Page 16 - HaMizrachi #15 2019 Chanuka USA

8 Illuminating Facts

about the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash

The Menorah used in the Beit In Jewish oral tradition, the The Temple Institute has created a
HaMikdash was a seven-branched Temple Menorah stood 18 hand- life-sized Menorah, designed by gold-
candelabra. Today we use a nine- breadths high, or approximately 1.62 smith Chaim Odem, intended for use
branched Chanukiah during the meters (5.3 ft). in a future Third Temple. The Meno-
eight-day holiday of Chanukah, com- rah is made of one talent (interpreted
memorating the eight-day miracle of as 45 kg) of 24-karat pure gold, ham-
the jug of oil. mered out of a single block of solid
gold, with decorations based on the
depiction of the original on the Arch
In 2009, the ruins of a synagogue of Titus and the Temple Institute's
dating from before the destruction of interpretation of the relevant religious
The Menorah, carved in deep the Second Temple were discovered texts.
relief, is the main focus on the Arch of in Magdal, in the Galilee. Archeolo-
Titus, an arch constructed in 81 CE by gists discovered a rectangular stone
Emperor Domitian shortly after the displaying a depiction of a seven-lamp
death of his older brother Titus. The Menorah markedly different from the The Menorah symbolized the
carvings depict the spoils taken from depiction on the Arch of Titus. This ideal of universal enlightenment, as
the Temple in Jerusalem. Menorah has branches that are polyg- noted in the Talmud: “Rabbi Yitzchak
onal, not rounded, and the base is tri- said: He who desires to become wise
angular, not graduated. However, this should incline to the south [when
was found a significant distance from praying]. The symbol [by which to
remember this] is that… the Meno-
The Menorah has been a symbol Jerusalem. The depiction on the Arch rah was on the southern side [of the
of Judaism since ancient times. Today, of Titus has often been interpreted as Temple].” The seven lamps allude to
flanked by two olive branches, it is the a more reliable eyewitness reconstruc- the branches of human knowledge,
national emblem of the modern State tion of the original Menorah from the represented by the six lamps inclined
of Israel. Temple in Jerusalem. inwards towards – and symbolically

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