God Kindles the Menorah Light Out of Primordial Darkness

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Beha'alotcha 8:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

Another interpretation of "in front of the menorah" (Numbers 8:2): Flesh and blood kindles a lamp from a burning lamp; can one possibly kindle a lamp out of darkness? Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, made a lamp give light out of the darkness, as it is said, "and darkness was upon the face of the deep" (Genesis 1:2). What is written after it? "And God said, Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). And out of the darkness I brought forth light. Do I, then, have need of your light? And why did He command it? Only for the sake of your exaltation, "to set up a lamp continually" (Exodus 27:20).

Themes

CreationNoahLightChanukahTemple

Biblical References

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