only the crushed oil may be used, not the second oil. [Since it says “crushed” for menachos, perforce it teaches that crushed, too, may be used for them, although it is not as tasty. If so, why does it say, “crushed for lighting”?] The answer is: If “crushed” was not written at all that it may be used for menachos, we would not learn it (that crushed may be used) from the oil of lighting. This is because the two cannot be compared: the oil of lighting is different because it is needed for illumination. Since a wick draws crushed oil better, crushed oil is required [so the lamp will not go out]. But for menachos, [we might think that] only the second oil may be used, since it is sweeter [i.e., tastier]. Therefore, the “crushed” of menachos comes to teach that even crushed oil may be used for them. Accordingly, it says here, “crushed for lighting,” to exclude [menachos from the requirement of crushed oil, since we might think that only the purer crushed oil may be used for them. It teaches] that for menachos, the second oil may also be used. When Rashi says כתית למאור ולא כתית למנחות , [this does not mean that crushed is unfit for menachos]. It means that crushed is not required for menachos; even ground oil may be used.

Perhaps the expression תצוה in our verse alludes to a thought expressed in the Zohar, section one page 83 that we find a spark of Moses' soul within the soul of every Torah scholar. This is why we have an instance in Sukkah 39 where the scholars called each other "Moses." This was because Moses personified the soul that is immersed in Torah-study. When the Torah uses the expression ואתה תצוה this may also be parallel to Psalms 91,11 in which the Psalmist speaks of כי מלאכיו יצוה לו, where the word יצוה may also refer to צוותא, a company of like-minded people. The Psalmist describes G'd as despatching His angels to keep company with deserving Jews as they are of equal status. There is no worthier pursuit than the study of Torah which supplies all enlightenment for the world. Compare the next verse.

נר תמיד, nach ת׳׳כ zu Wajikra 24, 2 das נר מערבי. Siehe oben Kap. 25, Ende und תוספו׳ Menachot 86 b.

He must kindle it until it. . . Rashi is answering the question: Why is it not written להדליק ? [He answers:] It is written להעלות to teach that the kohein should not leave the lamp as soon as it is ignited, while the flame has not yet ascended. [Rather, “He must kindle it until the flame ascends.”]

Each and every night may be referred as תמיד . . . Rashi is saying that even though it does not burn during the day, only from nightfall until day, it is still called תמיד . For we see there are other things that are not continuous and unending, yet they are called תמיד , as Rashi proves. So it is with the “flat-pan mincha,” about which it is written תמיד , although it is only from day to day, and is divided even during the day itself: “Half was done in the morning and half in the evening” (Vayikra 6:13). Nonetheless, it is called תמיד because it is ongoing without end.

ויקחו אליך, "and they shall take unto you, etc." We can understand the reason for the word אליך by referring to Shabbat 22 where the Talmud explains that the words: "outside the curtain of the testimony" mean that the "testimony" the Torah refers to is that all the people who came to see the Tabernacle realised that G'd's presence was hovering over the the Israelites. Rav defined the testimony as specifically the "Western Lamp," i.e. the light on top of the middle shaft of the Lampstand. [This lamp burned around the clock instead of only at night although not only did it not receive more oil than the other lamps, but the other lamps drew on its oil supply. Ed.] Shemot Rabbah 52,2 relates that the scoffers amongst the Jews ridiculed the idea that G'd would take up residence in a structure made by Moses. From this we see that not only did the Gentiles not credit the idea that the G'd of the Heavens had come down to earth, but even some of the Jews could not believe this. Accordingly, even though it was evident that G'd's presence was indeed in the Tabernacle on the first day of Nissan, the day the Tabernacle had been erected, they did not consider this as evidence that G'd's presence would remain there on a permanent basis. Once they observed the ongoing miracle of the Western Lamp, this served as testimony that G'd's presence was there to stay. The Torah impressed upon Moses that the oil for the Lampstand in the Tabernacle would become the vehicle by means of which G'd's presence in the Tabernacle would be demonstrated when the "eternal flame" would be lit. This matter would have far-reaching consequences for Moses' own standing as a prophet, hence the word אליך is of crucial importance. Perhaps G'd hinted at this already when He said: ואתה תצוה, i.e. "do not worry that the people will not believe you when you tell them that I will take up residence in the terrestrial regions." G'd's prediction indeed came to pass. Should you Moses ask how such a fact could be demonstrated, G'd continued by instructing Moses: ויקחו אליך שמן זית זך.

