English translation — תרומה ג

A.

Regarding the shape of the goblets

(of the Menorah)

Chazal say¹

: "What are they like? Like Alexandrian cups."

The Rambam explains

that this means a cup whose "bottoms are narrow"³

— the top is narrow.

And thus the Rambam rules as law

(in the Book of the Hand⁴)

: "The goblets are like Alexandrian cups, whose mouths are wide and whose bottoms are narrow."

One finds in this a puzzling thing: There exists a drawing of the Menorah that the Rambam drew in his own holy handwriting

(in his Commentary on the Mishnah²)

(in his Commentary on the Mishnah)⁵,

and there he draws the goblets in an opposite manner — the wide part of the goblet

("their mouths")

towards the bottom of the Menorah and the narrow part

("their bottoms")

above,

that is — a drawing of an inverted cup

(of Alexandria)

And even though the Rambam himself warns<sup>6</sup>,

that with this drawing he only intends to show "its <b>overall form</b> how it was" — "knowledge of the number of the goblets etc. and their places etc."

— but not "that you should know from it the exact shape of the goblet <b>in detail</b>"

even though an Alexandrian cup is not like a triangle exactly<sup>7</sup>

— as it is understood simply that the edges of a cup one does not make pointed exactly

(because then one cannot set down the cup<sup>8</sup>)

— they are only "narrow",

narrow

(and in particular)

relative to the width of "their mouth"],

This is however no reason to depict <b>inverted</b>

(edges — above and the top — below)

"with the head downwards"<sup>9</sup>

that the Rambam would depict the goblets in a manner <b>opposite </b>

(and in each goblet)

— twenty-two times!].

B.

Therefore it seems to say as the plainness of the matter,

that the Rambam depicted the goblets in this manner<sup>10</sup>

because in his opinion it is so

were very fixed in the menorah

(or from the reception from teacher to teacher from generation to generation¹¹),

or because that is how he found it in a midrash of our sages that did not reach our hands

(and other early authorities)

matters whose source is a midrash

(and the like)

that did not reach our hands].

and he does not bring it in the Book of the Hand*¹¹

- exactly as he does not bring in his book the illustrations that are in his commentary on the Mishnah

(even though consequently there are also not in his book several details that one sees in the illustration).

And it can be said several reasons in this.

And among them: a)

<![CDATA[<b>Initially </b>is this]]>

(drawings)

not been in his plan of his book Mishneh Torah.

b)

According to the known¹²

On how much the Rambam is <b>minimizes to the utmost</b> to bring in his book things which are <b>not explicit</b> in the Talmud and the like.

c)

Several of these details,

are,

in his opinion,

not indispensable <b>at all</b>.

And more reasons.

And one could elaborate on all this and more.

And the place is not here.

3.

The above answers,

explains the Rambam — but the question remains: why were the cups of the menorah inverted,

with the top downward?

And especially that one finds that the boards of the Mishkan had to be "standing

&lt;b&gt;דרך גדילתן&lt;/b&gt;"&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;

Specifically — "the lower below and the upper above"&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;

And from this one learns&lt;sup&gt;15&lt;/sup&gt;

&lt;b&gt;A rule &lt;/b&gt;that "all the commandments, a person fulfills them only through their natural manner of growth" — why then should the cups be &lt;b&gt;opposite &lt;/b&gt;of "their natural manner of growth"?

And one may say,

that this will be understood according to what one finds regarding the totality of the matter of the menorah, a matter which is akin and similar to the above:

About the light of the Menorah, Chazal say&lt;sup&gt;16&lt;/sup&gt;

: "I do not need the light ..

It is a testimony to all who come into the world that the Shechinah rests upon Israel" — the light of the Menorah was not in order to illuminate the place where they placed it

(Mishkan and Mikdash),

&lt;b&gt;And furthermore &lt;/b&gt;— there it is "does not need light,"

rather it was a "testimony ..

to all &lt;b&gt;who come into the world &lt;/b&gt;that the Shechinah rests upon Israel.

