EVERY JEW IS PURE GOLD
Behaalosecha - Chanukah
“This is the making of the Menorah, hammered out of gold, from its base (יריכה) until its flower (פרחה) it is hammered out”.
Parshas Behaalosecha begins with a description of the golden Menorah that stood in the Mishkan and later in the Beis Hamikdash.
Chassidus teaches that the Menorah represents the collective of the Jewish people. The seven branches of the Menorah represent seven general types of Neshamos and the different approaches that they have in serving Hashem.
The Menorah could not be made of pieces which are welded or otherwise stuck together. It had to be made from one solid block of pure gold that was hammered into shape. This represents the unity of the Jewish people that despite the fact that we may have different approaches as alluded to by the 7 distinct branches, we are one and united.
One of the practical lessons that the Menorah teaches us is that it is okay to have different approaches and different opinions, we don’t all need to think the same. However by no means should this ever become an impediment to, or a reason to compromise, our unity.
The Menorah was shaped with decorative features on each of its branches and the central body of the Menorah. The Menorah was fashioned with a base and stood on 3 legs. The Posuk above identifies two of the features on Menorah; יריכה - the base (literally its leg) and פרחה - the decorative flower situated just above the base of the Menorah.
The base, which sits at the bottom, represents people of low spiritual stature. In contrast, the flower represents the Tzaddikim, whose service flourishes and blooms with beauty.
The Torah teaches us that the Menorah had to be made entirely out of pure gold, “from its base, until its flower.” Every Jew, be they a base or a flower, is a pure gold part of the Menorah that makes up our people.
The Haftorah of Parshas Behaalosecha also discusses a Menorah, describing a vision of “a Menorah made entirely of gold” that was shown to the Novi Zechariah.
There is a fascinating Midrash that connects this vision to Hashem’s description of the Jewish people in Shir Hashirim "You are entirely beautiful My beloved, there is no blemish in you”.
The Midrash explains that the prophets Yechezkel and Yirmiyahu who foretold of the destruction of the Temple, castigated the Jewish people for their sins. They likened the Jewish people to silver, bronze and copper, metals which are sullied with sediments and impurities.
But Zechariah saw the Jewish people like the Menorah, that had to be made entirely of the purest gold; a people who are all beautiful and free from any sediment or imperfection.
These prophets saw the exact same people. But Yechezkel and Yirmiyahu looked at the surface and saw all of the faults and deficiencies that the Jewish people had. Zechariah looked deeper and saw the essential core of every Jew. Though the outside may be dull bronze, flawed with impurities, the inner core of every Jew is pure gold that cannot be tainted.
Another difference between these prophets is that Yirmiyahu and Yechezkel prophesied while the Beis Hamikdash was still standing and the Jewish people were still in Eretz Yisroel. Zechariah however had his vision after the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed and the Jewish people were in Exile.
In the time of Exile it is even more important to focus on the pure core of every Jew and to strengthen our unity. Every Jew, be they a flower or a base, has a pure Neshama and they are able to illuminate the darkness of Golus with the light of Hashem.
Golus was brought about because of discord and hatred. When we internalise the message of the Menorah and see one another as pure gold, knowing that we are all part of the same Menorah, we will merit the coming of Moshiach, the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash and the lighting of the golden Menorah once more.
~ Based on Likutei Torah Behaalosecha ד"ה ראיתי והנה מנורה and Maamar 5741 Parshas Behaalosecha
Parshas Behaalosecha begins with a description of the golden Menorah that stood in the Mishkan and later in the Beis Hamikdash.
Chassidus teaches that the Menorah represents the collective of the Jewish people. The seven branches of the Menorah represent seven general types of Neshamos and the different approaches that they have in serving Hashem.
The Menorah could not be made of pieces which are welded or otherwise stuck together. It had to be made from one solid block of pure gold that was hammered into shape. This represents the unity of the Jewish people that despite the fact that we may have different approaches as alluded to by the 7 distinct branches, we are one and united.
One of the practical lessons that the Menorah teaches us is that it is okay to have different approaches and different opinions, we don’t all need to think the same. However by no means should this ever become an impediment to, or a reason to compromise, our unity.
The Menorah was shaped with decorative features on each of its branches and the central body of the Menorah. The Menorah was fashioned with a base and stood on 3 legs. The Posuk above identifies two of the features on Menorah; יריכה - the base (literally its leg) and פרחה - the decorative flower situated just above the base of the Menorah.
The base, which sits at the bottom, represents people of low spiritual stature. In contrast, the flower represents the Tzaddikim, whose service flourishes and blooms with beauty.
The Torah teaches us that the Menorah had to be made entirely out of pure gold, “from its base, until its flower.” Every Jew, be they a base or a flower, is a pure gold part of the Menorah that makes up our people.
The Haftorah of Parshas Behaalosecha also discusses a Menorah, describing a vision of “a Menorah made entirely of gold” that was shown to the Novi Zechariah.
There is a fascinating Midrash that connects this vision to Hashem’s description of the Jewish people in Shir Hashirim "You are entirely beautiful My beloved, there is no blemish in you”.
The Midrash explains that the prophets Yechezkel and Yirmiyahu who foretold of the destruction of the Temple, castigated the Jewish people for their sins. They likened the Jewish people to silver, bronze and copper, metals which are sullied with sediments and impurities.
But Zechariah saw the Jewish people like the Menorah, that had to be made entirely of the purest gold; a people who are all beautiful and free from any sediment or imperfection.
These prophets saw the exact same people. But Yechezkel and Yirmiyahu looked at the surface and saw all of the faults and deficiencies that the Jewish people had. Zechariah looked deeper and saw the essential core of every Jew. Though the outside may be dull bronze, flawed with impurities, the inner core of every Jew is pure gold that cannot be tainted.
Another difference between these prophets is that Yirmiyahu and Yechezkel prophesied while the Beis Hamikdash was still standing and the Jewish people were still in Eretz Yisroel. Zechariah however had his vision after the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed and the Jewish people were in Exile.
In the time of Exile it is even more important to focus on the pure core of every Jew and to strengthen our unity. Every Jew, be they a flower or a base, has a pure Neshama and they are able to illuminate the darkness of Golus with the light of Hashem.
Golus was brought about because of discord and hatred. When we internalise the message of the Menorah and see one another as pure gold, knowing that we are all part of the same Menorah, we will merit the coming of Moshiach, the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash and the lighting of the golden Menorah once more.
~ Based on Likutei Torah Behaalosecha ד"ה ראיתי והנה מנורה and Maamar 5741 Parshas Behaalosecha