Why God Commands the Menorah Though He Needs No Light

Another interpretation of [WHEN YOU KINDLE THE LAMPS (Numbers 8:2)]. This is what Scripture says: "The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness' sake; He will magnify the Torah, and make it glorious" (Isaiah 42:21). As it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Say to Israel, It is not because I have need of your light that I tell you to kindle a lamp, but in order to give you merit. And so it says, "The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness' sake" (Isaiah 42:21). As it were, it is written of Him, "He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him" (Daniel 2:22). And so it says, "Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; [but the night shineth as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee]" (Psalms 139:12) — to make known to you that I have no need of you. Know this for yourself. Come and see: when a man builds a house and makes windows in [his house], and he wishes the light to enter, he makes the windows narrow on the outside and wide on the inside. Why? So that the light may enter from outside and give light within. But when Solomon built the Temple, he did not make the windows so, but rather narrow on the inside and wide on the outside, so that the light should go out from the Temple and give light without, as it is said, "And for the house he made windows broad and narrow" (1 Kings 6:4) — to make known to you that all is light, and that He has no need of light from you. And why did I command you? In order to give you merit. Therefore it is said, "WHEN YOU KINDLE THE LAMPS" (Numbers 8:2); thus, "The LORD is well pleased for His righteousness' sake" (Isaiah 42:21). And not only this, but if you are careful to kindle lamps for My Name, I too will give light to you, a great light, in the time to come, as it is said, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come [… and the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising]" (Isaiah 60:1, 3).