Reply To: Short & Sweet

Bahaloscha: Finding the Light

There is a cryptic medrash that compares the lighting of the Menorah in the Mishkan to the passuk of יגדיל תורה ויאדיר, making the Torah great and glorified. But what does one have to do with the other?

Perhaps we can explain this based on the Chida, who writes that the Menorah symbolizes תורה שבעל פה.

When it comes to תורה שבכתב, one may never add to to the Torah. To do so would be in violation of בל תוסיף. Yet when it comes to תורה שבעל פה, new insights are always welcome.

This is hinted to in the lighting of the Menorah. The Menorah will never give any light unless somebody takes action and lights it. Similarly, תורה שבעל פה is left to us. It is our job to constantly plumb the depths and search for new insights. It is our chance to make continue to grow, to make even more great and glorified.

לע״נ דוד חיים בן ישראל דוב הכהן
לע״נ ר׳ חיים דוב בן ר׳ בןציון שלום