Midrash su Ezechiele 40:16

(Numb. 8:2:) “When you set up the lamps.” What is written above the matter (in Numb. 7:1–2)? “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished [ … ] that the princes of Israel, [the heads of their ancestral houses, namely the princes of the tribes, the ones in charge of those being numbered,] made their offerings.” Then afterwards (in Numb. 8:2), “Speak unto Aaron [and say unto him], ’When you set up [the lamps].’”¹²Numb. R. 15:6. This text is related (to Ps. 34:10), “Fear the Lord, O you His holy ones, for those who fear Him lack nothing.” You find above (in Numb. 7) that eleven tribes made offerings, while the tribe of Levi made no offering. So while the tribe of Ephraim made offerings and all of the princes made offerings, the prince of Levi [did not]. Now who was the prince of Levi? This was Aaron, as stated (in Numb. 17:18), “And you shall write the name of Aaron upon the rod of Levi.” So Aaron did not make an offering with the princes, for he said, “Woe to me! Perhaps it is because of me that the Holy One, blessed be He, is not accepting the tribe of Levi.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, “Go, say unto Aaron, ‘Do not be afraid. You are destined for something greater than this.’” It is therefore written (in Numb. 8:2), “Speak unto Aaron [...], ‘When you are raised.’” The offerings remain in force as long as the Temple exists, but the lamps are forever (according to Numb. 8:2 cont.) “in front of the menorah.” Moreover, all the blessings which I have given you to bless My children shall never pass away. Another interpretation (of Numb. 8:2 cont.), “in front of the menorah.” So that you will not despise this menorah. It is so stated (in Zech. 4:10), “For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice to see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, [even] these seven [...].” This is the menorah. And what are “[these] seven?” These are the seven lamps corresponding to the seven planets that (ibid. cont.) “roam around all the earth.”¹³Numb. R. 15:7. These seven likewise are dear to Me. Thus you may not despise them. It is therefore written (in Numb. 8:2:) “let the seven lamps give their light in front of the menorah.” Lest your [evil] drive lead you astray into saying that He (i.e. The Holy One, blessed be He) has need of light, [see] what is written about the windows of the Temple (in Ezek. 40:16, 25), “Now there were narrow windows into the cells [...]. Like the windows (kehahallonot) mentioned above.” "Kahallonot"¹⁴The midrash is explaining an extra he (h) which does not belong there. is not written here but "kehahallonot" (understood here as kehah halonot which means "dim windows"), in that they were wide on the outside and narrow on the inside in order to send forth light to the outside.¹⁵Above, Numb. 3:2. R. Berekhyah the Priest said, “This lightning is the result of fire from on high. When it goes forth it brightens up the whole world, as stated (in Ezek. 1:13), ‘As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like coals of fire burning with the appearance of torches … [and from the fire there went forth lightning],’ and it brightens up the whole world. And I would need your light? [So] why did I tell to you to give Me light? Simply in order to exalt you (ha'alotekha),¹⁶Cf. Numb. 8:2: WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS (ha‘alotekha). as stated (in Numb. 8:2), ‘When you set up (beha'alotekha).’” R. Hanina said, “Concerning your own eyes they have within them both black and white. Still you see not out of the white but out of the black. [Now if in the case of your eyes, which have within them both black and white, but with you seeing only out of the black], would the Holy One, blessed be He, who is all light need your light?” Another interpretation (of Numb. 8:2 cont.), “in front of the menorah.” Flesh and blood lights a lamp from a burning lamp. Could one [ever] light a lamp from the darkness? The Holy One, blessed be He, however, did make a lamp give light from the darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2), “with darkness upon the face of the deep.” What is written after that (in vs. 3)? “Then God said, ‘Let there be light.’” [Since] I have brought light out of the darkness, do I have need for your light? So why did I say [to light lamps]? Simply to exalt you (rt.: 'lh), (in the words of Exod. 27:20) “to set up (rt.: 'lh) an everburning lamp.”