A moral-ethical approach to our verse may be based on the Zohar Chadash found on Genesis 8, that the Israelites were or would be redeemed from each of their four exiles due to a specific merit. The Jews were redeemed from their first exile in Egypt thanks to the merit of the patriarch Abraham. They were redeemed from the second exile thanks to the merit of Isaac; they were redeemed from the third exile thanks to the merit of Jacob, whereas they will be redeemed from the fourth exile thanks to the merit of Moses. Moses' merit was that of his dedication to Torah-study. The interminable wait for the redemption from the fourth exile is due to our not pursuing the study of Torah and the performance of its commandments with sufficient vigour and diligence. As long as we do not engage sufficiently in Torah study, Moses on his part is not willing to invoke his merit to redeem the Israelites who continue to neglect his Torah. By writing ואתה תצוה את בני ישראל the Torah hints at something we mentioned earlier in connection with Psalms 91,11, that G'd would despatch angels to commune with the Jewish people. The meaning of the line may be that the timing of the redemption depends in large measure on Moses seeing that it is his merit that will have to be invoked in order to orchestrate the final redemption. Alternatively, the word צו implies Royal authority. Moses will be our king in the future. When that future will occur depends on the amount and quality of Torah studied by the Jewish people. The words: "they will take to you pure olive oil" are an allusion to the Torah which has been compared to oil. Just as oil lights up the universe, so does the study of Torah result in enlightenment. This is basically, what the Zohar we have mentioned before had in mind.

The words להעלות נר, are sort of a headline. The word נר means “lamps” (pl.) just as when Yaakov told Esau that he had acquired שור וחמור (Genesis 32,6) he did not mean that he had acquired only one of each, but that he had made acquisitions of these respective species of domestic animals. We find a similar use of the “singular” אשה, in Judges 21,16, where the words כי נשמדה מבנימין אשה do not mean that “a woman of the tribe of Benjamin had been killed,” but that ”all the women of Benjamin had been destroyed.”

But the תמיד that is said of the show-bread. Rashi is saying that the term תמיד that is stated by the show-bread, etc., is no proof that the term תמיד can be applied to something that is without end but with breaks. [We might think it is a proof] because the old bread is removed and then the new bread is arranged on the table. [But, this is no proof] because the bread lay on the table continuously from Shabbos to Shabbos. There was no break even when the bread was removed to put the new bread in its place. For as the kohanim pulled off [the old bread], other kohanim placed [the new bread]; both breads being separated by less than a tefach.

The reason the Torah was careful to stipulate that the oil had to be זך, pure, was to convey that the study of Torah had to be motivated by pure, not by self-serving considerations. Impure thoughts fuelling Torah study would turn such study into a source of accusation by Satan instead of conferring merit on the student or scholar in question. Even the intent to become well known as a Torah scholar is considered an unworthy thought in this connection. Such thoughts may be considered as equivalent to oil which contains sediments.

The Torah adds the word כתית, pounded, as a further prerequisite for such oil to be used in the Lampstand of the Tabernacle. The idea is that true Torah study involves the student as flagellating himself (at least spiritually) as the Talmud Berachot 63 explained in connection with Numbers 19,14: "A person who dies in the tent." I have already dealt with this interpretation by the Talmud in my treatise Cheftzi chapter 5.

The reason the Torah adds the word למאור, for light, may also be understood in line with our approach to the subject. During exile, the Jewish people are perceived as dwelling in darkness of a lunar eclipse, the moon being known as the המאור הקטן, "the smaller luminary." This means (homiletically speaking) that the one who used to be Master has been demoted from his true position of eminence so that the handmaid has inherited his former place. This is why G'd commanded that Moses should aspire that the olive oil for the Lampstand in the Tabernacle should provide an specially potent light, i.e. the light of the great luminary mentioned in Genesis when these luminaries are described as being hung in the sky. You know from the words of the sages in Megillah 29 on Deut. 30,3 where G'd is described as "having returned with the exiles" instead of as "returning with the exiles in the future," that the presence of G'd had already previously returned with the Jewish people when they came out of exile. Our sages interpret Hoseah 11,9: "The Holy one is in your midst and I cannot come to the city (i.e. celestial Jerusalem)" in a similar fashion in Taanit 5.

The Torah continues: להעלות נר תמיד, "to cause a lamp to burn continually." The expression תמיד denotes that the burning will be of unlimited duration. The homiletical meaning is that Israel should not ever again experience periods of spiritual darkness. Perhaps the expression למאור להעלות נר תמיד means that this oil should light the great luminary in a manner similar to the period the prophet Isaiah 62,8 speaks about when he says: "I will not ever again give your grain to your enemies for food," i.e. "you will proceed to rise ever higher."