What
Is
the
Meaning
of
Lighting
the
Menorah
in
the
Work?
Article
No.
30,
1989
Concerning
the
verse
“When
you
raise
the
candles,”
RASHI
interprets—after
the
rising
of
the
heart.
It
is
written,
“when
they
are
lit
up,”
implying
ascent,
that
they
must
be
lit
until
the
flame
rises
by
itself.
“The
seven
candles
will
shine
before
the
front
of
the
menorah
[lampstand].”
There
are
many
interpretations
to
“the
front
of
the
menorah.”
Literally,
it
means
that
all
seven
candles
will
shine
before
the
front
of
the
lamp.
Thus,
who
is
the
front
of
the
menorah?
We
should
understand
the
whole
matter
of
the
menorah
in
the
work.
It
is
written,
“A
candle
is
a
Mitzva
[commandment/good
deed]
and
the
Torah
[law/teaching]
is
light.”
This
means
that
through
the
Torah,
we
light
the
candle.
Also,
“The
Lord’s
candle
is
man’s
soul.”
We
see
that
in
corporeality,
we
need
to
light
a
light
so
it
will
shine
only
in
a
place
of
darkness,
as
it
is
written,
“as
the
advantage
of
the
light
from
within
the
darkness.”
This
means
that
“there
is
no
light
without
a
Kli
[vessel],”
and
a
Kli
is
a
lack
and
a
need.
This
means
that
a
Kli
is
not
something
that
is
empty
without
anything
in
there.
This
is
not
regarded
as
a
lack.
Rather,
a
Kli
that
is
fit
to
receive
filling
must
have
a
lack
for
the
filling.
That
is,
anything
that
a
person
wants
to
receive
is
in
order
to
enjoy
receiving
it.
Otherwise,
although
he
may
receive
something
without
a
lack,
enjoying
it
depends
on
the
measure
of
the
yearning
for
what
he
lacks.
Thus,
the
yearning
determines
the
measure
of
the
pleasure.
Therefore,
in
order
to
enjoy
the
light
so
it
will
shine,
a
person
must
provide
for
it
a
lack
and
yearning
for
the
light.
This
cannot
be
achieved
without
a
need.
In
order
to
provide
a
need,
the
only
way
is
to
think
about
the
purpose
of
creation,
meaning
why
the
Creator
created
creatures,
and
what
should
the
creatures
do
in
order
to
satisfy
the
Creator’s
will.
In
other
words,
once
a
person
believes
in
the
purpose
of
creation,
that
it
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
when
a
person
calculates
and
wants
to
see
how
much
delight
and
pleasure
he
feels
all
day,
for
which
he
should
thank
the
Creator
for
receiving
from
Him
only
delight
and
pleasure
so
he
can
say,
“Blessed
is
He
who
said,
‘Let
there
be
the
world,’”
since
he
enjoys
the
world
so
much,
at
that
time
he
begins
to
see
that
all
his
days
are
few
and
bad.
Sometimes,
his
life
is
meaningless,
and
instead
of
saying,
“Blessed
is
He
who
said,
‘Let
there
be
the
world,’”
a
person
says,
“Better
not
created
than
created.”
When
a
person
believes
in
the
purpose
of
creation,
which
is
to
do
good,
he
begins
to
contemplate
the
reason
that
he
does
not
see
the
delight
and
pleasure
revealed
to
all.
When
he
wants
to
know
the
reason
for
the
concealment
hiding
on
the
delight
and
pleasure,
he
must
also
believe
in
the
sages
who
said
that
there
was
a
correction
on
the
purpose
of
creation.
That
is,
in
order
for
the
purpose
of
creation
to
be
complete,
without
shame,
it
is
known
that
by
nature,
every
branch
wants
to
resemble
its
root.
Hence,
as
the
Creator
gives,
likewise,
when
a
person
must
receive
for
himself,
he
feels
unpleasantness.
