Have you ever noticed that your mood seems to change depending on the lighting in the room that you find yourself in? The reason you may have noticed this is because it’s actually happening. Lighting in a room – at home, at work, in a restaurant, etc. – has a significant impact on your mood. The better the lighting in a space, the better your mood will be.
Parshas Tetzaveh discusses the various elements of the Kehuna – priesthood – in the Mishkan, ranging from clothing to service and everything in between. It begins, however, with the discussion of the Menorah. Why? Why does the Torah begin its discussion with the mentioning of the Menorah?
Perhaps, you would think that the Torah is trying to teach us a deep, esoteric, sublime message about the spiritual light of the Menorah and its connection with the hidden spiritual light of the Ohr Haganuz and its association with Torah She’bal Peh.
In the Sefer Oznayim L’Torah, Rav Sorotzkin zt”l says an astounding thing. You know why the Parshah dealing with the Kohanim begins by mentioning the Menorah? Simple. Because you can’t work in the dark! So before the Kohanim are given their specific commandments regarding their service in the Mishkan, the Torah mentions the Menorah, to teach us that the Kohanim should not work in the dark. The Menorah provided light for the Kohanim to be able to carry out their service properly and efficiently.
Instead of entering a dark-lit depressing atmosphere, Hashem – in His Infinite Wisdom – arranged for the warm light of the Menorah to shine bright and create a positive work atmosphere.
We can suggest even further, that not just the light of the Menorah, but even its height and placement was also by design. According to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), intense direct light from above creates a tense feeling. On the other hand, lower overhead lighting combined with warm-toned lighting at room perimeter creates a relaxed feeling. Similarly, according to TCP, a leading lighting manufacturer, lighting positioned above eye level can create a feeling of restraint, creating a more formal atmosphere. On the other side, lighting positioned below eye level can provoke a feeling of individual importance, creating, a more informal atmosphere.
Isn’t that interesting? If you think about it, the Menorah was placed along the perimeter – on the side (see 26:35) – of the Mishkan, and the height of the Menorah was 18 tefachim tall, which according to Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, is around 5’ 3’’. If the average male height is 5’ 9”, that would put the flames of the Menorah under the eye level.
Maybe, just maybe, this was intentional too. The light of the Menorah emanated from the perimeter, thus creating a relaxed feeling, and in addition, the height was below eye level, provoking feelings within the Kohanim of individual importance, both components which are vital in the service of Hashem.
Have a holy Shabbos!
