What is the significance of the word "Paroches ha'Eidus?
Rashi #1: It refers to the Luchos, which the Paroches protected and which the Torah describes as "Luchos ha'Eidus". 1
Rashi #2 (citing Shabbos, 22b) and Targum Yonasan: It refers to the Ner Ma'aravi. It was testimony [that the Shechinah is among Yisrael, inasmuch as, although it contained the same amount of oil as the other six lamps, it was always the last to go out, even though it was the first to be lit. 2
Refer to Sh'mos 32:15:1:1*.
Rashi in Shabbos, 22b and Moshav Zekenim in Sh'mos, 27:21: When Yisrael merited, such as in the days of Shimon ha'Tzadik, a miracle occurred and the Ner Ma'aravi burned the entire day, whereas the other lampxsfs burned only until the morning. In fact, this was the main purpose of the Menorah, since otherwise, what use would Hashem, who lit up the Camp of YIsrael for the forty years that they travelled in the desert, have with the light? (Shabbos, 22b). See also Ba'al ha'Tutim and Or ha'Chayim.
What are the ramifications of "Ya'aroch oso Aharon me'Erev ad Boker"?
Rashi: It implies that one should place sufficient oil, to burn the entire night, which Chazal assessed as half a Log in each lamp. 1
How will we reconcile the Pasuk here, which names Aharon (the Kohen Gadol) as the one who lights the Menorah, with Sh'mos 27:21, which writes "Aharon and his sons"?
Seforno: Even though all Kohanim are eligible to kindle the lights and to burn the Ketores, throughout Yisrael's stay in the desert, it was befitting for the Kohen Gadol to perform them 1 , because the Shechinah dwelt there every day 2 like it was destined to subsequently do on Yom Kipur. 3
Moshav Zekenim: Following the death of Nadav and Avihu, Aharon would not allow his sons enter the Heichal wthout him; and only he would go in alone.
Sifra: This teaches us that one Kohen alone is permitted to arrange all the lamps and it is not necessary to alot on Kohen for each lamp. 4
How can the Menorah be lit "Tamid" - seeing as when Aharon prepared the Ner Ma'aravi (by replacing the old wicks and putting in fresh oil), nothing is burning?
Moshav Zekenim #1: Before extinguishing the Ner Ma'aravi to prepare it, Aharon would light a different lamp - from the Ner Ma'aravi.
Moshav Zekenim #2: Aharon placed a new wick in the Ner Ma'aravi while it was still burning, and it ignited from the old wick (or he lit the new wick from the old wick, placed the new burning wick into the Ner Ma'aravi) before he removed the old one.
Our Pasuk implies that they lit the Menorah every day. Midrash Yelamdenu says that it burned from Rosh Hashanah to Rosh Hashanah!
Moshav Zekenim: Our Pasuk discusses according to nature, when there was no miracle.
Why does the Torah insert the word "Tamid here " but not in Tetzaveh?
Moshav Zekenim: Sometimes the Ner Ma'aravi went out in the morning, when Yisrael sinned. Here it says that the other Neiros always went out in the morning. 1
His question is astounding, seein as the Torah writes there. in 27:20 "Leha'alos Ner Tamid", just like here! Perhaps he wrote 'there it does not say?' referring to the beginning of Beha'aloscha, and an ignorant scribe substituted 'in Tetzaveh' to provide the reference. This requires investigation. (PF)