To
correct
this,
there
was
the
Tzimtzum
[restriction],
concealment,
and
hiding,
so
as
to
give
room
for
choice.
That
is,
through
the
concealment
and
hiding
there
is
room
for
work,
if
a
person
wants
to
work
in
order
to
bestow.
In
other
words,
there
is
room
for
work
so
that
after
his
work
he
will
be
able
to
receive
in
order
to
bestow,
which
is
called
“equivalence
of
form.”
Conversely,
if
the
delight
and
pleasure
clothed
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot
[plural
of
Mitzva]
were
revealed,
as
it
is
written
in
The
Zohar
that
there
are
613
counsels
during
the
period
of
concealment
and
hiding,
where
by
observing
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
as
counsels
we
are
then
rewarded
with
613
deposits.
It
is
written
in
the
Sulam
[commentary
on
The
Zohar]
that
it
means
that
afterward,
after
the
completion
of
the
process
of
613
counsels,
we
are
rewarded
with
613
deposits,
which
are
613
lights
deposited
in
the
613
Mitzvot.
Only
then
does
what
exists
within
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
become
revealed.
These
are
called
“holy
names,”
which
are
details
that
reveal
the
general
name
of
the
Creator,
who
is
called
The
Good
Who
Does
Good.
In
the
words
of
The
Zohar,
this
is
called
“The
Torah
and
the
Creator
and
Israel
are
one.”
Accordingly,
we
can
understand
man’s
work,
meaning
what
man
must
do
in
order
to
carry
out
the
Creator’s
purpose
of
creation
for
the
creatures
to
receive
delight
and
pleasure
and
for
the
Tzimtzum
and
concealment
to
depart.
There
is
only
one
thing,
and
it
is
called
Dvekut
[adhesion],
“equivalence
of
form.”
This
is
all
the
correction
that
the
created
beings
should
do,
since
all
the
bad
in
us
disrupts
us
from
receiving
the
delight
and
pleasure
because
of
the
disparity
of
form,
called
“separation.”
This
is
what
we
must
correct,
and
then
everything
will
fall
into
place.
However,
since
the
nature
we
are
born
with
is
a
desire
to
receive
for
ourselves,
and
not
to
bestow,
when
a
person
wants
to
walk
on
the
path
of
the
work
to
achieve
the
truth,
meaning
that
a
person
wants
to
acquire
a
desire
to
bestow
contentment
upon
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
the
body
begins
to
resist
with
all
its
might.
A
person
says
to
his
body,
“Know
that
by
wanting
to
exist
in
the
world
for
your
own
sake,
without
caring
for
anything
else
in
the
world,
where
your
only
concern
in
everything
you
do
is
how
much
the
will
to
receive
will
gain
from
performing
acts
of
bestowal,
and
without
even
wanting
to
think
about
the
benefit
of
the
Creator,
by
this
you
obstruct
the
purpose
of
creation,
which
is
that
the
Creator
wants
to
give
to
the
created
beings
delight
and
pleasure.
You
are
the
obstruction,
and
I
cannot
revoke
your
reason,
but
I
believe
in
the
words
of
our
sages,
who
said
that
the
Creator
said,
‘I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.’
Therefore,
I
want
to
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
by
which
I
will
be
able
to
completely
revoke
you.
I
want
to
observe
what
our
sages
said,
‘The
Torah
exists
only
in
one
who
puts
himself
to
death
over
it.’
Therefore,
I
want
to
put
you
to
death
with
the
Segula
[remedy/virtue]
called
Torah.”
Thus,
he
tells
the
body,
“Leave
me
alone
with
your
views,
since
I
want
to
learn
Torah
so
I
can
put
you
to
death.”
Naturally,
at
that
time
the
body
resists
with
all
its
might
and
follows
the
verse,
“He
who
comes
to
kill
you,
kill
him
first.”
For
this
reason,
the
evil
inclination
exerts
with
all
its
might
to
obstruct
him
from
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
with
this
aim.