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 8:2 cont.): LET THE SEVEN LAMPS GIVE THEIR LIGHT IN FRONT OF THE MENORAH, so that you will not despise this menorah. It is so stated (in Zech. 4:10): FOR WHOEVER HAS DESPISED THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS SHALL REJOICE TO SEE THE PLUMMET IN THE HAND OF ZERUBBABEL, <EVEN> THESE SEVEN. What are <THESE> SEVEN? These are the seven planets, in that (ibid. cont.:) THEY ROAM AROUND ALL THE EARTH.¹⁶Tanh. Numb. 3:5 cont.; Numb. R. 15:7. (Numb. 8:2:) LET THE SEVEN LAMPS GIVE THEIR LIGHT. These seven likewise are dear to him. Thus you may not despise them. It is therefore written (in Numb. 8:2:) LET THE SEVEN LAMPS GIVE THEIR LIGHT IN FRONT OF THE MENORAH, lest your <evil> drive lead you astray into saying that he (i.e. the Holy One) has need of light. See what written about light, <i.e.> about the windows of the temple (in Ezek. 40:16, 25): NOW THERE WERE NARROW WINDOWS INTO THE CELLS […. LIKE THE WINDOWS (kehahallonot) MENTIONED ABOVE]. "Behallonot"¹⁷The traditional Tanhuma Numb. 3:5 reads kahallonot, which is probably the correct reading. The midrash is explaining an extra he (h) which does not belong there. is not written here but "kehahallonot" (understood here as kehah halonot which means "dim windows"), in that they were wide on the outside and narrow on the inside in order to send forth light to the outside.¹⁸Above, Numb. 3:2. R. Berekhyah the Priest [Berabbi] said: This lightning is the result of fire from on high. When it goes forth it brightens up the whole world, as stated (in Ezek. 1:13): AS FOR THE LIKENESS OF THE LIVING CREATURES, [THEIR APPEARANCE WAS LIKE COALS OF FIRE BURNING WITH THE APPEARANCE OF TORCHES … AND FROM THE FIRE THERE WENT FORTH LIGHTNING]. The Holy One said: I have no need of your light. [So why did I tell to you <to give me light>]? Simply in order to exalt you (ha'alotekha).¹⁹Cf. Numb. 8:2: WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS (ha‘alotekha).

Another explanation, "at the front of the menorah, let the seven lights give light" (Numbers 8:2), so that they shouldn't dishonour the menorah. (Zechariah 4:10) "Does anyone scorn a day of small [beginnings]? When they see the stone of distinction in the hand of Zerubavel they shall rejoice over these seven". "These" -- this is the menorah. "Seven" -- these are the seven lights, corresponding to the seven stars that wander in all the land [planets?]. So they are beloved that they are not disgraced on them, for this it says "at the front of the menorah let the seven lights give light" -- so that they should not become mistaken to you, and you should need to say that He needs light, see that which is written of windows (Ezekiel 40:16) "The recesses—and their supports—had windows with frames on the interior [of the gate complex on both sides]" etc., and so "the interiors [of the vestibules also had windows on both sides]" (ibid.) were like these windows. 'Like windows' is not written here, rather, "like the windows", that they should be wide from the outside and narrow from within, so that they would bring in light from outside. Rabbi Berachyah the kohen said in the name of Rabbi, this lightning is offspring of the fire from above, and it comes out and lights the whole world, as it says (Ezekiel 1:13) "Such then was the appearance of the creatures. With them was something that looked like burning coals of fire. This fire, suggestive of torches, kept moving about among the creatures; the fire had a radiance, and lightning issued from the fire." And lights the whole world, and I need their light. And why did I tell you? To deceive you. Rabbi Chanina said, the Holy Blessed one said "Eyes have black and white [parts] in them, and you don't see from the white but rather from the black [parts], and so if your eyes that have black and white within them only see with the black, the Holy Blessed One is entirely Light and needs to light them. Another explanation, "at the front of the menorah", flesh and blood kindle a light from another light, since they are unable to create light from darkness, as it says (Genesis 1:2) "Darkness was over the face of the deep". Why is it written after this (Genesis 1:3) "And God said, "Let there be light"" and from the midst of the darkness brought forth light. And I need to light them, and I didn't say to you except to bring you up -- (Exodus 27:20) "to set up the eternal light" .