And for this reason&lt;sup&gt;17&lt;/sup&gt;

they made the windows of the Beis HaMikdash in a manner &lt;b&gt;opposite &lt;/b&gt;from ordinary windows — rather "narrow openings, sealed"&lt;sup&gt;18&lt;/sup&gt;

- "narrow from the outside&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

and sealed from the inside"&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

(wider on the outside and narrower on the inside),

as the commentators&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;

explain this:

A window is built such,

that the window opening is wider on the inside than on the outside,

so that the light from outside should spread also into the "sides" of the room; but the windows of the Beis HaMikdash were <b>opposite</b>— "narrow from within and widening outward so that the light should go out from the Sanctuary <b>to illuminate the world</b>"²¹,

because the function of the light of the Menorah is— "testimony to all who come into the <b>world</b> etc."

D.

In this manner one can explain regarding the goblets:

The Bechayei²²

explains the <b>allusion </b>in the cups of the menorah: a cup is a "vessel that has a receptacle and it gives drink and saturates,"

and this is an allusion to the "spheres that receive powers of the <b>upper ones and influence </b>power in the <b>lower </b>world".

What the emphasis in this is - the <b>influence</b>²³

from upper to lower,

"gives drink and saturates".

The

(<b>main</b>)

function of a <b>cup </b>consists <b>not </b>in its being a receptacle²⁴

- this is the function of a "barrel" and the like,

in which one holds water,

wine etc.

A cup, however, is a vessel through which the water etc. from the "barrel"

(or "spring" and the like)

arrives and "gives drink and quenches" the person who drinks²⁵.

It turns out,

that the above explanation of the Bachya corresponds with the saying of our Rabbis, of blessed memory, mentioned above

(regarding the <b>totality</b> of the matter of the menorah)

"Not for light <b>do I need</b>..

(Rather)

it is a testimony to all the inhabitants of the world, etc.’" — that the function of the light of the menorah is

(not in the "<b>I</b> need" — "receiving" — but)

in order to illuminate the world

(that is outside),

and in the language of the Bachya: to <b>influence</b> "in the lower world".

5.

Based on this, it will be understood why the goblets in the Menorah were in a manner of their mouths downward and their bases upward:

When the goblets are

(temporarily)

for the sake of the "receptacle,"

at the time of "reciting Kiddush over the cup," their state is mouths upward and bases downward

(for then they hold within themselves beverage²⁶)

Since however that the cups of the menorah hint to the concept of "drink

and satiety" — is,

on the contrary: their condition is &lt;b&gt;the opposite &lt;/b&gt;— its mouth downward and its base upward

(one &lt;b&gt;turns over &lt;/b&gt;the cup so that the drink should pour out from it).

And likewise in our matter: since the light of the menorah must illuminate the "inhabitants of the world" who are below

(in spirituality)

from the Sanctuary

therefore,

the condition of the goblets &lt;b&gt;of the menorah &lt;/b&gt;is their mouth downward and their base upward

(in the manner that the windows of the Sanctuary are "sloped and narrow",

&lt;b&gt;opposite &lt;/b&gt;of the windows of a house).

6.

Based on the above, one can also explain in the service of man the hint and lesson that the goblets were specifically "their mouth wide and their base narrow":

Since the goblets allude to the concept of "giving drink and quenching thirst",

it is understood,

that here a "mouth &lt;b&gt;wide&lt;/b&gt;" is required.

When it comes to influencing another Jew,

or

(more generally —)

to engage in the service of making for Him a dwelling place in the lower realms

("a testimony to all who come into the world")

— this must be done with the greatest breadth,

until beyond measure and limit.

— he must

(receive)

take upon himself with the greatest powers,

his mouth

(through which he receives &lt;b&gt;into himself&lt;/b&gt;)

is wide.