Either
it
interferes
with
his
actions,
or
disrupts
him
through
foreign
questions
and
thoughts
that
it
brings
him
every
time
in
order
to
disrupt
his
holy
work.
As
a
result,
those
who
want
to
walk
on
the
path
of
truth
and
revoke
the
will
to
receive
for
themselves
and
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
go
through
ups
and
downs.
This
is
not
so
with
people
who
observe
Torah
and
Mitzvot
in
order
to
receive
reward.
They
do
not
have
such
descents
because
they
are
not
going
against
nature,
namely
against
the
evil
inclination.
However,
since
“From
Lo
Lishma
[not
for
Her
sake],
we
come
to
Lishma
[for
Her
sake],”
at
times,
these
people,
too,
experience
descents.
But
for
people
who
want
to
revoke
the
evil
inclination
and
this
is
why
they
engage
in
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
this
is
a
daily
battle.
That
is,
sometimes
a
person
receives
help
from
above,
as
it
is
written,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided,”
and
thinks
that
now
he
is
on
top
of
it,
meaning
that
now
he
will
advance
and
climb
the
rungs
of
Kedusha
[holiness].
But
suddenly,
he
falls
back
down.
Such
is
the
procession
of
the
war
against
the
evil
inclination,
until
he
comes
to
a
state
where
he
is
rewarded
with
permanent
faith,
which
is
called
“rewarded
with
opening
his
eyes
in
the
Torah.”
It
is
written
about
it
(in
the
“Introduction
to
The
Study
of
the
Ten
Sefirot,”
Item
98),
“Every
person
can
labor
in
the
Torah
until
he
finds
the
attainment
of
His
open
Providence.
When
one
attains
open
Providence,
the
love
extends
to
him
by
itself
through
the
natural
channels.
And
one
who
does
not
believe
that
he
can
attain
this
through
his
efforts,
this
must
be
because
of
disbelief
in
the
words
of
our
sages,
‘I
labored
and
found.’
Instead,
he
imagines
that
the
labor
is
not
sufficient
for
every
person.”
Accordingly,
we
should
interpret
the
meaning
of
the
menorah
in
the
work,
which
RASHI
interpreted
that
it
is
written
“when
you
raise”
after
the
rising
of
the
flame.
It
is
written,
“When
they
are
lit
up,”
as
in
ascent,
that
they
must
be
lit
until
the
flame
rises
by
itself.
We
should
interpret
that
the
purpose
of
creation,
which
is
to
do
good
to
His
creations,
is
the
light,
and
the
created
beings
are
the
Kelim
[vessels]
receiving
the
light.
However,
the
Kelim
must
be
made
suitable.
They
must
be
clean
so
as
not
to
spoil
the
light
extended
into
them.
Since,
as
we
learned,
the
essence
of
the
creature
is
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself,
as
it
emerged
from
Ein
Sof
[infinity/no
end],
that
Kli,
as
it
is,
lacks
correction.
In
other
words,
although
the
Creator
created
the
will
to
receive
to
desire
and
yearn
to
receive
the
delight
and
pleasure
that
He
wants
to
give,
the
completeness
of
His
works
was
still
missing,
namely,
there
was
shame
that
the
lower
ones
feel
upon
reception
of
the
abundance.
This
is
called
“the
correction
of
the
Kelim.”
That
is,
the
bad,
which
is
called
“separation,”
due
to
the
disparity
of
form
between
the
receiver
and
the
giver,
this
bad,
called
“will
to
receive
for
oneself,”
must
be
cleansed.
When
the
Kli
is
cleansed
from
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself,
it
will
be
fit
to
receive
the
abundance,
called
“delight
and
pleasure.”
As
in
corporeality,
a
person
will
not
pour
wine
into
a
vessel
filthy
with
waste,
since
the
waste
spoils
wine.
Therefore,
the
vessel
must
first
be
cleaned,
and
then
it
can
receive
the
drink,
and
not
before.
