What is the name of a Jewish candlestick with 7 candles? Jewish candlestick: description, history and meaning

Seven-branched candlestick - Menorah - golden temple seven-branched lamp, which was used during the ritual service in the Jewish Temple (word "menorah"- in Hebrew "lamp"). The seven-branched candlestick consisted of a central lamp and six symmetrical “branches” extending from it: three on one side and three on the other. The first golden Menorah was created during the wanderings of the Jews in the desert according to the word of the Almighty (Shemot 25:9). After the Jewish conquest of the Land of Israel and, a little later, the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the seven-branched candlestick was placed in the inner chambers of the Temple, in front of the entrance to the Holy of Holies. Where the original Menorah is located today is not known exactly, however, according to the midrash, even before the destruction of the First Temple, the Menorah was hidden in hiding places on the Temple Mount (see below). For centuries, the seven-branched menorah served as one of the main Jewish symbols. When the state of Israel was created, it was the image of the seven-branched lamp that was placed on the country’s coat of arms.

History of the seven-branched manorah - Menorah

According to the book of Shemot (Exodus), the golden Seven-branched Candlestick used for the Temple service - Menorah - was created during the construction of the Portable Temple - Mishkan (aka Tabernacle of the Covenant). This happened during the first year of wandering in the desert. The Menorah stood in the Mishkan, and the High Priest, Aaron, lit the lamps of the lamp every day before dark. In the morning, the lamps were cleaned and prepared for the next lighting.

After the arrival of the Jews in the Land of Israel, the Menorah stood in the Mishkan at Shiloh. When King Solomon (Shlomo) built the First Temple of Jerusalem, the Menorah was placed there, along with all the sacred utensils. There was also a seven-branched candlestick in the Second Temple.

As stated in the Book of Kings (Mlahim I, 7:29), in the First Temple - the Temple of King Shlomo - there were nine more menorahs made of pure gold.

The midrashim tells that even during the time of King Yehoshahu - shortly before the destruction of the First Temple - the Menorah was buried along with the Ark of the Covenant in hiding places in the bowels of the Temple Mount. Some believe that the Menorah was returned to the Temple by those returning from the Babylonian captivity. However, according to another version, there was already a different Menorah in the Second Temple.

Nevertheless, in the second Temple there also stood a menorah with seven branches. It stood until it was stolen by the Greco-Syrians after their conquest of Jerusalem.

When the Maccabees (Hasmoneans) liberated and cleansed the Temple (see the history of Hanukkah), they made a new Menorah from iron and soldered the lamps with tin. Subsequently, a silver and then a gold Menorah was made for Harm.

In the Mishnah (Tractate Chagigah 3:8) it is said that there were two or three menorahs in the Second Temple.

After the destruction of the Second Temple, the Menorah was taken to Rome and carried in a triumphal procession, depicted on the famous “Arch of Titus” (interestingly, it was the image on the “Arch of Titus” that served as the prototype for the seven-branched candelabra painted for the coat of arms of the State of Israel).

Together with other trophies, the temple seven-branched candelabra was placed in the Forum of Vespassian (the so-called "Temple of Peace"), erected in honor of the victory in the Jewish War.

As centuries passed, all the vessels of the Temple, including the Menorah, were lost.

What did the Menorah look like and how was it made?

Here is a description of the Menorah from the book of Shemot (Shemot 25:31-40).

It states that G-d commands the prophet Moshe (Moses) to make a seven-branched candlestick: “And make a lamp of pure gold; the lamp, its (supporting) leg and its trunk will be made of hammered work; its corollas, its ovaries and its flowers will come from it. And six branches come out of its sides: three branches of a lampstand on one side, and three branches of a lampstand on the other side.”

The following describes the unique elements with which the Menorah was decorated: “...Three almond corollas on one branch, an ovary and a flower; and three almond corollas on one branch, an ovary and a flower: so on the six branches coming out of the lamp. And on the lamp itself there are four almond corollas, its ovaries and its flowers. And an ovary under two branches from it, and an ovary under two branches from it, and an ovary under two branches from it; at the six branches coming out of the lampstand. Their ovaries and their cuttings will be from it; all hammered work, solid, pure gold.”