If when it speaks about <b>oneself</b> and he is entirely at the beginning of the service,

or even later but his service is

(for whatever reason)

a limited service²⁷

— then his <b>state</b> is: his mouth upward,

But when it comes to the service of doing with another Jew,

and in particular — to the service of making the world a dwelling place for the Blessed One — one must know,

that here it must be beyond limitations,

then the <b>broad</b> — towards

(the recipient from him — H)

below.

about the difference between the Terumat HaAdanim

(and Terumat HaShekalim)

and Terumat HaMishkan:

Terumat HaAdanim

was limited to a specific thing

(silver and half-shekel),

but Terumat HaMishkan included all types of creation — inanimate, vegetative, and living

(and with the addition of "every man ..

whose heart motivates him"&lt;sup&gt;29&lt;/sup&gt;

— speaking)

Because the donation of the sockets

(and HaShekalim)

(and the shekels)

allude to

(the laying of the sockets and)

the beginning of the service of a Jew,

which the daily service

(is)

in its order,

an ordered service — beginning from Modeh Ani and going from level to level etc.

But the donation of the Mishkan alludes to the totality of the service of making for Him a sanctuary and I will dwell in their midst — a dwelling place in the lower realms,

in which there are no limitations³⁰,

it encompasses <b>all </b>matters of the world].

7.

And this is the hint in that which even though "all the commandments" must be done "in the way of their growth" specifically — as it is brought regarding

(and learned from)

lulav and its kinds¹³

— nevertheless the goblets of the menorah are <b>opposite</b> "the way of their growth":

Every commandment³¹

and especially lulav and its kinds are analogous to the entire <b>order of the chain of descent</b> — it must be in general in "order" and in "chain of descent,"

"the way of their growth";

And therefore the <b>order </b>of the fulfillment of the commandment³²

in a manner of "the way of their growth."

Also the goblets <b>themselves </b>are "their base narrow and their mouth wide" — but when they become a part of the menorah

(difficulty)

And <b>their </b>function in the menorah is to water and irrigate the low,

to shine <b>outside </b>— it is connected with changing his nature and his habit — he must go out from "himself"; and consequently are

(the windows of his house in a manner of "shuttered and sealed,"

and)

the goblets their mouth downward and their base upward — opposite "the way of their growth,"

And his service and influence below is from a mouth “&lt;b&gt;wide&lt;/b&gt;” — beyond measure and limitation.

8.

There is another detail in this above drawing of the menorah in the manuscript of the Rambam,

which is different from the regular drawings of the menorah — that the six branches of the menorah extend upward

(from the middle branch)

in a straight diagonal,

not as in the regular drawings of the menorah,

that they extend upward like half-circles.

And although regarding this detail,

there would perhaps, with great difficulty, be a place to say,

that the Rambam depicted it "to ease the depiction" — it stands

But explicitly in the commentary of R. Avraham ben HaRambam,

that the "six branches ..

extend from the body of the menorah toward its head straight, as depicted by my father, master, of blessed memory,

not in a circle as depicted by another".

And so it also stands in Rashi's commentary on the Torah³⁴

that the six branches "are drawn diagonally and ascend".

It turns out,

that the usual drawings of the menorah are neither according to Rashi's view nor according to how the Rambam depicted them!

9.

The author of Mishnas Chassidim in his book "Maaseh Choshev"³⁵

(on the work of the Mishkan)

writes simply that the six branches were "drawn <b>in a circle</b>".

And he explains,

that although from Rashi's explanation³⁴

it is proven that "they were not in a circle" — "but the Rambam in his composition³⁶

did not mention the word diagonal, but wrote³⁷

and they are drawn and ascend",

and he brings what the author of "Chochmas HaMishkan"³⁸

writes,

that from this it is "seen ..

that the branches ascended almost in a circle"; and the "Maaseh Choshev" concludes: "and so it seems, for in this they are similar to the wheels of the firmament³⁹

etc. opposite which are <b>the seven</b>⁴⁰

lamps".

But according to my humble opinion: since the "Maaseh Choshev" writes explicitly,

that his <b>foundation </b>to

to learn that "they are drawn in a circle" is from the <b>concealed </b>language of the Rambam in his composition

("he did not mention the word 'diagonal'"),

from which it is "<b>seen </b>..

that they would ascend ..

almost in a circle"

But after the body of the holy writing of the Rambam was revealed in the drawing of the menorah*⁴⁰

And the testimony of the son of the Rambam about this

— the foundation is nullified and the building is nullified⁴¹.