This
is
what
took
place
with
the
menorah.
The
amelioration
of
the
candles,
when
the
menorah
would
be
cleaned
from
residue
of
oil
and
coal,
and
afterward
the
oil
would
be
placed
in
them,
implies
to
us
that
in
the
work,
our
bodies
must
be
cleansed
of
the
waste
in
them,
which
is
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself.
Subsequently,
the
body
can
receive
the
light
of
Torah.
But
before
the
body
is
clean,
it
cannot
contain
the
light
of
Torah.
However,
it
is
very
difficult
to
cleanse
the
body
from
the
will
to
receive
for
oneself,
so
all
his
works
will
be
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,
since
it
is
against
the
body’s
inherent
nature.
We
were
given
Torah
and
Mitzvot,
by
which
to
cleanse
the
evil
in
it,
so
that
the
light
of
the
Creator
can
be
in
it,
as
our
sages
said,
“I
have
created
the
evil
inclination;
I
have
created
the
Torah
as
a
spice.”
But
at
the
same
time,
in
itself,
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
is
not
enough
to
be
able
to
cleanse
the
will
to
receive;
it
requires
prayer,
as
well.
Prayer
means
that
he
should
know
that
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
he
is
observing
are
not
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
but
for
the
sake
of
the
created
being.
This
means
that
since
he
wants
to
purify
his
heart,
as
it
is
written,
“Purify
our
hearts
to
serve
You
in
truth,”
it
follows
that
through
prayer,
when
a
person
prays
for
the
purification
of
the
heart,
he
will
remember
that
the
Torah
and
Mitzvot
that
a
person
observes
is
for
man’s
sake.
At
that
time,
he
sees
how
the
evil
controls
a
person
and
he
cannot
emerge
from
its
governance.
In
other
words,
by
observing
Torah
and
Mitzvot
and
praying,
these
bring
him
the
purity
of
the
heart.
But
before
a
person
begins
to
think
about
the
purity
of
the
heart,
he
thinks
that
everything
is
up
to
him.
That
is,
he
thinks
that
if
he
wants
to
do
things
only
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
his
own
sake,
since
he
does
not
wish
to
use
these
desires,
it
is
up
to
him.
This
is
so
because
a
person
cannot
appreciate
the
evil
in
man’s
body.
This
becomes
revealed
gradually,
according
to
man’s
work.
When
he
wants
to
revoke
the
evil
in
him,
to
that
extent
the
evil
within
him
is
revealed
until
he
comes
to
feel
that
unless
the
Creator
helps
him,
he
is
doomed.
At
that
time,
a
person
begins
to
ask,
“Why
did
the
Creator
do
this?
That
is,
on
one
hand,
He
tells
us
we
must
make
a
choice,
meaning
loathe
the
evil,
which
is
the
will
to
receive
for
ourselves,
and
choose
the
good,
namely
the
desire
to
bestow
upon
the
Creator.
But
at
the
same
time,
I
see
that
I
cannot
emerge
from
the
governance
of
the
will
to
receive
for
myself
and
work
in
order
to
bestow.”
The
answer
is
that
only
when
a
person
comes
to
a
state
where
he
says,
“Salvation
by
man
is
in
vain,”
meaning
that
one
cannot
help
himself
and
choose
the
good.
In
other
words,
when
a
person
sees
that
this
matter
is
difficult
from
every
angle,
then
the
help
from
above
comes
to
him
and
the
verse,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided”
comes
true.
That
is,
when
a
person
comes
to
purify
and
begins
to
walk
on
the
path
of
achieving
bestowal
and
uprooting
the
evil
from
within
him,
he
sees
that
it
is
out
of
his
hands.
At
that
time,
the
Kli
is
completed
from
man’s
perspective,
meaning
the
lack,
when
he
becomes
needy
of
the
Creator
to
help
him
emerge
from
the
control
of
the
evil.
Prior
to
this,
he
thought
that
he
could
defeat
the
evil
in
him
by
himself.
