(Exod. 27:21:) IN THE TENT OF MEETING OUTSIDE THE VEIL … AARON AND HIS SONS SHALL SET IT (the lamp) UP. Lest your evil drive mislead you, saying: He needs light, see what is written (ibid.): OUTSIDE THE VEIL.¹⁶., Exod. 8:7. The menorah only needed to be put inside of the veil with the ark, but it was put OUTSIDE THE VEIL in order to inform you that he does not need a light. Why did he tell you to set it up? Because you are worthy of the light. Another interpretation: By universal custom, when a king of flesh and blood makes himself a couch and table, he sets the menorah to his left; but it was not like this in the Temple. Instead the menorah was placed to the right of the table in order to inform you that he does not need a lamp of yours. Why did he tell you to set it up? To give you light in the world to come, when darkness shall come upon the peoples of the world, as stated (in Is. 60:2): FOR BEHOLD DARKNESS SHALL COVER THE EARTH, AND THICK CLOUDS THE PEOPLES. THEN THE LORD WILL SHINE UPON YOU AND HIS GLORY WILL APPEAR OVER YOU.

footnotes: ¹⁶ Tanh