The Daily Chizzuk of our Rebbe Rav Eliezer Berland shlit”a – To light the Menorah ever day anew
Monday, 14 Tammuz 5783
These are his holy words:
All the prayers of Channah were in the aspect of “May He give power to His king and raise the pride of His anointed one” (I Shmuel 2:10), that Mashiach ben David will come, for Channah lit the Menorah.
When we say “Lamnatzeach binginot mizmor shir – For the conductor with the neginos, a psalm, a song” (Tehilim 67) seven times, we light anew every day the Menorah. Lamnatzeach binginot is opposite the Menorah – it’s exactly 49 words, exactly seven shafts, exactly opposite the Menorah. Therefore, you always need to say Lamnatzeach binginot seven times, also in Sefirat HaOmer. During Sefirat HaOmer, even though we light the Menorah more, because we then count “May the Temple be rebuilt speedily in our days.”
Through Sefirat HaOmer, we build the Temple mamash. If we say this seven times, then this is exactly opposite the 49 days of the Sefirah. Over the course of all 49 days, we light the Menorah, that together this is 49 – “Seven ducts for each of the seven [lamps]” (Zechariah 4:2).
“He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ I said, ‘I see and behold – there is a menorah [made entirely] of gold with its bowl on its top; its seven lamps are upon it, and there are seven ducts for [each of] the seven lamps on its top’” (Zechariah 4:2). Another seven, and another seven, and another seven — together this is 343, as it’s written “Beshagam — Since he is but flesh” (Bereishit 6:3) – Beshagam – Shin, mem, gimel is 343.
That 343 channels of influx are flowing to the Menorah from the oil. “Its gula (bowl) on its top.” What is “its gula on its top”? “Gula Gula” – this is the upper springs (gulot) and the lower springs (see Shoftim 1:15) – the fountains of influx, a fountain of olive oil, of yitzhar (oil).
Korach is called Yitzhar. He was pure olive oil, only that he couldn’t bear his jealousy of Elitzafan [who was appointed as leader of the Kehatite family of Levites]. He went out of his mind because of Elitzafan.
Korach and Elitzafan were together in kindergarten. Suddenly Elitzafan is made leader of the family of Kehat. Every family had its own leader. Not only that every tribe had a leader – also for every family – “And the leader of the leaders of the Levites was Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen (Bamidbar 3:32). Itamar was only the leader of the holy watch. His job was to divide up the tasks, but Elazar ben Aharon HaKohen was leader of both Levites.
Now, who is Elitzafan? Who made the whole mess?
[All the Rav’s words from here on are based on Rashi’s comments on Bamidbar 16].
“And what did Korach see”? Why suddenly Korach? Here he was so wise. Why did he dispute Moshe? What did Moshe do to him?
“Korach became jealous of the leadership of Elitzafan ben Uziel” (ibid.). He said: We were together in kindergarten, and suddenly Elitzafan is made leader. Why was he made leader? What? What did he do?
“Korach became jealous of the leadership of Elitzafan ben Uziel,” who Moshe appointed leader of the Kehatites by the command of God. He said: We see here that Moshe is a liar. Everything is favoritism. Everything is a double standard. There’s no equality – there’s no sharing of responsibilities.
Everyone wants equality – then learn an hour of Gemara. Let’s see them act with equality. Let’s try every hour Gemara. It’s easier for a person to serve a hundred hears in the army than to learn one hour of Gemara. Let’s see them learn one hour, opening the Gemara, opening the Midrash.
Moshe appointed Elitzafan by command of God. Korach said: Father had four brothers. Amram was the firstborn – one is king, and one is Kohen Gadol. Moshe snatches away all the appointments, but who is fitting to take the second one if not me, since I am the son of Yitzhar, the son of pure olive oil? “Its gula on its top” – this is Yitzhar, this is pure olive oil, which is [Yitzhar], second after Amram. However, Moshe appointed his [Amram’s] youngest nephew, Elitzafan, the youngest. Now I’m going to dispute him and nullify his words.
What did he do? He gathered 250 heads of Sanhedrins, most of them from the tribe of Reuven, his neighbor. But Moshe appointed by the command of God.
All the prayers and Chanukah are only in the merit of Channah – “May He give power to His king and raise the pride of His anointed one” (I Shmuel 2:10). The entire thing is that we pray that Mashiach will come already today.
We believe that Mashiach will come today and there will be the complete redemption, speedily in our days, Amen.