In
that
case,
he
would
not
need
the
Creator
and
would
receive
the
purification
of
the
body
from
the
will
to
receive
by
his
own
strength.
In
that
state,
he
had
no
importance
for
Dvekut
with
the
Creator
as
it
should
be,
and
this
was
considered
a
flaw.
This
is
similar
to
a
person
who
is
given
a
vessel
of
gold
and
he
considers
it
a
vessel
of
copper.
He
thanks
the
person
for
it
as
one
would
thank
a
person
for
a
vessel
of
copper.
What
sorrow
that
person
would
inflict
upon
the
giver
of
the
gift,
although
the
giver
does
not
need
the
gratitude
that
he
would
give
in
return
for
the
gift.
Rather,
the
giver’s
sorrow
is
because
the
giver
wants
the
receiver
to
have
great
pleasure.
When
the
receiver
feels
great
pleasure,
this
is
the
giver’s
joy.
It
follows
that
when
the
receiver
cannot
appreciate
the
importance
of
the
gift,
the
receiver
is
not
delighted
as
the
giver
intended.
Thus,
the
giver
of
the
gift
feels
sorrow.
The
lesson
is
that
when
the
Creator
gives
something
to
a
person,
it
is
in
order
to
enjoy
it.
Yet,
a
person
cannot
appreciate
anything
according
to
its
importance,
but
according
to
how
the
receiver
appreciates
it.
It
is
written
about
it,
“As
the
advantage
of
the
light
from
within
the
darkness,”
meaning
that
the
darkness
is
how
a
person
feels
the
lack
in
him.
According
to
the
sensation
of
the
lack,
he
will
later
be
able
to
enjoy
the
light.
I
once
said
that
we
can
see
about
ourselves
that
thank
God,
we
are
walking
on
our
legs.
Certainly,
we
enjoy
the
fact
that
we
can
use
our
hands
and
legs.
But
where
is
our
joy?
We
should
be
delighted
that
we
have
such
important
things
that
we
can
use,
like
hands
and
legs.
For
example,
if
we
were
to
walk
into
a
hospital
where
there
are
paraplegics,
one
in
the
leg,
one
in
the
hand,
or
in
both,
and
we
would
tell
them
that
we
have
a
cure
that
as
soon
as
you
take
it
you
will
be
able
to
tend
to
yourselves,
meaning
you
will
be
able
to
walk
on
your
legs
and
use
your
hands.
Can
we
imagine
the
joy
that
they
would
feel?
We
cannot
even
appreciate
the
true
elation
that
they
would
feel.
It
follows
that
all
we
need
in
order
to
be
as
happy
as
they
are
is
darkness.
That
is,
if
we
felt
the
darkness
that
they
feel,
we
would
be
as
happy
as
they
are.
Now
the
question
is,
Should
we
really
be
happy
that
we
can
use
our
hands
and
legs,
meaning
that
it
is
an
important
thing
and
we
should
thank
the
Creator
for
it
and
be
happy
about
it?
Or,
in
fact,
this
is
a
small
thing,
not
worthy
of
rejoicing
over
and
saying,
as
we
do,
this
is
how
it
should
be.
That
is,
we
are
not
obligated
to
be
happy
about
it
because
we
do
not
feel
the
importance
of
the
matter.
Or,
perhaps,
we
should
in
fact
thank
the
Creator
for
not
being
paraplegic,
and
rejoice
over
this?
However,
we
see
that
even
if
we
introspect
and
thank
the
Creator,
we
cannot
receive
joy
from
this
because
as
said
above,
the
advantage
of
the
light
is
from
within
the
darkness.
By
this
we
can
see
why
the
matter
of
choice,
choosing
the
good,
namely
the
desire
to
bestow,
and
loathing
the
bad,
is
so
difficult.
It
is
because
we
must
taste
the
taste
of
darkness.
However,
we
must
not
be
shown
the
darkness
as
it
truly
is.
