“When you raise up the lights, toward the face of the Menorah, etc.” The commentators had difficulty with this because if the face of the Menorah means the central lamp, then it should have said “let the six lamps shine,” indicating that the six should face toward the seventh. And I say that the phrase toward the face of the Menorah refers to what was stated earlier, and there is no difficulty whatsoever. This is because we do not find in this verse any command, as it does not say “light them” or “raise them toward the face of the Menorah.” Also, they shall shine is not a command, as one does not command the lamps. Furthermore, what is meant by and Aaron did so? What is remarkable about this? Who better than him to fulfill God’s word? And what is praiseworthy about not changing [the instruction]? Why would we think he would change it? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to show that He does not need the light [of the Menorah], and for this reason, God wanted all the lamps to face toward the face of the Menorah, to dispel the misconceptions of those who err. Nevertheless, He did not want to command specifically that they be lit toward the face of the Menorah, because only a misguided and simple-minded person would err in this matter, and why should He issue a specific commandment because of fools who have perverted [understanding]? However, God said by way of information, “I am informing you from the beginning about the end result, which is that when you raise up the lights toward the face of the Menorah, you will not give those who err a reason to make a mistake, etc. Then I too will do this: The seven lamps will shine forever, their light will never be extinguished, they will always be before Me.” And from this positive statement, we can infer the negative: If you do not raise them toward the face of the Menorah and give place for those who err to say, “He needs the light,” then the seven lamps will not shine at all — either due to the destruction of the Temple, or even while it stands, they will not shine and their radiant light will not glow, neither for Me nor for you will it be.

And support for this interpretation comes from what they said in the Midrash (Tanchuma Beha’alotcha 3) that the lamps were placed adjacent to the dedication of the altar because Aaron was distressed about not participating in the dedication of the altar. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him, “You are destined for something greater. The sacrifices only exist while the Temple stands, but the lamps are forever,” as it is said, toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps cast light. See in Yalkut (819:8) the version of this Midrash. Look to the right and see: What indicates from this verse that the lamps are forever? Rather, certainly the author of this Midrash intended to interpret the verse in this manner: If you raise them toward the face of the Menorah, then I will make the seven lamps shine forever, even during the time of destruction. Ramban here challenged this Midrash, arguing that when the sacrifices ceased, the lamps also ceased. Therefore, he explained that it refers to the lamps of the Hasmoneans and their sons. But I find his words difficult, for the lamps of the Hasmoneans were initially discontinued together with the sacrifices, and when the land became peaceful and quiet, both returned to their former state. So what advantage do the lamps have over the sacrifices?

It appears to me that he [Ramban] took proof from the Hasmoneans and their sons, that there is more holiness in the lights [of the menorah] than in the sacrifices, for upon their [the Jews’] return [to the Temple], no miracle occurred with the sacrifices, but with the lights a miracle did occur. Therefore, Aaron received consolation regarding the kindling of the lights, which is greater than the sacrifices. And what was said [that] ‘the sacrifices are only [offered] when the Temple exists, but the lights [are] forever’ — this is its interpretation: Even though the sacrifices had heavenly fire, which was an open and continuous miracle, nevertheless, after the First Temple was destroyed, the fire no longer descended, because the Second Temple lacked five things, among them the heavenly fire (Yoma 21b). But the holiness of the lights never ceased, even though the Temple was destroyed twice: once in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, and once in the days of Antiochus. Nevertheless, a miracle occurred with the lights, and this demonstrates the greatness of the holiness of the lights. And he learned this by being forced by the questions we mentioned.

It seems to me that the explanation of the verse is as follows: When you light the lamps, toward the face of the menorah shall the seven lamps cast light — this is to avoid giving the mistaken impression that God needs the light. Rather, due to the great sanctity of the lamps, I [God] will cause this to happen: all seven lamps will shine eternally. And even in times when there would only be enough to light one lamp, miraculously I will make all seven lamps shine, as happened in the days of the Hasmoneans, and their memory shall never cease among the children of Israel for all generations. But if you do not light them toward the face of the menorah, then they will not shine eternally, for I will not perform obvious miracles with them so that the mistaken ones do not find support for their error by saying, “It is because God needs the light that He performs more obvious miracles with the lamps than with the sacrifices.” According to this interpretation, this verse contains no command but rather a statement of facts. That is why the Torah praises Aaron, saying Aaron did so, meaning he acted as if God had explicitly commanded Moses, being as careful about the matter as if he had been commanded to do it. Afterward, the Torah explains the source of this misunderstanding, saying, This is the workmanship of the menorah… Because all the vessels of the Tabernacle were made by human hands except for the menorah, which the Holy One, blessed be He, made Himself as one piece, according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he/He made it. Meaning, the Holy One, blessed be He, made it. From here arose the possibility for the mistaken ones to say that God made it Himself because He needs its light. Therefore, Aaron was diligent to light its lamps toward the face of the menorah to dispel this error.

