This holiday season I decided to paint a menorah in watercolor in my notebook. I posted the resulting painting I call “Light” and got a response from a close friend that my painting was not a Hanukkah Menorah but a Temple Menorah. I am not a religious person and knew little of the history so I decided to educate myself, researched and found the following:
The word "menorah" comes from the Hebrew word "menor," which means lamp. This lamp stand has a long history in Judaism. I found that there are actually several different types of menorahs with varying purposes and significance.
There are menorahs with different numbers of branches, such as four-branched menorahs used for Shabbat and six-branched menorahs used in the synagogue. The menorah is a powerful symbol of Judaism. It represents light, knowledge, hope, and the Jewish people's connection to their history and traditions.
The original Temple Menorah, described in the Hebrew Bible in Exodus 25:31-40, was made of pure gold and stood about 6 feet tall. It had seven branches, each adorned with cups, calyxes, and petals. As then and today Its purpose was to provide light for the sanctuary and to symbolize God's presence. The seven branches of the Temple menorah are said to represent the seven days of creation, the seven planets, and the seven archangels.
The Hanukkah menorah, also known as a Hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum used during the eight-day festival of Hanukkah. It has eight branches for the eight nights of Hanukkah, plus a ninth "shamash" branch used to light the other candles. It commemorates the miracle of the oil that occurred during the rededication of the Second Temple after the Maccabean Revolt. According to the story, a small amount of oil miraculously burned for eight days, despite only being enough for one day.
Beautiful. The explanation and the water color both. Each one filled with light and hope.
Thanks for this. It makes me feel seen in a warm, positive light.