If
we
saw
the
measure
of
bad
within
us,
we
would
immediately
escape
from
the
work.
Then
we
would
not
feel
darkness
because
he
does
not
mind
that
the
will
to
receive
for
himself
is
the
ruler
as
he
does
not
feel
this
as
darkness.
Only
one
who
labors
and
works
as
much
as
he
can,
and
goes
through
ups
and
downs,
can
say
that
he
tastes
the
taste
of
darkness
because
he
cannot
overcome
his
will
to
receive
for
himself.
Thus,
the
descents
that
a
person
receives
when
he
wants
to
walk
on
the
path
of
truth
are
instruments
for
the
sensation
of
the
help
he
will
receive.
We
must
believe
the
words
of
our
sages
who
said,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
A
person
must
not
escape
the
campaign
when
he
sees
that
he
is
not
making
progress.
Sometimes
he
gets
thoughts
of
the
spies,
who
said
that
this
work
is
not
for
us
and
requires
special
people
who
can
walk
on
the
path
of
overcoming.
All
this
comes
to
him
because
he
understands
that
each
time,
he
must
see
how
he
is
making
progress.
However,
it
does
not
occur
to
him
that
he
must
advance
in
obtaining
darkness,
that
this
is
the
only
Kli
he
needs
to
acquire.
A
Kli
is
a
need
for
a
filling.
That
is,
if
he
has
no
filling
for
the
lack,
he
feels
that
he
is
in
the
dark.
For
this
reason,
a
person
must
not
say
that
he
is
not
advancing
in
the
work.
Hence,
he
wants
to
escape
the
campaign,
for
it
is
not
the
truth,
since
he
sees
each
time
how
far
he
is
from
obtaining
the
light,
meaning
for
the
Creator
to
give
him
the
Kli
called
“desire
to
bestow.”
He
cannot
obtain
the
desire
to
bestow
by
himself,
and
then
he
comes
to
feel
that
the
world
has
grown
dark
on
him.
At
that
time,
the
light
comes,
meaning
help
from
above,
as
it
is
written,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
Accordingly,
in
the
work,
the
menorah
implies
the
body,
that
the
body
must
be
lit
so
as
to
shine,
as
it
is
written,
“The
Lord’s
candle
is
man’s
soul,”
meaning
that
the
body
must
obtain
the
soul.
At
that
time,
the
name
of
the
Creator
is
named
after
the
person,
as
was
said,
“The
Lord’s
candle.”
When
is
the
body
regarded
as
the
Lord’s
candle?
It
is
when
we
must
light
it
so
it
will
shine,
which
is
when
a
person
obtains
the
soul,
meaning
acquires
the
desire
to
bestow.
This
is
regarded
as
a
soul,
as
The
Zohar
says,
“He
who
comes
to
purify
is
aided.”
The
Zohar
asks,
“How
is
he
aided?”
and
it
replies,
“with
a
holy
soul,”
meaning
that
he
is
given
from
above
a
soul.
At
that
time,
the
body
is
called
“The
Lord’s
candle,”
since
the
soul
of
the
Creator
is
clothed
in
the
body.
That
is,
preceding
the
arrival
of
the
assistance
from
above,
the
will
to
receive
for
himself
was
clothed
in
a
body.
Now
the
desire
to
bestow
is
clothed
in
the
body.
However,
until
one
obtains
help
from
above,
a
person
is
in
the
dark.
Each
time
he
overcomes
and
lights
up
the
menorah,
meaning
the
body,
so
as
to
be
in
the
form
of
“All
your
works
will
be
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator,”
he
experiences
ups
and
downs.
For
this
reason,
the
verse
calls
the
lighting
of
the
menorah,
“When
you
raise
the
candles,”
since
the
flame
does
not
go
up
as
soon
as
it
is
lit.
That
is,
during
the
overcoming,
he
lights
up
the
body
and
begins
to
do
the
holy
work,
but
afterward
he
descends
from
this
degree.
