Cytowanie Komentarza do Wyjścia 27:21

צו את בני ישראל, “command the Children of Israel, etc.” Rashi explains that the paragraph following as well as the portion commencing with Exodus 27,20-21 both pertain only to the chapters dealing with the building of the Tabernacle, even though it deals with the lighting of the lights in the menorah. The paragraph dealing with the construction of the menorah in Exodus 27 was mentioned there only as it was needed to list the furnishings of the Tabernacle. Nachmanides writes that this interpretation does not appear appropriate to him, as the portion is not linked to a paragraph dealing with the menorah at all. Moreover, the Torah had already reported that Moses placed the lights in the menorah in Exodus 40,25, just as he placed the remainder of the furnishings inside the Tabernacle. In other words, both the commandment and the execution of it were mentioned already in the Book of Exodus. Therefore, in Nachmanides’ view the need for the present paragraph is twofold. 1) In Exodus the matter is related in conjunction with the commandment to the Israelites to supply the fuel for the menorah just as they were invited to supply all the building materials for the Tabernacle. The princes are reported as having supplied the initial quantities of the spices for the incense as well as the initial amount of olive oil for the menorah. However, in the Book of Exodus no mention is made of the supply of materials that were being used up on a daily basis. This is so in spite of the fact that the composition of the materials is described as חקת עולם, as a law of unlimited duration. (Exodus 27,21) Those words referred to the manner in which the menorah was to be lit. By now the initial supply had been exhausted and new arrangements had to be made. 2) In Exodus the instructions had been limited for either Aaron or his sons to perform the task of lighting the menorah, nothing having been said about what procedure to follow if the original menorah were to become defunct, or lost, as when the Israelites went into exile, etc. In Exodus the word תמיד, permanently, has not been mentioned in connection with the lighting of the menorah, whereas here mention is made specifically of regulations pertaining to the “pure menorah.”

COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. “This is the section containing the [actual] commandment of lighting the lamps. And the section of V’atah Tetzaveh (And thou shalt command)⁵⁰⁸Exodus 27:20. [where the same subject is mentioned], is stated only for the sake of giving an orderly account of the work of the Tabernacle, explaining what the purpose of the candelabrum is, and the sense of the verse there is as follows: ‘and thou wilt at some future time command the children of Israel on this matter.’” This is Rashi’s language.
But it does not appear to me to be correct, for that section [there in Exodus 27:20] is not in fact adjoined to the section of the candelabrum [which is mentioned previously in Exodus 25:31-40]; and [also] it has already been stated, And he lighted the lamps before the Eternal, as the Eternal commanded Moses,⁵⁰⁹Ibid., 40:25. thus both the commandment and fulfillment were already mentioned and kept! Rather, the need for [restatement of] this section is for two purposes. For there He commanded that they bring you a donation on the behalf of the children of Israel,⁵¹⁰Ibid., 27:21. that is to say, from every man with whom was found pure olive oil [beaten] for the light,⁵⁰⁸Exodus 27:20. together with the other donations for the Tabernacle. And so they did, as it is said, And the princes brought etc. and the spice, and the oil, for the light.⁵¹¹Ibid., 35:27-28. And although it says there, it shall be a statute forever throughout their generations,⁵¹⁰Ibid., 27:21. this refers to the lighting of the lamps. But now the oil which the princes brought as a donation was used up, and therefore He commanded that the children of Israel take from the public treasury throughout the generations⁵¹²Verse 3 here. pure olive oil beaten for the light, as was the first oil [of the princes]. This is similar to the expression, that they bring thee a Red Heifer,⁵¹³Numbers 19:2. meaning that they should seek it and it is to be brought from the public treasury. Also, there [in the section of V’atah Tetzaveh]⁵⁰⁸Exodus 27:20. He stated only, Aaron and his sons shall set it in order etc.,⁵¹⁰Ibid., 27:21. which might mean [set it in order] on the candelabrum, or without the candelabrum if it is broken or lost, as happened when they returned from the [Babylonian] exile.⁵¹⁴Bamidbar Rabbah 15:7: “Therefore when the [First] Sanctuary was destroyed the candelabrum was hidden. And this was one of the five things that were hidden: the ark, the candelabrum, etc.” Therefore now He stated clearly, He shall order the lamps upon the pure candelabrum,⁵¹⁵Verse 4. teaching that they should only light the lamps upon the pure candelabrum. And the interpretation of our Rabbis is as follows:⁵¹⁶Torath Kohanim, Emor 13:12. “Upon the pure candelabrum.⁵¹⁵Verse 4. This means upon the very candelabrum itself, that he is not to support them [i.e., the lamps] with pieces of wood or pebbles [but the lamps are to be upon the candelabrum itself, with nothing intervening between them]. He shall set the lamps before the Eternal.⁵¹⁵Verse 4. This teaches that he is not to set them outside the Sanctuary and bring them inside. Continually,⁵¹⁵Verse 4. even on the Sabbath; continually, even in impurity.”⁵¹⁷If all the priests have been rendered impure, they may yet proceed to minister the Service.

Like the measure of the others: Half a log. They measured it [to be sufficient] for the long nights of the Tevet season. And if it is [still] lit during the day (and the night) during the short nights, let it be lit. But not less, that it not become extinguished in Tevet at night - for the Torah stated (Exodus 27:21), "from evening to morning."