Rashi explains that the three wicks on the right and the three wicks on the left were all directed towards the Menorah’s central stem, thereby concentrating the light toward the center. Since its light was focused, rather than spread out, the Menorah symbolized the idea that Hashem does not need its light. As the Source of all light, Hashem does not need the Menorah to illuminate the Sanctuary. The Shem MiShmuel quotes his father, the Avnei Nezer, to explain the need for seven lights, all focused on the center. The Yalkut Shimoni makes a fascinating statement concerning the Menorah: “Why are there seven lights? They correspond to the seven days of Creation.” The Avnei Nezer explains that the six branches of the Menorah correspond to the six work days of the week, while the middle lamp symbolizes Shabbos Kodesh.
To paraphrase the Shem MiShmuel, “My holy father taught that Shabbos is a dugma, example, of the Menorah. The three days preceding Shabbos, and the three days following Shabbos are all focused on the seventh day, Shabbos Kodesh, which, according to the Zohar HaKadosh, is the source of all blessing. Likewise, the three lamps on the right and the three lamps on the left all turn towards the ner ha’emtzai (the middle lamp).”
He quotes the Zohar HaKadosh who says that all of the blessings of Above and below are contingent upon the Seventh Day. The Shabbos influence infuses the weekdays. Days one, two and three are considered to be basar Shabbata, “following (the previous) Shabbos,” and days four, five and six are referred to as Kami Shabbata, preceding Shabbos, because they belong to the upcoming Shabbos. The Avnei Nezer teaches us that the middle lamp alludes to the centrality of Shabbos and its overriding influence in supporting the success of our weekday endeavors.
In his inimitable manner of blending nistar, esoteric Torah thought, with niglah, revealed Torah, Horav Pinchas Friedman, Shlita, cites the Ohr HaChaim in Parashas Shoftim. He, in turn, quotes the Zohar HaKadosh that prior to Shabbos, Hashem dispatches a neshamah yeseirah, added soul, from Heaven Above, whose purpose is to guide man and serve as a vehicle for saving him from sin. This neshamah yeseirah coincides with a man’s individual spiritual plateau. It complements him and grants him the means to grow in his specific traits.
The neshamah is called a ner, candle/lamp, as Shlomo Ha’melech writes in Mishlei 20:27, Ner Hashem nishmas adam, “The candle of Hashem is the soul of man.” Thus, the pasuk would be interpreted homiletically: Behaalosecha es ha’neiros, “When you kindle the lamps – i.e., when you seek to elevate the neiros, which are an allusion to neshamos, souls, of a person” – el mul pnei ha’Menorah ya’iru shivaas ha’neiros, “toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps cast light.” The secret to elevating neshamos successfully is to implement the neshamah yeseirah from the “middle light,” from Shabbos kodesh, and allow it to inspire the “right” and “left” lamps.
We might use this as sound advice for outreach to the unaffiliated. Invite them for Shabbos and allow the holy day with its neshamah yeseirah to do its “work.” Shabbos is transformative. A Jew who has experienced the beauty of Shabbos is no longer the same. Now we know why.
Rav Friedman expounds on the Zohar HaKadosh who says: “The Holy Master sends a neshamah yeseirah from the Heavenly abode to guide man on the straight path, and through it, he will be saved from the one who attempts to cause him to sin.” This statement begs elucidation. Who is attempting to make man sin? How does the neshamah yeseirah make a difference? The Arizal writes in his Shaar HaGilgulim that when Adam HaRishon, Primordial Man, ate of the Eitz HaDaas, Tree of Knowledge, incurring the punishment of death to be decreed on humanity, his sin included all of the neshamos that would descend from him. Thus, each and every human being must atone for and repair his individual component of the sin.
Adam sinned on the sixth day in the tenth hour of the day. Since the neshamah yeseirah does not descend until Shabbos kodesh, no neshamah yeseirah was involved in Adam’s sin. The sin took place during the waning hours of the weekday – not Shabbos. Thus, Shabbos is outfitted with a very special neshamah – one that is unlike the regular neshamah that is within man. This neshamah yeseirah is unaffected, spiritually healthy, and untainted by sin.
We now understand how the neshamah yeseirah of Shabbos has the power to guide and inspire man to live a spiritually pure life. Man enters Shabbos with a neshamah which, through no fault of his own, has been affected by the sin of eating of the Eitz HaDaas.
Thus, man – who is replete with sin – has great difficulty ascending from the grips of transgression. Indeed, the neshamah with which he was born has a natural tendency to gravitate towards sin. Hashem protects man with the spiritual antidote: the neshamah yeseirah. Returning to the opening pasuk of our Parsha, we interpret as follows: One who seeks to elevate the neiros/neshamos should face the middle lamp, which alludes to Shabbos kodesh. It is from the inspiration of Shabbos provided by the neshamah yeseirah that man receives the guidance and fortitude to elevate himself in his service of the Almighty.