It
follows
that
when
a
person
lights
the
menorah,
so
the
body
will
work
in
order
to
bring
contentment
to
his
Maker
and
have
love
of
the
Creator,
“as
cinders
of
fire
is
the
Lord’s
flame,”
it
stands
to
reason
that
when
he
overcomes
and
begins
to
walk
on
the
path
of
doing
everything
in
order
to
bestow,
the
fact
that
he
received
a
descent
in
the
middle
of
the
work
and
fell
once
more
into
the
vessels
of
reception,
although
afterward,
he
receives
a
desire
and
yearning
to
work
in
order
to
bestow
once
more,
but
again
he
falls
from
his
degree.
This
repeats
itself
until
he
sees
that
this
is
endless.
Therefore,
he
says,
“I
see
that
there
should
have
been
progress
in
the
work,”
that
this
would
be
a
sign
that
the
work
he
is
doing
is
for
Him,
meaning
he
will
accomplish
what
he
wants,
meaning
come
to
do
everything
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
Yet,
he
sees
the
opposite.
Therefore,
a
person
wants
to
say,
“This
thing,
that
I
want
to
light
the
menorah,
meaning
the
body,
is
not
for
me.
Otherwise,
I
would
not
have
such
descents
in
the
work.”
For
this
reason,
the
text
tells
us,
“When
you
raise,”
and
not
“when
they
are
lit,”
to
tell
us
that
everything
that
appears
to
our
eyes
when
we
engage
in
lighting
the
menorah,
everything—all
the
states—are
ascents.
In
other
words,
even
the
worst
descents
that
we
receive
during
the
work
belong
to
ascents,
since
the
advantage
of
the
light
is
from
within
the
darkness.
This
means
that
a
person
cannot
say
that
this
work
to
bestow
is
not
for
him,
as
he
sees
by
his
descents.
The
verse
says
about
this,
“When
you
raise
the
candles,”
in
order
to
tell
us
that
everything
is
regarded
as
an
ascent.
Hence,
one
should
not
say
that
this
is
not
for
him
but
for
more
gifted
people.
In
order
to
know
more,
that
this
is
the
order
of
the
work
of
bestowal,
the
verse
comes
and
says,
“This
was
the
workmanship
of
the
menorah,
hammered
work.”
It
is
written
in
the
Midrash
[Beha’alotcha
(When
You
Raise)]:
“The
workmanship
of
the
menorah,
how
was
it?
When
Moses
went
up,
the
Creator
showed
him
on
the
mountain
how
He
would
make
the
tabernacle.
When
the
Creator
showed
him
the
workmanship
of
the
menorah,
Moses
was
perplexed.
The
Creator
said
to
him:
‘Behold,
I
do
in
front
of
you.’
Still,
Moses
was
perplexed
about
it.
He
said,
‘The
menorah
will
be
made
of
hammered
work,’
meaning
it
is
very
difficult
to
do.
The
Creator
said
to
him,
‘Throw
the
gold
into
the
fire
and
the
menorah
will
be
made
by
itself,
as
was
said,
‘the
workmanship
of
the
menorah
was
hammered
work.’”
RASHI
interprets
the
verse,
“This
was
the
making
of
the
menorah”:
“It
was
done
by
itself
by
the
Creator.”
We
should
understand
what
it
implies
to
us
in
the
work
that
it
was
difficult
to
make
the
menorah.
The
menorah
indicates
the
body,
that
the
body
must
be
lit
so
as
to
do
the
holy
work,
such
as
a
menorah
is
lit
up
so
it
will
work
in
corporeality.
However,
this
is
very
difficult
because
in
order
to
work
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator
and
not
for
one’s
own
sake,
it
is
against
nature.
Hence,
Moses
found
it
difficult.
That
is,
how
could
he
say
to
all
of
Israel
that
they
should
do
the
work
of
the
menorah,
that
it
must
be
lit
before
the
front
of
the
menorah,
where
“before
the
front
of
the
menorah”
is
the
Creator?