The following sentences contain instructions about the lamps of the Menorah and auxiliary tools for lighting: “And you shall make his lamps seven; and he will light his lamps, and direct the light to his face. Both his tongs and his trays are made of pure gold. From a talent of pure gold it must be made with all these accessories. Look and make according to their example, which is shown to you on the mountain.”

Thus, the light of the six side lamps was directed towards the center.

Rashi explains that indicated in the Torah "relief work"- this is not the manufacture of individual parts, which are then joined together. The lamp had to be made from a single ingot of gold, which the master mints with a hammer and cuts with a special tool, separating the branches in one direction and the other. Since Moshe saw this as a difficulty, G-d ordered him to throw a talent (a certain measure) of gold into the fire, and the Menorah appeared on its own.

The central lamp of the Menorah (according to other opinions, the outermost lamp on the southern side) miraculously burned constantly. That's why it was called "ner tamid" - “permanent lamp” or “permanent candle”. The flames of other lamps were lit every evening.

Prohibition of making a lamp similar to the Temple Menorah

It is forbidden to make a lamp similar to the Menorah - with seven lamps, even if it is made of a different metal. For synagogues, for example, lamps are made with a different number of lamps - more or less. There is an opinion that because of this prohibition, a lamp with eight rather than seven candles is lit on Hanukkah - Chanukiah.

The symbolic meaning of the Menorah

The symbolic meaning of the Menorah is extremely deep. Here are just a few of the explanations.

The Menorah in the Temple was a reminder of the spiritual light that emanated from the Temple and illuminated the whole world. Therefore, the six side branches of the Menorah corresponded to the six “sides” of the world: top and bottom, north, south, east and west, and in the middle - the Land of Israel - Eretz Israel.

The seven branches of the Menorah symbolize the seven days of creation and also correspond to the seven days of the week. From the description of the Torah it is clear that the main branch is the central one - the trunk, from which three pairs of branches extend. Likewise, Saturday stands as if separately, apart, it is the goal of the entire universe, and the six preceding days are the everyday world, nothing more than a means to achieve this goal. Saturday represents the world to come, the world of reward and bliss that is achieved when the soul joins its Divine Source. And the present world, preceding the world to come, is a testing ground and a place of human labor, where the good destined for man is “earned.”

A familiar situation: money is like water - it seems like you had it, but your wallet is empty... You can try to achieve financial well-being in different ways - work more and spend less, find illegal

ways to get rich and lose everything, or you can attract money. And white magic helps with this. Magical services will help you perform a ritual to attract money, or you can try to do it yourself.

Preparing for the ritual

One of the effective and timeless rituals for attracting money is the candle ritual.
The ritual with candles is carried out during the full moon, which symbolizes growth and increase.
You will need seven candles, one of which is red. You also need seven bills received as payment, or repayment of a debt, or a gift. Banknotes that were withdrawn from a salary card at an ATM are also suitable.
You will need a wallet in which a person usually carries money. This ritual cannot be performed if a person would like to spend money on a dirty deed - murder, deception, bribery. Before carrying out the ceremony, you need to clearly understand why increased cash flow is needed.

Carrying out the ritual

On a clear moonlit night, seven candles are placed in a row on the table in front of the window from which the moon is visible: the red one is placed in the center, with three candles on each side of it.
Seven bills are fanned out in front of the red one. A wallet is placed under the bills. The candles are lit in turn from right to left.
They read the plot: “The moon is full and round, looking at my wallet and my money. Grow, money, come, fill my wallet so that it is full and round like a month. The word is strong, tied in a knot.”
Swipe over the candles from right to left three times with banknotes and three times with a wallet. Then the candles are extinguished, but not blown out. The money is put into the wallet and is not exchanged for three days.
If a person doubts his abilities before performing the ritual, or is afraid of the possible consequences of incorrectly used magic, he should use an online consultation with a psychic.
Although the ritual with seven candles is quite effective and can be easily performed by an ordinary, unprepared person.

In any religion, fire occupies a special place - it is an obligatory component in almost all rituals. In this article we will look at such a ritual Jewish attribute as a Jewish candlestick made of 7 candles. Read about its types, origin, location and importance in modern theology, as well as much more, in this article.

What is this?

This candlestick is called a menorah or minor. According to Moses, the seven-branched candlestick should resemble the stems of a branchy tree, its tops symbolize cups, and its decorations are symbols of apples and flowers. The number of candles - 7 pieces - also has its own explanation.

