A centerpiece of the Tabernacle is the Menorah, made of seven branches, three on the right and three on the left, rising to the same height as the central shaft (Exodus 25:31–40). Insight into its symbolic meaning may emerge when analyzing the Menorah’s relationship to three major themes of Judaism: creation, revelation, and redemption.

FILE - An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man stands in front of a menorah on the third eve of Hanukkah, at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem's old city, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. On eight consecutive nightfalls, Jews gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the menorah candelabra. They do so to commemorate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC, after a small group of Jewish fighters liberated it from occupying foreign forces. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner, File)

AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner

A man stands in front of a Menorah. AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner

Creation. The Menorah recalls the creation story, where the first creation was light (Genesis 1:3). And it also recalls Eden, where light was far more intense than the sun (Baba Batra 58a).

In the center of the Garden of Eden were the tree of knowledge and the tree of life. The Menorah resembles a tree, adorned with flowers, knobs, and cups. The flowers represent the buds that give forth fruit, the knobs are shaped like round fruits, and the cups symbolize vessels into which nectar is poured (Menachot 28a). Together, they represent a soft jardinière from which the Menorah wicks emanate Edenic light.

Hence, the Menorah inspires “remembrances of things past,” offering a glimpse of the serenity of the light of creation.

Revelation. The Menorah resonates with the image of Sinai as well, recalling the moment when the Torah was given, where lightning was abundant (Exodus 19:16).

The three branches on each side can symbolize disciplines outside of Torah. Yet the wicks in each of these branches turn toward the inner shaft, representing Torah. Each impacts the other. On the one hand, chemistry can enhance our understanding of kashrut and astronomy our ability to calculate the lunar calendar. On the other, Torah study can give new meaning, new direction, and new purpose to worldly knowledge, sanctifying it. The sciences, language, medicine, the arts, and all disciplines are potentially aspects of Torah.

Thus, the lighting of the Tabernacle Menorah helped focus spiritual energy on the light of Torah, the light of revelation.

Redemption. The Menorah may also allude to the Messianic hope, reminding us of our mission to be a light to the nations of the world (Isaiah 42:6).

The wick of the central shaft as well as the flames of all the branches point heavenward, beckoning us to reach higher and higher, doing our best to repair the world.

From this perspective, the Menorah catapults us into the future, when Am Yisrael and the world will experience the light of redemption.

All three of these areas speak to us today. Entering a synagogue and seeing a menorah, or an eternal light representing the Menorah, echoes the themes of Edenic inner peace, love of Torah, and a striving toward a more ideal world: creation, revelation, and redemption.

Candle lighting:

Terumah parsha

February 16 at 5:57 p.m.