MUSEUM OF PEOPLE'S FRIENDSHIP

KHANUKALA MENORA

The Hanukkah Menorah is a seven-arm (or nine-arm) lamp that once stood in the Jerusalem Temple; one of the most enduring symbols in Judaism. The Menorah served as an accessory to the Jewish altar even during the wanderings in the desert. To this day, it demonstrates the continuity of the traditions of the Jewish people from Moses to the present day.

In the Torah (the first part of the Bible), the Lord explains in detail how to make a menorah and how to light it. According to the midrash (section of the Torah), the explanations seemed too complicated to Moses, and then the Lord himself created the menorah for him. The Menorah has seven branches decorated with golden almond flowers. The fire of the menorah is the fire of the purest olive oil.

In the temple of Solomon (according to a later tradition), the original menorah was lit daily by the high priest, and ten other menorah stood next to it, performing a decorative function.

When the Babylonians destroyed the First Temple, all the golden menorahs were broken; however, legend says that the original menorah was hidden and preserved in exile. During the Maccabean rebellion, Antiochus removed the menorah from the Temple, but Judas Maccabee made a new one. The stand of this menorah resembled the base of the Temple of Apollo. After the destruction of the Second Temple, the menorah was taken to Rome and installed in the Temple of Peace built by Vespasian. There are stories that further the menorah was taken to Constantinople or returned to Jerusalem; but her ultimate fate is unknown. In honor of the victory over Israel, a triumphal arch was erected in Rome, inside which it was depicted how the defeated and enslaved Jews bring the menorah. According to scientists, the double octagonal stand of this menorah indicates that Titus did not capture the original menorah, which stood on three legs, but only one of the decorative lamps. To this day, Jews avoid passing under this arch, which symbolizes exile, tragedy and defeat.

After the destruction of the temple, the menorah became the main emblem of the survival of the Jews and the perseverance of their traditions. According to the Talmud, a menorah cannot be copied in full; therefore, later copies are missing some of the details mentioned in the Bible. In ancient times, the menorah was often depicted on mosaics and frescoes of synagogues, on graves, on vessels, lamps, amulets, seals and rings. During the Middle Ages, the menorah became a popular motif for book illustrations and covers. In our time, the menorah is an important element of synagogue art; in particular, it can be seen on stained glass windows, arks and Torah cases, as well as as an architectural detail. The State of Israel has chosen the Menorah as its emblem; she is depicted on seals, coins and souvenirs. A large sculptural menorah by Benno Elkan stands in front of the Knesset in Jerusalem. She is a symbol of the revival of the Jewish people after years of exile and hardship.

Botanists believe that the shape of the menorah was inspired by a plant called moria (salvia palaestinae), which is native to Israel and the Sinai desert. Dried on a flat surface, it strikingly resembles a menorah, also having six branches and a central trunk.

There are many interpretations of the mystical meaning of the menorah, especially its seven branches. In ancient times, it was believed that the heavens were composed of seven planets and seven spheres. The Hellenistic Jewish philosopher Philo believed that the menorah symbolized the seven planets, which are the highest objects available to human perception. He also argued that the gold from which the menorah is made and its light symbolize the divine light, or Logos. In addition, the seven branches of the menorah were believed to represent the seven days of Creation. The Menorah is likened to the Tree of Life, as it resembles a tree. Some see the menorah as an upside-down tree rooted in the sky. If the branches of the menorah are bent, then from above it will look like the Star of David.

Hasidic tradition maintains that the shape of the menorah mimics a six-winged angel, “seraphim,” whose name comes from the Hebrew word for fire. The Lord allegedly showed Moses the image of the Mountain Seraphim and commanded to recreate it by earthly means.

The Hanukkah Menorah, which has nine horns, resembles the Temple Menorah, but has a completely different origin and most often serves not as a lamp, but as a candlestick. Eight horns symbolize a miracle that occurred in the time of Judas Maccabee, when a one-day supply of consecrated oil found in the defiled Temple was enough for eight days of continuous burning of the menorah. The ninth light is used to light the other eight.

In the old days, the Hanukkah menorah hung to the left of the front door, opposite the mezuzah (a scroll of parchment made of leather), as a sign of a public testimony of a miracle. When such evidence became unsafe, Jewish law prescribed that the menorah should be lit indoors only.

For centuries, the Hanukkah menorah consisted of a straight row of butter cones or candlesticks mounted on a plate that could be hung on a wall or door. In the Middle Ages, copies of the seven-pointed menorah appeared in synagogues, which were lit for the benefit of the poor and wanderers who were unable to light their own menorah on Hanukkah. It is these standing menorahs, complemented by two horns, that have become the model for the modern home menorah lit on Hanukkah. In addition to the miracle that happened in the old days, other plots and characters are often depicted on Hanukkah menorahs. This is the Lion of Judea; the Jewish people and Judas Maccabee; Judith, whose story has parallels with the miracle of Hanukkah; the Jewish people and Judas Maccabee; Judith, whose story has parallels with the miracle of Hanukkah; eagles, deer and other animals; and many other motives from the Bible, history and arts and crafts. The only mandatory requirement of the ritual is that the eight side horns should be in one line, but the lights should not merge into one.