World of Chabad Lubavitch Chabad of Central New Jersey
 
Friday, December 6, 2024 - 5 Kislev 5785
 
About us | Donate | Contact us
The Rebbe
News & Events
Weekly Torah Portion
Magazine
Holidays
Torah Study
Ask The Rabbi
Jewish Calendar
Upcoming Events
Birthday & Yartzeit
Find a Chabad Center
Audio
Videos
Photo Gallery
Event Hall
Campus Housing
Kosher Dining Service
Camp Gan Israel
Mikvah
Arrange for Kaddish
Links
About Us
Contact Us
 
Email EMAIL UPDATES
Join our e-mail list
& get all the latest news & updates
 
Email CANDLE LIGHTING
4:13 PM in New Brunswick, NJ
Shabbat Ends 5:16 PM
Friday, 6 Dec 2024
Parashat 
»   Get Shabbat Times for your area
 
 
Email DONATE
Help support Chabad of Central New Jersey by making a donation. Donate today!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share |
Insights - Q&A on Redemption

Question:


Why do we light an eight-branched Menorah on Chanukah, when the Menorah in the Holy Temple had seven branches?


Answer:


The number seven represents the natural order; the number eight represents the supernatural.

We light an eight-branched Menorah on Chanukah to commemorate the miracle of the small jar of oil, which was enough to kindle the Menorah for only one day, but burned for eight days.

However, the fact that the Temple Menorah had seven branches, while a Chanukah Menorah has eight, also symbolizes the different functions of the two candelabras. The Menorah in the Temple was kindled indoors, by day. Their purpose was not to provide illumination for the Temple itself, but to serve as a beacon, calling all the people around the world to come to the Temple and bask in the divine presence.

The Chanukah lights, by contrast, are kindled at night, and are placed near a window or door, to light up the outside. They are lit during a time of divine concealment, when we cannot simply go to the Temple to draw divine inspiration. Rather, we must go out into the darkness of night and reveal the hidden beauty and light that lies buried within the darkness itself.

For this reason, the Menorah in the Temple had seven branches while the Chanukah Menorah has eight. Seven represents the natural order; there are seven days of the week, corresponding to seven divine attributes with which G-d created the world. The number eight represents a power that is above nature.

The Temple required only a seven-branched Menorah. The power of seven was sufficient during a time when the divine presence was manifest. On Chanukah, though, we need the power of eight. We are charged with the task of illuminating the darkness outside, and transforming it, causing it to give off its own inherent light, hidden there since before creation. For this, the power of seven is not enough, and we need supernatural powers, represented by the number eight.

 

 


About us | Donate | Contact us | The Rebbe | News | Parsha | Magazine | Holidays | Questions & Answers | Audio | Video | See mobile site

 
© 2007 Chabad of Central New Jersey. All rights reserved.
 
site designed & powered by Dextel.net