How did the menorah look in the Tabernacle Mishkan and the Temple, and how is it related to religious tourism

The Torah describes the creation of the Tabernacle's utensils by Bezalel. Regarding the construction of the menorah, the Torah states, "Six branches shall issue from its sides; three branches from one side of the lampstand and three branches from the other side of the lampstand" (Exodus 25/32). How did the menorah, which our ancestors lit in the desert Tabernacle and in the Jerusalem Temple, actually look?    ו

There's a significant dispute about this. Some argue that the branches of the menorah were rounded, while others claim that the branches were straight, forming a triangular shape. Let's delve deeper into this dispute from the perspective of religious tourism

Round Menorah

This discourse extends to religious tourism, drawing attention to sites like the Arch of Titus in Rome. This arch commemorates Titus' conquest of Jerusalem around two millennia ago and prominently features a relief portraying captives carrying the Temple's menorah and trumpets. In this depiction, the menorah exhibits rounded branches meticulously aligned with the Torah's description. Consequently, this portrayal significantly influenced the symbolic representation of Israel, implying that the Temple menorah likely had rounded branches

A wealth of archaeological evidence seemingly corroborates the notion of rounded branches for the menorah. Unearthed coins from the Hasmonean period of King Antigonos exhibit menorahs with rounded branches. Antigonus lived during the time when the Temple existed, and he surely visited the Temple and saw the menorah with his own eyes. Would he have depicted a different menorah on his coin?  i

Furthermore, discoveries included a painted depiction in Cohen's residence within Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter, and on a wall in his house, they found a painting of the altar, the table, and the menorah with rounded branches. In the Rehavia neighborhood, 'Jason's Tomb' was discovered, belonging to a wealthy Jew, and on one of the tomb's walls, they found an engraving of five rounded menorahs. Scientists date the engraving to 40 years before the destruction of the Temple. In the Golan Heights, remnants of synagogues were found, and some are displayed for viewing at the entrance plaza of the synagogue in Moshav Nov. Menorahs with rounded branches are engraved on the doorknobs made of basalt stones

During archaeological excavations at 'Uzza ruins' near the Acre-Amiad road, a 1,500-year-old clay seal was found, engraved on its front side with a menorah featuring seven rounded branches. Additional ancient findings of menorahs have been discovered in Jerusalem, such as at the 'Shalom Al Yisrael' synagogue in Jericho, at Beit She'arim, in the village of Nahum, and others—all of them rounded. In light of the menorah on the Arch of Titus and the numerous findings, it is widely accepted that the menorah had rounded branches

Triangular straight arms Menorah

On the contrary, Maimonides (Rambam) staunchly asserts that the menorah's branches were straight. In his handwritten commentary on the Mishnah in Masechet Menachot, Maimonides depicts the menorah himself with straight lines (Chapter 3, Mishnah 7). His son explicitly states that the branches ought to be straight, aligning with his father's depiction rather than being rounded

Proponents of the notion that the branches were straight also cite support from Rashi, the medieval commentator, affirming their linear form. They interpret his commentary, "coming out diagonally from its sides" (Exodus 25:32), as implying a straight configuration. However, this explanation is contested due to the Greek interpretation of "diagonally," which implies curvature, a notion that clashes with Rashi's reputed proficiency in Greek

Considering Maimonides lived approximately 1,200 years post the Temple's destruction and presumably did not witness the menorah firsthand, whether in the Temple or depicted in the Arch of Titus, the basis of his assertion about the branches' straightness remains unclear

Yet, this uncertainty does not diminish the significance of Maimonides' stance, as centuries after his era, archaeological findings have surfaced, lending support to his perspective. Notably, in Eastern Syria near the Iraq border, the Dura-Europos tourist site unveiled an ancient synagogue adorned with stunning wall paintings depicting biblical tales. Among these paintings, the depiction of the Temple menorah with straight lines closely resembles Maimonides' description

This synagogue was active during the time of the Temple. It's unlikely that Maimonides saw this painting and drew his depiction based on it. These beautiful wall paintings were transferred to the National Museum in Damascus, visible to foreign passport holders among us. This synagogue was destroyed in the summer of 2014 by ISIS fighters as part of their attacks on non-Sunni Muslim prayer houses

