Ismét a menóráról olvasunk a Tecáve után. Az előző hetiszakaszban befejeztük a Miskánt, amit a Trumában kezdtünk el!
(Fun fact: a leghosszabb hetiszakasz után jön a leghosszabb nevű hetiszakasz.)
Speak to Aaron and say to him, “When you mount the lamps, let the seven lamps give light at the front of the lampstand.”
A gyertyák középre hajoljanak. A Chanuka-kapcsolat.
בהעלתך WHEN THOU LIGHTEST [THE LAMPS] — Why is the section treating of the candelabrum put in juxtaposition with the section dealing with the offerings of the princes? Because when Aaron saw the dedication offerings of the princes, he felt distressed because neither he nor his tribe was with them in the dedication, whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life! Your part is of greater importance than theirs, for you will kindle and set in order the lamps” (cf. Midrash Tanchuma, Beha'alotcha 5; see also Nachmanides).
בהעלתך lit., WHEN THOU MAKEST [THE LIGHTS] RISE — Because the flame rises upwards (עולה), an expression denoting “ascending” is used of kindling them (the lights), implying that one must kindle them until the light ascends of itself (Shabbat 21a). — Furthermore our Rabbis derived from here (from the expression בהעלתך) that there was a step in front of the candelabrum upon which the priest stood while preparing the lights (Sifrei Bamidbar 59).
Megilá traktátusban érdekes téma: mitől lesz mesubách az egyike azoknak, akik a Tórából olvasnak? Lemáj náfká miná?
Rava said: Since ten verses must be read, if the first of the three readers called to the Torah read four verses, he is praiseworthy; if the second one read four verses, he is praiseworthy; and if the third one read four verses, he is praiseworthy.
Rava explains: If the first of the three readers called to the Torah read four verses, he is praiseworthy because the first in a series is privileged, as we learned in a mishna (Shekalim 8a): One removes the funds from the Temple treasury chamber, in order to use them for purchasing communal offerings and attending to other needs of the Temple, with three large baskets, each measuring three se’a. On the baskets is written, respectively, alef, beit, gimmel, in order to know which of them was removed first, in order to sacrifice offerings purchased with money from that basket first, as it is a mitzva to use the money collected with the first basket before the money collected with the others.
A választ a hetiszakaszunkból kapjuk meg:
If the middle one read four verses, he is also praiseworthy, as the middle position is also dignified, as it is taught in a baraita: “The seven lamps shall give light in front of the candelabrum” (Numbers 8:2); this teaches that the priest turns the front of each lamp toward the western lamp of the candelabrum, i.e., the middle lamp, and the western lamp faces toward the Divine Presence. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is derived from here that the middle one is especially praiseworthy.
And if the last one called to the Torah read four verses, he too is praiseworthy, due to the principle that one elevates to a higher level of sanctity and does not downgrade. If the last reader reads more verses than did the first two, this is an elevation in sanctity. The Gemara relates that Rav Pappa happened to come to the synagogue of the place called Avi Gover, and the first person called to the Torah read four verses, and Rav Pappa praised him.
Ugyanez a vita (más névvel), a Menáchot traktátusban: ott már Rási és Toszfot vitája, hogy mitől mesubách:
This is as it is taught in a baraita: The verse states: “When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light toward the front of the Candelabrum” (Numbers 8:2). This teaches that the priests would turn the front of each lamp toward the middle lamp, but the middle lamp was turned toward the Holy of Holies. Rabbi Natan says: One can infer from here that the middle position is preeminent.
From here we infer that the middle position is commendable - regarding three that read Torah on Mondays and Thursdays, and we say in Megillah 21b: "we do not read any less than ten verses. And Rabbi Yochana says: the middle [alyiah] is preferable, and that is four verses, and the others are three and three.
The middle is preferable. And the explanation of the book [Rashi] is regarding that we read the Torah that we do not read any less than ten verses, and the middle reads four verses, being preferable. And regarding this he brings the baraita there, in the third chapter of Megilah (Megilah 21b) but it is difficult - because they bring also other baraitot, that affirm that the first and the last [alyiot] are preferable [as well]. Therefor it seems that here in our mishnah regarding the three that walk in the way, the bigger is on the middle, as it is said in the chapter "The appointed one said to them" (Yoma 37a) and in Masechet Megillah (Megillah 21b) it brings that since other things are preferable, it is preferable that he reads 4 verses.
Toszfot szerint a "középső dicséretes" törvényének valóságos forrása a Jomá traktátusban:
And furthermore, it was taught in a baraita: Three people who were walking on the road should not walk in single file but should walk with the teacher in the middle, the greater of the students on his right, and the lesser of them to his left. And so too do we find with the three ministering angels who came to Abraham: Michael, the greatest of the three, was in the middle, Gabriel was to his right, and Raphael was to his left. Apparently, a student walks to the right of his teacher.
Rav Miller gyakran emlegette ezt a talmudi szakaszt a nekámá kapcsán együtt ezzel a másikkal. Innen is az látszik, hogy a középső a fontos.
Rav Aḥa Karḥina’a strongly objects to this approach that being placed between two names of God accords significance: However, if so, the same should hold true for vengeance. Great is revenge that was placed between two letters, as it is stated: “God of vengeance, Lord, God of vengeance shine forth” (Psalms 94:1).
A zsinagógai gyertyagyújtás törvénye. Alapja a Megilá traktátus, de ott éppen a gyertya nem szerepel. Hová vezethető vissza?
Treat them with honor to "chab'dan" and to "rav'tzan". (the meaning of "chibood" is to clean/sweep it. "Ribootz" is to sprinkle water on the ground). The custom is to light candles in them to honor them.
Az eredeti forrás is kicsit out-of-context:
The Gemara asks: Why did Rabbi Yehuda discuss the halakha about grass? Who mentioned anything about it? The Gemara explains: The text of the baraitais incomplete and is teaching the following: And among the other things that may be done in synagogues, they should also be sure to sweep them and to sprinkle their floors with water, in order that grass not sprout up in them. Rabbi Yehuda said: When does this apply? When the synagogues are occupied by the people using them, but when they are in a state of ruin, they should be left alone so that grass will sprout up inside them. If grass did sprout up, it should not be removed, due to the anguish that this will bring to those who see it.
Jom tovi gyújtás kapcsán még bővebben előkerül a téma (hogy ott még olyankor is szabad):
...
A lamp lit for no purpose — meaning one does not need it — it is forbidden to light. But a synagogue lamp is not considered purposeless and it is permitted to light it even on the second day of Yom Tov after Mincha, and there is no concern of preparing for a weekday, since in lighting it there is a mitzvah for that moment. To fix the wicks and the lamps on Yom Tov after Mincha — if one wishes to light them that same day it is permitted; if not, it is forbidden.