Komentaryo sa Exodo 27:20: Tze'enah Ure'enah, Penei David, Rashi & Abarbanel

“You shall further instruct the Israelites” [27:20]. They should light lights and are commanded that they should take olive oil and not oil from sesame seeds or nuts. The first oil was taken for the Lampstand. The other oil that came out was taken for meal offerings. “Beaten oil for lighting” [27:20]. This teaches us that the first Sanctuary stood for four hundred and ten years and the second Sanctuary stood for four hundred and twenty years. This is found in the word beaten, which has the numerical value of eight hundred and thirty years, the length of time that both Temples stood. It is written beaten, that is to say, the two Temples were destroyed and demolished by the enemies. However, the third Temple will remain standing forever. Therefore, it is not mentioned along with the two Temples, but it is mentioned in the word, for lighting. That is to say, the Messiah will light Israel with a great light.²Bahya, Exodus, 27:20.

Baal ha-Turim writes. Moses’ name is not mentioned in this Torah portion. This teaches us that because Moses said to the Holy One when Israel made the Golden Calf, if you will kill the Israelites because of the Golden Calf, then erase me from Your book and do not write me in the Torah. Therefore, the Holy One did not write the name of Moses in this portion. The curse of a sage is never without effect.³Baal ha-Turim, Exodus, 27:20.

Zeror ha-Mor writes. Israel in the exile are compared to olive oil. Just as an olive that is beaten, so too are Israel in exile. One beats them and hits them from all sides. However, in the end they will go out from the exile and will light, like the olive oil lights, from the merit of the Torah, which is compared to an olive. Therefore, the portion says here, “to bring you” [27:20]. That is to say, the Torah that you keep and fulfill properly, it is for you alone and not for any stranger. It remains yours forever in this world and in the next world. Nobody can take away from you the commandments that you have fulfilled. Therefore, it also says to you. That is to say, I do not need the light. I have enough light in heaven, but make a light for yourself, that it should light for you. It is a parable. A blind person is walking with someone who is guiding him. The one who is guiding says to the blind person, light a light for me. The blind person responded: you are supposed to lead me and show me the right way in the darkness. Now you tell me to light a light? The one who was guiding him responded: nonetheless light a light for me so that it should be seen that you are also serving me. So too, Israel are like the blind one and go in the darkness, but the Holy One illumines for them and says to Israel that they should light a light, expecting that through this they should be worthy of blessings from God because they served Him and do His will.⁴Zeror ha-Mor, Exodus, 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.”