And with due respect and in my humble opinion it seems clear,

that if the “skillful workman” and master of the wisdom of the Tabernacle had seen the drawing of the Rambam and the explanation of Rabbi Avraham ben HaRambam,

they too would have written that there is no dispute about this and according to everyone the branches were “in a straight line”

that "many of the early authorities, may their memory be blessed, had not yet been published in print in the times of the later authorities, may their memory be blessed ..

and therefore certainly one should not rely, etc.”].

Yud-Dalet.

And if the words are correct,

it is proper to restore the crown to its former glory — that all those who make illustrations of the Menorah

(in order to learn how was the

appearance of the menorah &lt;b&gt;that was in the Mishkan and the Temple&lt;/b&gt;),

should depict the branches of the menorah diagonally,

according to the opinion of Rashi

(&lt;b&gt;the plain meaning of the verse&lt;/b&gt;)

and the Rambam

(and according to the above — one could say that in the conclusion &lt;b&gt;there is no dispute in the matter&lt;/b&gt;&lt;sup&gt;43&lt;/sup&gt;).

And likewise the educational institutions and the like which depict on their "pages" "blanks" and the like the picture of the menorah and they draw the branches of the menorah as half-circles —

So since the purpose of this picture is to serve as a reminder of the menorah in the Mishkan and in the Temple — it is worthwhile and more that they should change the picture and depict the stems diagonally⁴⁴.

Yes.

With this there comes here another matter:

The usual depiction of the menorah

(that the six branches are like semicircles)

is presumably a copy of the depiction of the menorah that <b>non-Jews</b> depicted <b>in Rome</b>,

and on the "Arch of Victory"

(the "Victory Gate")

of Titus, may his name be blotted out⁴⁵

When Titus the wicked destroyed the Holy Temple,

he ordered to take away the Temple vessels and bring them to Rome; and "in his honor" of that wicked one they built in Rome a "Victory Gate" that bears his name: the Arch of Titus.

On that arch they depicted how they carry the captured Temple vessels and among them the menorah — and in that depiction of the menorah on the Arch of Titus the six branches are like semicircles.

What in addition to the fact that the form of the menorah on the Arch of Titus is entirely not accurate⁴⁶

— is indeed this done

been,

of course,

in order to bring out the domination and rule of Rome over Jews, may it not be,

until that one there also engraved in every place the words "Iudaea Capta"

("Judah

(Jews)

is captured").

And there were times,

when one would compel Jews to come to that arch,

that they should see what there is written and drawn,

in order to humiliate etc. etc.

It turns out,

that the depicting of the branches of the Menorah as semicircles

(as they are depicted on the Arch of Titus)

must evoke an outcry — besides the main point that this is contrary to Rashi and the Rambam etc. — also because this gives a certain agreement etc. Heaven forbid to the depiction on the Arch of Titus,

which was made in order to distress Jews and to humiliate them!

Instead of that a depiction of the Menorah must remind and awaken a Jew that his role is to be "a light to the nations"⁴⁷

— "It is a testimony to <b>all who come into the world</b> that the Divine Presence rests upon Israel"⁴⁸

— the form of the Menorah is made in such a way that reminds of the exact opposite — how Rome had vanquished the Jews,

Heaven forbid!

12.

May it be His will,

that very soon the true and complete redemption should come and we will have the menorah in its simple form and in its wholeness—

wholeness⁴⁹

in the third Holy Temple,

and everyone will see what the menorah looks like.

And Moshe and Aharon with them⁵⁰,

and one will see with fleshly eyes,

ותחזנה עינינו — the fulfillment of the command "Speak to Aharon etc. When you raise the lamps",

light the menorah,

in its most literal sense and speedily in our days, literally.

Shabbos Parshas Devarim and Rosh Chodesh Elul 5742)