The six candles on the sides are the branches of the tree, and the seventh in the middle symbolizes the trunk.

Real menorahs must be made from solid pieces of gold. The branches of the seven-branched candlestick are formed from the latter by hammering with a hammer and cutting with other tools. In general, such a candlestick symbolized the Light that emanated from the Temple and illuminated the earth. Nowadays, such seven-branched candlesticks can have many varieties, and Jews welcome various decorations on them.

How did it appear?

Candles have always been used in worship almost since the beginning of any religion. However, later they were everywhere replaced by candlesticks. But despite this, in Judaism candles in the menorah began to be used much later than in other beliefs. Initially, only lamps were placed on the seven-branched candlesticks. There is a theory according to which 7 candles symbolized 7 planets.

According to another theory, seven candles are 7 days during which God created our world.

It is believed that the very first Israeli seven-branched candlestick was created by the Jews during their wanderings in the desert, and was later installed in the Jerusalem temple. While wandering through the desert, this lamp was lit before each sunset, and in the morning it was cleansed and prepared for the next lighting. The first menorah was in the Jerusalem Temple for a long period until it was stolen during the predatory campaign of the Ancient Roman Empire.

According to some information, along with the main seven-branched candlestick, there were 9 more similar specimens made of gold in the Temple. Later, in the Middle Ages, the seven-branched candlestick became one of the main symbols of Judaism. Some time later, it became a full-fledged and important sign and emblem for those who accepted the Jewish faith. This happened after, according to legend, the Maccabean martyrs, during their struggle for freedom, lit seven-branched candlesticks, which burned for 8 days in a row.

This event took place in 164 BC. e. It was this candlestick that later turned into an eight-branched candlestick, which is also called a Hanukkah candlestick. Few people paid attention to this, but the seven-branched candlestick is depicted on the coat of arms of the modern state of Israel.

Nowadays, this golden attribute is used at every service of the Jewish Temple.

• Jewish lamps had never had candles lit before; they burned oil.
• Only virgin oil could be used to burn the menorah. It was the purest and did not require filtration. Oil of a different quality had to be purified, so it was not allowed to be used.
• The word “menorah” itself is translated from Hebrew as “lamp.”
• It is strictly prohibited to manufacture lamps that copy the menorah in their design. They cannot be made not only from gold, but also from other metals. Even in Temples, candlesticks with more or less branches are used as lamps.

To see what a Jewish candlestick looks like, its history and meaning, see the following video.

What is a menorah, what does it mean and how does it differ from the nine-branched Chanukiah candlestick?

Judaism, as one of the first religions on earth, can boast not only a rich history and traditions, but also, perhaps, the most extensive set of religious paraphernalia. One of the most recognizable Jewish accessories is menorah or as it is also called - Jewish seven-branched candlestick. In Hebrew, the word “menorah” means nothing more than a candelabra (lamp).

Common name Jewish seven-branched candlestick appeared due to the appearance of this lamp: it consists of seven candlesticks arranged in one row.

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Jewish candlestick(seven-branched minor) serves as the main attribute of Judaism, and takes its roots from the moment of creation. According to legend, explanations for the arrangement of the menorah and its use were conveyed to Moses on Mount Sinai by God himself. In terms of the importance of ancient relics, the menorah is second only to the Ark and the Tablets of the Covenant. However, these most important relics have always been hidden from prying eyes, and anyone can admire the menorah. Since then, the seven-branched candlestick has been considered not only the main symbol of the Jewish people, but also the emblem of the state of Israel.

Initially, the menorah was made exclusively from gold. But since the destruction of the Temple, the location of the main menorah could not be determined, and the candlestick began to be cast from copper or silver. Today, jewish candlestick(seven-branched candlestick in minor), made of silver, is able to amaze anyone with its wealth, splendor and spiritual purity. By the way, over many centuries the structure of the menorah and its appearance have not changed one iota. Modern seven-branched candlesticks are no different from ancient specimens and may differ, perhaps, in size and material of manufacture. Nowadays it is common to use silver.

The power of the menorah and its significance for the Jewish people is determined, in many respects, by the number seven, which lies at its basis. Jewish philosophy claims that it is the seven that brings harmony, because the cycle of the universe consisted of just seven days, the last of which was the holy Saturday. In addition, the menorah resembles in its appearance Tree of Life, which increased in Paradise. In Kabbalistic teachings menorah is a symbol of life extension and a strong talisman.