In
other
words,
the
Creator
is
the
one
standing
before
a
person,
as
it
is
written,
“The
Lord
is
ever
before
me.”
When
the
body
is
lit
up,
it
must
shine
not
for
its
own
sake.
Rather,
the
body
must
shine
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
This
is
called
“The
seven
candles
will
shine
before
the
front
of
the
menorah,”
where
the
seven
candles
are
the
six
days
of
work
and
the
Sabbath.
This
means
that
the
body
must
shine
from
the
light
of
the
soul,
as
in
“The
Lord’s
candle
is
man’s
soul,”
where
everything
must
be
“before
the
front
of
the
menorah,”
meaning
it
should
all
be
not
for
his
own
sake,
but
for
the
sake
of
the
Creator.
By
this
we
should
interpret,
truly
perplexing,
why
the
Creator
said,
“This
was
the
workmanship
of
the
menorah,
a
hammered
work
of
gold.”
That
is,
why
did
the
Creator
say
“hammered
work,”
which
means
that
making
the
menorah
should
be
difficult?
We
should
interpret
that
this
is
the
meaning
of
what
our
sages
said,
“When
the
Creator
showed
him
the
workmanship
of
the
menorah,
Moses
was
perplexed.”
That
is,
he
asked,
“Why
did
the
Creator
make
it
so
it
would
be
difficult?”
We
should
answer
this
with
what
was
said
above,
“As
the
advantage
of
the
light
from
within
the
darkness.”
This
is
why
He
made
the
menorah
deliberately
difficult,
so
they
would
taste
the
taste
of
darkness
and
will
know
the
importance
of
nearing
the
Creator
by
His
giving
them
vessels
of
bestowal.
However,
Moses
asked,
“It
is
true
that
there
should
be
darkness
so
as
to
distinguish
between
light
and
darkness.
However,
since
they
are
unable
to
emerge
from
the
control
of
the
will
to
receive,
what
is
the
benefit
in
it
being
difficult?
True,
they
will
taste
the
darkness,
but
they
will
never
be
able
to
come
to
the
light.
Thus,
they
will
never
be
rewarded
with
the
advantage
of
the
light
from
within
the
darkness.
In
other
words,
they
will
receive
darkness
but
how
will
they
ever
be
rewarded
with
the
light,
meaning
with
vessels
of
bestowal?”
We
should
interpret
that
it
is
about
this
that
the
Creator’s
reply
came.
“The
Creator
said
to
him,
‘Throw
the
gold
into
the
fire
and
the
menorah
will
be
made
by
itself.’”
This
means
that
it
is
true
that
the
Creator
agreed
with
Moses
that
man
cannot
obtain
vessels
of
bestowal
by
himself.
And
your
question,
“How
then
will
they
obtain
vessels
of
bestowal?”
Tell
them,
“Throw
the
gold,”
meaning
the
will
to
receive,
which
is
called
Ze-Hav
[Hebrew:
“give
this,”
but
also
Zahav
(gold)].
In
other
words,
only
if
they
want
to
throw
away
the
will
to
receive
for
themselves,
the
menorah,
meaning
the
body,
so
it
will
shine
“before
the
front
of
the
menorah,”
and
before
the
menorah
is
the
Creator,
this
means
that
the
menorah
will
be
done
by
itself.
Naturally,
the
Creator
can
certainly
give
a
person
vessels
of
bestowal,
as
He
has
given
man
vessels
of
reception.
This
is
the
meaning
of
what
RASHI
interpreted
about
the
verse,
“This
was
the
workmanship
of
the
menorah.”
The
question
is,
Who
made
the
menorah?
Through
the
Creator,
it
was
made
by
itself.
It
follows
that
one
should
not
look
at
the
descents
he
has,
for
everything
is
regarded
as
ascents,
as
it
is
written,
“When
you
raise.”