This Parsha begins with God telling Moshe how Aaron should light the seven lamps of the Menorah casting their light toward the face of the Menorah.
Bamidbar 8:4 This was the form of the menorah: hammered work of gold, from its base to its flower it was hammered work; according to the form that the Lord had shown Moses, so did he construct the menorah.
A short description follows of the Menorah. Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch gives a detailed description of the construction and symbolism of the Menorah. The general shape of the Menorah is a tree-like shape and is built from hammered gold. It includes elements of a flower: stems, buds, and flowers.
Dr. Russell Jay Hendel, writing an explanation of Rav Hirsch sums up the significance of these three elements:
The (a) stem, (b) bud, and (c) flower have as their functions (a) the
gathering of nutrients (b) the embryonic outline of further plant parts (c) reproduction.
In the intellectual-spiritual-emotional sphere this would correspond to (a) raw knowledge
and exposure to an item, (b) intuitive feel and familiarity with an item, (c) an ingrained
reproducible habit.Bamidbar 8;4 This was the form of the menorah hammered work of gold, from its base to its flower
Spinach Salad with Edible Flowers
Where does one find edible flowers? I happened to find these at the awesome supermarket Pomegranate (definitely the kosher answer to Whole Foods) while visiting New York last week. To be completely honest, the flowers have no taste. But they do look fantastic, so who cares??
- 1 package spinach
- mushrooms, sliced
- mung sprouts
- 6 strawberries, sliced
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian spices
- 1/4 teaspoon basil
- 3/4 cup oil
Torah Portions 