Forward, Into the Light

The Parsha begins with instruction regarding the lighting of the menorah that was of course located in the Holy Place of the Beit ha Mikdash, or what we call the Tabernacle. Aaron was to arrange the seven lamps of the menorah so that the light was projected forward. We can assume that meant that the light was to be directed into the general space of the Holy Place rather than against the wall. A literal reading of the Hebrew is not as clearly defined. It says to cast the light against the menorah. It also uses the word panim, meaning face.

The idea of projecting the light of the menorah in a certain direction, namely forward, aroused a bit of curiosity in me. There is a Hebrew word קְדִימָה pronounced kadiymah, that means forward. The root word קָדִים, kadiym is also used for face or facing east.

The entrance to the mikdash always faced east toward the rising sun. The tribes were arranged around the tabernacle such that Judah was always the most eastward tribe and led the way whenever the cloud or fire of God’s presence lift and pointed Bnei Israel toward their next destination.