The Candlestick

Weekly Torah Lesson

Parsha: b’ha’alotcha – when you set up
Torah:  B’mid’bar 8:1 – 12:16

** The first four verses of this week’s parsha is a brief instruction to Aharon about “setting up” (lighting) the intricately decorated, seven light candlestick.    

(B’mid’bar) 1  And Avinu spoke to Moshe, saying, 2  Speak to Aharon and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. 3  And Aharon did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as Avinu commanded Moshe. 4  And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, to the shaft thereof, to the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according to the pattern which Avinu had showed Moshe, so he made the candlestick.

**  Some say that the candlestick was supposed to represent the “Holy Spirit”.  Here are a few Scriptures that might shed some light on this subject.

John, to the seven congregations which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, (Re 1:4 NKJV)

** The possibility of the seven lights representing the Seven Spirits of Avinu is believable.

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, (Re 1:12 NKJV)

The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven congregations. (Re 1:20)

** Notice that John called these Seven Lampstands a “Mystery”. The possibility of the seven lights representing the Seven Congregations is also very believable. 

What do you think the seven lights represent?