Along with the temple menorah, the Hanukkah menorah or hanukkiah has become widespread. Hanukkiah consists not of seven, but of nine candlesticks, one of which is necessary to light the remaining eight, which represent the eight-day miracle that occurred during the construction of the second Temple in Jerusalem.

The arrangement of Hanukkiah does not have strict regulations, but it is necessary to ensure that eight lamps are located at the same level of the candlestick and the ninth candle, the servant of Shamash, is slightly higher than the row.
Materials for Hanukkiah can be very different, such as wood, copper or silver. Very often, hanukkiahs are decorated with precious stones and minerals, which increases their aesthetic appeal.

If you need buy a Jewish seven-branched menorah, made according to all the canons of Judaism by experienced craftsmen from high-grade materials such as silver, then place an order in the online store "Red Thread".

Judaism is one of the most ancient religions. In the process of its development, a number of objects acquired cult significance, and are now associated exclusively with Jews and their traditions. This list includes original seven-branch lamps menorah and chanukkiah. Many people have extremely vague knowledge about them, in most cases without even imagining their purpose.

The menorah is considered more famous for the average person. From the Hebrew language this word is translated as “lamp” and means a complex horn structure, into the cups of which olive oil was poured in ancient times, and now candles are inserted. The main feature of the menorah lamp is its seven arms. According to the Torah (Bible), the idea of ​​the seven-branched candlestick was suggested to Moses by the Almighty himself during the Jewish leader’s walk to Mount Sinai. A little later, using divine promptings, this idea was embodied in a real product by master Bezalel ben Uri. After the first menorah was completed, it was placed in the Tabernacle of Meeting. Subsequently, after the settlement of the Jews in new lands and the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the sacred object was transferred to it.

A number of modern historians dispute this development of events, arguing that such multi-candle lamps were quite widespread among the peoples inhabiting the territories of modern Syria and Palestine. The Jews who came here simply adapted an already known household item for their needs. Something similar subsequently often happened in Christianity, when its preachers had to adapt pagan beliefs and traditions to the needs of their religion.

However, with all the respect Jews have for the menorah, its image became a symbol of Judaism after the severe defeat from the Romans during the uprising in the 1st century AD. After the liquidation of ancient Israel as a state, hundreds of thousands of Jewish captives filled the vastness of the great empire, and the image of the menorah for them gradually became a religious and national emblem.

On February 10, 1949, it was officially introduced into the newly formed state. It was a blue shield with a seven-branched menorah lamp depicted on it, the base of which was masonry.

Hanukkiah is a lamp of a slightly different type. While the menorah is intended to be used solely as a public accessory and is lit daily, the hanukkiah is a household Jewish lamp. In theory, every Jewish family is required to have it, and its quantity should correspond to the number of men in the house. Unlike the menorah, the hanukkiah is lit strictly during the celebration of Hanukkah - the eight-day celebration of the miraculous victory of the Maccabees during the uprising against the Greeks.

In ancient times, Hanukkiahs were hung on the walls of houses to the left of the entrance doors. When the open use of Jewish symbols in Europe was banned, this lamp began to be lit inside the house. Its design also changed. If earlier it was just a set of oil lamps or candlesticks, lined up in one line and covered at the back with a metal plate (a common fire safety measure), then starting from the 10th century, they received their own standard, and in the 18th-19th centuries it was even established their mass production. At the same time, one main rule remained: all 8 burners were located on the same level, which is not at all necessary for a menorah, and each individual light was different.

The material for Hanukkah lamps could be a variety of materials: from stone and clay to various types of metal, even precious ones. The shape and size of these items are not specifically specified, limited only by the financial capabilities of customers and the imagination of manufacturers. As a result, the most advanced designs have become real works of art.

So, in the minor there are 7 candles, in Hanukkah - 9. There can be only one menorah in the house, and the number of Hanukkah is limited only by the number of men in the family living under one roof. It often happens that during the Hanukkah celebrations, large and friendly families line up real garlands of candlesticks on their windowsills, often with completely different types. An important point is that the principle of purchasing these accessories is in no way limited by the tenets of the Torah. Each person is not forbidden to purchase a lamp, both for his own needs and as a gift.