And some say that the praise of Aaron that he did not change, is because the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him the seven lamps shall give light in front of the Menorah, and He was not particular about the raising up [of the lamps] being in front of the Menorah, but was only particular about the illumination being in front of the Menorah, and was not particular about the raising up. But Aaron added [to this] and even performed the raising up in front of the Menorah, as it is written, he raised up its lamps in front of the Menorah. And it is further possible to explain that the praise is that even though it says Aaron and his sons shall arrange it, nevertheless he himself hastened to perform the commandment, and Aaron did so. Because he saw in it an extra holiness, since the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself made it, as mentioned, and so writes the Ramban.

And by way of allusion, it can be said “toward the face of the menorah.” This refers to the Holy One, Blessed be He, the Light of the world. The seven lamps shall give light, for all the branches faced the central branch, and it faced toward the Divine Presence in the west. Thus, it appears as if all the lamps face toward the face of the pure menorah, from which the light emanates from Him, blessed be He, to all created beings. And the phrase when you light [beha’alotcha] uses the term of “ascending,” meaning he should light it until the flame rises by itself. Our Sages of blessed memory said (Tanchuma Beha’alotcha 3) that the menorah was made by itself — this is a great wonder, hinting at the lamp of God, the human soul, which ascends upward by itself if not prevented by sins. It is the work of God, for there are three partners in the creation of a person (Niddah 31a). We have already explained this above in Parashat Terumah (25:31), and it is a correct and clear matter. This is the connection between the lamps rising by themselves and the making of the menorah, for it too was the work of God, as it says, Thus He made the menorah — the Holy One, Blessed be He, made it.

Take the Levites: Sometimes it mentions the language of “taking” and sometimes the language of “giving,” and this matter requires explanation. Also, what is the duplication in saying for they are given, given to Me, and afterward He contradicts Himself by saying I have taken them for Myself. It appears that due to the necessity of these questions, the Tanchuma (Behaalotcha 8) concludes Take the Levites — take them for My name, for a position of authority. And with this, all the questions are resolved, because we find the language of “taking” regarding the exchange of the firstborn, as it is written instead of every firstborn that opens the womb… I have taken them for Myself.

And the explanation of this matter is that the Levites were chosen for three things. Two for servitude, and one for authority. Two for servitude, namely the servitude of physical labor for service and carrying, and the servitude of offering their bodies as atonement for the Children of Israel, as it is written, And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons… to perform the service of the Children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting — that is, the service of carrying — and to atone for the Children of Israel. For the guilt of the people rests upon their leaders, and therefore it says, so that there will be no plague among the Children of Israel. For through their [the Levites’] wounds, the Children of Israel are healed, as is the way according to Through those close to Me I will be sanctified (Leviticus 10:3). And therefore it says, The Children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites. This laying of hands is to say, “Behold, you are an offering for the people and atonement for them,” as we explained above in the portion of Leviticus (1:4) regarding the verse and he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt offering. And so it will be explained later, God willing, in the portion of Numbers (27:18) regarding Moses laying his hand upon Joshua. And these two things were not imposed by God upon the Levites because the firstborn were disqualified. For would this be the way — that “Toviah sinned and Zigud is punished” (Pesachim 113b)? Rather, these two things were imposed upon the Levites because Jacob, the elder Israel, gave a tithe of all that he had, and from his sons he gave Levi as a tithe. For he had 12 sons, and Ephraim and Manasseh shall be to me as Reuben and Simeon — thus there were 14. Subtract from them the four firstborn of the four mothers, leaving 10, and from these he gave Levi. And because he said, I will surely tithe a tenth to You, and our Sages said (Ketubot 67b) that one who gives lavishly should give a fifth, which is two tithes, therefore he also gave a fifth. That is, he consecrated Levi to the Almighty in these two ways: to subject their bodies to sacred service and their souls to atonement. It is as if he separated them twice, which is the fifth. And this is the meaning of For they are given, given to Me from among the Children of Israel — that is, the two gifts that we mentioned from among the children of the elder Israel, so that the fifth would be separated. Similarly, in the verse And I have given the Levites as gifts, he mentions two givings: I have given and gifts. And he immediately explains that these two givings are to perform the service of the Children of Israel and to atone for the Children of Israel. He mentions Israel five times in this verse to indicate that the giving of the Levites is doubled — the fifth from the Children of Israel. And this is a correct and precious allusion.

But when it mentions the language of “taking” that the Holy One, Blessed be He, took them Himself without Jacob giving them, this refers to taking for authority which belonged to the firstborn who were disqualified, and the authority was given to the Levites. And regarding this it states instead of every firstborn that opens the womb from the children of Israel, I have taken them for Myself (Numbers 8:17). And I took the Levites instead of every firstborn (Numbers 3:12). From here the author of the Midrash learned to interpret take the Levites as referring to authority, drawing an inference from the latter to the former: Just as the “taking” mentioned below refers to authority, as it connects it to the exchange of the firstborn, so too the “taking” mentioned above refers to authority. And this authority means that all Israel is obligated to give them tribute of tithes and offerings, for this is why he was called Levi, because they accompanied him with gifts. And this is a precious interpretation.