The latest fascinating discovery happened seven years ago in Jerusalem in the city of David. During the operation to sift soil from the Temple Mount, an ancient seal was found with an engraving of a menorah with straight lines, corroborating Maimonides' description

The dramatic turning point in the controversy over the shape of the menorah occurred 40 years ago. On the Sabbath of the Parsha "Matot-Masey" in 1982, the Lubavitcher Rebbe delivered a sermon about the menorah, adopting Maimonides' approach regarding the straight branches. The Rebbe suggested that round menorahs are associated with 'Galut' exile and darkness, reminiscent of the humiliation and suffering inflicted upon the Jews at the hands of Titus. Since then, Chabad Hasidim has taken to lighting Hanukkah candles only on menorahs with straight lines. They construct a "triangular" menorah with straight lines, even for public candle-lighting events organized by Chabad emissaries in central squares around the world

The question of the menorah's shape has not only halachic implications for designing Hanukkah menorahs but also for the production of the actual menorah that will be used when the Temple will be rebuilt soon. Even 'the Temple Institute' in Jerusalem grappled with this dispute. Rabbi Yisrael Ariel authored the book "Menorat Zahav Tahor," dedicating chapters to this debate, ultimately favoring the construction of a round menorah. Their menorah was precisely built according to the Torah's measurements and is placed in the Jewish Quarter inside a glass case overlooking the Temple Mount

When we are asking Chabad Hassidim how they can ignore the round menorah in the Arch of Titus, Chabad adherents respond that it might not be the actual Temple menorah. The Torah states that the menorah stood on three legs like a tripod, while the menorah in the Arch of Titus has a wide and graded base with a depiction of a dragon, which symbolizes idolatry Avoda Zara. Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Herzog replied that the legs of the menorah were broken on the way from Jerusalem, so they attached a different base to the menorah.

So, who is correct in this dispute?    i

Perhaps the solution to the dispute lies in Malta. In organized trips to Malta, I take religious groups to the Rabat city, north of the capital, Valletta, to see the catacombs. These are caves in the ground with about twenty entrances on a hillside. Within them are around 500 burial niches and burial chambers similar to those in the Beit She'arim caves, also from the Mishnaic period

In the catacombs in Malta, Jews and non-Jews were buried close to each other. The Jewish graves are distinctive because their feet face towards Jerusalem, and at the head, there is a stone resembling a pillow. Some of the Jewish graves have engravings or reliefs of a menorah

Archaeologists explain that these menorahs serve as testimony that the deceased fulfilled the commandment of making the pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem (Aliya La-regel) during their lifetime. (Similar to what we see today on the windows of Arab villages, paintings of the black stone in Mecca, symbolizing the house of Muslims performing their Hajj pilgrimage). In Malta, these are Jews who sailed to the land of Israel to make the pilgrimage and offer sacrifices in the Temple. Upon their return to Malta, they shared their experiences with their families and friends and depicted what they saw there. In the catacombs, we see both round and straight menorahs

The most interesting tomb is found under entrance number 14, adorned with paintings of two menorahs, one round and one triangular with straight lines

How can this be understood?   i

My explanation is that in the Temple there was more than one menorah. The Bible states that King Solomon made ten menorahs. "And Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the LORD: the golden altar, and the table whereupon the showbread was, of gold. and the menorahs, five on the right side, and five on the left, before the Sanctuary" (1 Kings 7/48-49). It seems that some menorahs had rounded branches, while others had straight branches. Some pilgrims from Malta saw a round menorah, while others at different times saw a triangular one. During the inauguration of the Temple, these menorahs were placed both on the right and left sides, but it's not clear if they all remained there afterward or if only one menorah was placed there

In the book "The Jewish Wars," Josephus Flavius writes that after the Romans burned the Temple, " the Emperor swore to one of the priests named Jehoshua ben Tebotai that he would save him if he'd handed over to him some of the sacred vessels, and he took from the wall of the sanctuary two golden menorahs." Another evidence of multiple menorahs

Anyway, the deceased from Malta saw both types, perhaps at different times during their pilgrimage

Pictures credit: Malta Tourism, Wikicommons, and Jacob Maor