Terumah 2025: Making the Lamps to Shine the Light
Plaut p. 547
Source Sheet by Yair Robinson
(לא) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מְנֹרַ֖ת זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר מִקְשָׁ֞ה תֵּעָשֶׂ֤ה הַמְּנוֹרָה֙ יְרֵכָ֣הּ וְקָנָ֔הּ גְּבִיעֶ֛יהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶ֥יהָ וּפְרָחֶ֖יהָ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ׃ (לב) וְשִׁשָּׁ֣ה קָנִ֔ים יֹצְאִ֖ים מִצִּדֶּ֑יהָ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה ׀ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֗ה מִצִּדָּהּ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֔ה מִצִּדָּ֖הּ הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ (לג) שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה גְ֠בִעִ֠ים מְֽשֻׁקָּדִ֞ים בַּקָּנֶ֣ה הָאֶחָד֮ כַּפְתֹּ֣ר וָפֶ֒רַח֒ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה גְבִעִ֗ים מְשֻׁקָּדִ֛ים בַּקָּנֶ֥ה הָאֶחָ֖ד כַּפְתֹּ֣ר וָפָ֑רַח כֵּ֚ן לְשֵׁ֣שֶׁת הַקָּנִ֔ים הַיֹּצְאִ֖ים מִן־הַמְּנֹרָֽה׃
(31) You shall make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its base and its shaft, its cups, calyxes, and petals shall be of one piece. (32) Six branches shall issue from its sides: three branches from one side of the lampstand and three branches from the other side of the lampstand. (33) On one branch there shall be three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals, and on the next branch there shall be three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals: so for all six branches issuing from the lampstand.
This week, we read the instructions for collecting the materials and creating the mishkan, the portable sanctuary Israel will carry into the wilderness. Tomorrow, Tori will speak about the beginning of the portion, but tonight I want to focus on the making of one specific object for the Mishkan, arguably one of the most famous: the Menorah. There is perhaps no symbol that is more significant to the Jewish people than the Menorah, the seven-branched lamp that came to represent the Temple and the Priesthood. Many of us know the image especially from the Arch of Titus, showing it hauled to Rome as spoil from the destruction of Jerusalem, though it reappears in the emblem of the Jewish State centuries later. But before the star became the primary symbol, the Menorah represented our people and our values. For the rabbis, it wasn’t just a lamp, but a representation of Torah itself, for just as the Menorah illuminated the space around it, so does Torah illuminate us and, by extension, the world.
It’s worth noting that according to the Midrash, Moses struggled the most with the making of the Menorah. More than any other object for the mishkan, Moses seemed to really have trouble figuring out how to make the Menorah as instructed, despite God’s patient and careful instruction. In fact, the Midrash tells us that Moses flings the talent of gold into the furnace and turns to God, effectively saying, “well, there it is, let’s hope it comes out right”, and it does. Which then raises the question: who made the Menorah, Moses, or God? To which the counter-question is–does it matter, so long as it was made?
So, what does this have to do with us? To quote Jacob Rader Marcus z’l, the maven of American Jewish history, “it’s dark out there.” Friends, it’s dark out there. The darkness of cruelty that we see increasing in everyday life here in our own country, the darkness cast over our people as hostage bodies, the Bibas family and so many others, are repatriated and buried. We are living in a time when it is that much more important to cast whatever light we can–the light of Torah, the light of kindness, the light of justice, the light of goodness. But how do we shine that light? Like Moses in our Midrash, we may find ourselves paralyzed in this moment, not sure what we could or should be doing, how to even begin to make the lamps that will illuminate the growing shadow. And like Moses in our Midrash, we need to stop waiting, stop agonizing over what shape our lamp should be, take the talent of gold that is our hearts, our voices, our abilities, our understanding of the mitzvot, and fling it into the crucible, trusting that God will shape them to be what is needed in this moment. This weekend, our confirmation class is in Washington DC to learn how to lift their voices in advocacy, and on Monday, they will go up Capitol Hill and speak to the staffs of our senators and congresswoman, to shine what light they can. Likewise, may we, fulfill the words of our liturgy, shining a new light upon the world around us, banishing whatever darkness we can. Amen.