Zohar Emor Section 4 - Secrets of the Candelabra

It is recommended that one study the section prior to reading the Synopsis

Zohar Emor Section 4 Commentary on Parasha EMOR

SYNOPSIS:

We learn why only the priest is permitted to arrange and light the lamps in the Temple.

Pasook 14. from the Zohar Commentary on the Parasha Emor

פִּקוּדָא דָּא, לְסַדְּרָא כַּהֲנָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בּוּצִינִין בְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא, וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא בְּרָזָא דִּמְנוֹרָא. וְאִיהוּ רָזָא כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא, בְּגִין דִּנְהִירוּ עִלָּאָה בִּמְשַׁח רְבוּ, נָחִית עַל רֵישָׁא דְּכַהֲנָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא לְבָתַר אִיהוּ אַדְלִיק וְאַנְהִיר כָּל בּוּצִינִין. דִּכְתִּיב כַּשֶּׁמֶן הַטּוֹב עַל הָרֹאשׁ וְגוֹ', וּכְתִיב כִּי שֶׁמֶן מִשְׁחַת אֱלֹהָיו עָלָיו וְגוֹ'. וְעַל דָּא אִתְיְיהִיב רְשׁוּ לְכַהֲנָא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, לְסַדְּרָא בּוּצִינִין, וּלַאֲדְלָקָא לְהוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא תְּרֵין זִמְנִין, לָקֳבֵל נְהִירוּ דְּיִחוּדָא תְּרֵין זִמְנִין, קָרְבְּנָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא, תְּרֵין זִמְנִין, וְכֹלָּא אִצְטְרִיךְ.

Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)

The priest is commanded to daily arrange lamps in the Temple. We have explained this in relation to the candelabra. This secret is in the likeness of above, since the supernal light in the anointing oil first runs over the head of the supernal Priest, WHICH IS THE FIRST THREE SFIROT OF ZEIR ANPIN. Then he kindles the lamps, NAMELY, THE SFIROT OF MALCHUT, THE ILLUMINATIONS OF FIRE, and makes them illuminate, as written, "It is like the precious ointment upon the head" (Tehilim 133:2), and, "the anointing oil of his Elohim is upon him" (Vayikra 21:12). Thus only the priest is permitted to arrange the lamps and light them twice a day, to correspond to the illumination of unity THAT OCCURS twice, and the daily offering which is offered twice daily ..." is all that is needed.

chanoch's Commentary

This teaching from the Zohar is coming from the Soul of Moshe. This is the meaning of the term Ra'aya Meheimna - the Faithful Shepherd. The energy of the High Priest represents unity in the physical world even if the world is still separated into different aspectgs, the High Priest is capable of uniting all aspects, or at least is supposed to be capable to do this. If not during the Yom Kippur ritual He will die. The High Priest lights the light below in the Holy of Holies since He represents this essence of unity in he the physical world.

It is interesting to note that the Talmud speaks of one High Priest who lived as High Priest for 80 + years and in the times of the second Temple which allowed corruption to creep into the system there were more than 80 High Priests who died in their first year. To explain this a little further. The High Priest was elected by the Sanhedrin and was supposed to be the highest soul of all of the Cohenim. If he was capable and pure and Holy he lived through the procedure of entering the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. If he was not he dies when he entered. As such he entered while having a rope around his right leg so that his body could be removed if necessary meaning if he died in the Holy of Holies since no one else could enter. During the second Temple times the talmud indicates the corruption was the purchasing of the votes of the Sanhedrin and even people who were not Cohenim would attempt to purchase the High Priesthood totally committing "suicide". We can even take lessons from this procedure regarding the purchasing of political power in the US presidency although it does not rise to the level of dying if someone is not qualified.

This Pasook is also hinting at Hebrew Astrology since there is a full and complete astrological cycle in each day and also each hour and also each minute. Most people do not consider this in their lives and most people would not be able to make the appropriate calculations and to my knowledge no Hebrew Astrologer (of which there are very few) are using the computer for these purposes.

Pasook 15. from the Zohar Commentary on Parasha Emor

וְעַל יְדֵי דְּכַהֲנָא נַהֲרִין בּוּצִינִין בְּכֹלָּא, עֵילָּא וְתַתָּא לְמֶחְדּוּ חֵידּוּ, וּלְאַשְׁכְּחָא חֵידּוּ בְּכָל סִטְרִין. בְּאַדְלְקוּתָא דְּבוּצִינִין, דְּהָא תְּרֵין אִלֵּין עַל יְדֵי דְּכַהֲנָא, לְאִשְׁתַּכְּחָא חֵידוּ בְּכָל סִטְרִין, וְאִלֵּין אִינּוּן אַדְלְקוּתָא דְּבוּצִינִין וּקְטֹרֶת. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא שֶׁמֶן וּקְטֹרֶת יְשַׂמַּח לֵב. ע"כ רעיא מהימנא

The candles are shining everywhere by means of the priest, above and below, so there will be rejoicing and so that joy would abound in all directions, NAMELY RIGHT AND LEFT, with the lighting of the lamps. For those two are performed by the priest so that joy would abound in every direction ...“ the kindling of the lamps and incense. We have already explained that "Ointment and perfume (incense) rejoice the heart" (Mishlei 27:9).

End of Ra'aya Meheimna (the Faithful Shepherd)

chanoch's Commentary

What causes you to become Happy? When you wake up and want to go back to sleep but the by the time you are off to school or work you have changed your feelings and are looking forward to the day, what changed? This is the light that your soul senses. This is the fulfillment that comes from the Lighting of the Menorah. This is why it is recommended to read and study this section of Torah twice a day just as the High Priest lit the Menorah every day - twice a day. Many people substitute Psalm 67 read from the Menorah Sheviti instead. See the lecture on the Yeshshem website along with the hand out. You can find it using the local search. Type in the phrase "Psalm 67"