OPINIONS: The Gemara cites a Beraisa which states that the olive oil used for the Menorah must be "mi'Zeiso" -- "from its olive."

What exactly does this mean? All olive oil is "from its olive." What is unique about the oil used for the Menorah?

(a) RASHI (DH mi'Zeiso) explains that this means that the oil must come from olives that remained on the tree long enough for the oil to develop in them. The text of Rashi quoted by the SHITAH MEKUBETZES (#23) reads that the olives should remain on the tree until they become ripe, and only then may they be picked. "From its olive," therefore, means that one should wait until the olive is full of oil before it is picked.

(b) The MESHECH CHOCHMAH (Shemos 27:20) offers a novel interpretation. He explains that when the Gemara establishes that the olive oil for the Menorah must be "mi'Zeiso," it means that the criterion for choice oil is the opposite of the criterion for choice wine. While wine improves with age, oil is best when it is young.

The Meshech Chochmah cites the Gemara in Bava Basra (97a) that states that one may not bring "Yayin mi'Gito" -- "wine from its vat" (grape juice that has not fermented) as Nesachim (libations) in the Beis ha'Mikdash. The RASHBAM (DH Lo) explains the reason for this: the Torah states that the wine that accompanies the Korbanos should be "Shechar" -- "intoxicating" (Bamidbar 28:7). The Meshech Chochmah cites the verse (Bamidbar 6:3) which commands a Nazir to refrain from "Yayin and Shechar." TARGUM ONKELUS translates these words as, "new wine and old wine." These verses show that Shechar is old wine, and it is this type of wine which is required for the Nesachim of Korbanos.

In contrast, the word "mi'Zeiso" (Shemos 27:20) teaches that olive oil for the Menorah must be virgin olive oil, straight from the olive; the newer the oil, the higher its quality.

The Meshech Chochmah cites the Gemara in Avodah Zarah (66a) that states that new wine (wine which was recently made) has the same taste as grapes. Similarly, newly-prepared olive oil has the same taste as the olive, and this is considered a praiseworthy property of oil for the Menorah.

The Meshech Chochmah adds that this explanation of "mi'Zeiso" resolves a question on a verse in Shoftim. In Yosam's parable, the olive tree said, "My fat, through me they will honor Hash-m and people" (Shoftim 9:9). "My fat" refers to the oil obtained from the olive tree. However, why does the tree say that Hash-m and the people are honored "through me" and not "through it," through "my fat," the oil which the tree produces?

The Meshech Chochmah suggests that "through me" refers the olive on the tree itself. Since the choicest oil that is produced from the olive has the same taste as the olive itself, the taste of the oil is actually recognizable in the olive on the tree, which is an additional source of praise for the tree. (See Meshech Chochmah for another explanation for this parable.) (D. BLOOM)

QUESTION: The Gemara quotes the verse, "Outside of the Paroches ha'Edus (Curtain of the Testimony), in the Ohel Mo'ed (the Tent of the Meeting) Aharon shall prepare it to be lit from the evening until the morning before Hash-m" (Vayikra 24:3). The Gemara explains that "Edus" refers to the Menorah, because it testifies to the whole world that the Shechinah rests among the Jewish people.

The Gemara continues and says that if one would think that Hash-m needs the light of the Menorah, he should note that for the forty years that the Jewish people sojourned in the wilderness, they walked only to "His light," and thus Hash-m clearly does not require any light. Rather, the purpose of the light of the Menorah is to show the world that the Shechinah rests among the Jewish people.

Rava explains that the testimony is the Ner Ma'aravi (the western candle). Even though the same quantity of oil was placed into that candle as was placed into the other six candles, the Ner Ma'aravi was always the last to become extinguished even though it was the first to be lit. RASHI KESAV YAD (DH u'Vo) writes that every morning, the Kohen found the Ner Ma'aravi still lit, even though the others had already become extinguished. Indeed, on occasion the Ner Ma'aravi would stay lit all day long. This miraculous event, that the Ner Ma'aravi stayed lit for so long, showed the world that the Shechinah rests among the Jewish people.

The Gemara here implies that one might think that Hash-m needs the light. However, the similar Gemara in Shabbos (22b) says merely, "Does he need the light?" To whom does "he" refer in that Gemara? (TOSFOS DH mi'Chutz)

(a) TOSFOS quotes RABEINU TAM who explains that when the Gemara says that one should not think that "he" requires the light of the Menorah, it means that Aharon did not require the light of the Menorah. The reason why Aharon did not require the light is that for the forty-year sojourn in the wilderness, the Jewish people traveled exclusively to the light of the "Amud Esh" -- the "Pillar of Fire." Tosfos proves this from the Midrash (Beraisa d'Meleches ha'Mishkan) which states that Aharon was able to look at the outside of a vessel and see what was inside it, and to look at the outside of a barrel and know what it contained. Accordingly, he clearly did not need the light of the Menorah, since he already had a very special light.

Tosfos also cites the Toras Kohanim which states, "Did they need a light source? For all forty years that Yisrael walked in the desert, they did not require a light as it says, "For the cloud of Hash-m was in the Mishkan" (Shemos 40:38). The Toras Kohanim also implies that the Torah is teaching that it was the people, and not Hash-m, who needed no light.

However, Tosfos asks that the Gemara here clearly implies that the One who did not need the light of the Menorah is Hash-m. Moreover, the Gemara's statement that "all forty years that the Jewish people walked in the wilderness, they walked to His light," is puzzling. What is special about the forty years in the wilderness? The entire world, from the beginning of Creation, lives only by the light of Hash-m! (Tosfos, and the SHITAH MEKUBETZES #18)

(b) The RITVA in Shabbos (22b) answers Tosfos' question. He explains that when the Gemara here says that Hash-m does not need light, it means that He did not need the Menorah to give light to Aharon, since the Jewish people in the wilderness had the special light. Similarly, when the Gemara says that Hash-m did not need food, it means that He did not need to supply the Jewish people with other food, since He had already given them food at this time (see also YA'AVETZ here). The Ritva says that this is also the intent of Rabeinu Tam. (D. BLOOM)