Friday, July 21, 2006

Daf Yomi - Yoma 45 - Maaracha Just In Case There Would Be No Miracle

The Gemora states that the flame of the menorah was taken from the mizbeach hachitzon. Tosfos asks that it should require a maaracha by itself just like the ketores had its own maaracha? He answers that since it was not necessary to take any coals off the mizbeach for this (like it was required for the ketores), they only needed to light the wicks, it is not logical for there to be an independent maaracha just for the menorah.

The Sfas Emes suggests another answer. When Klal Yisroel merited, the נר מערבי did not extinguish and it was never necessary to get a flame from the מזבח (as we learned previously on daf 39), therefore it would not be proper to set up a special maaracha for the menorah merely for those instances when Klal Yisroel did not deserve the miracle.

I am bothered by a question (perhaps I saw it someplace, but I cannot locate it now) from the same Gemora on daf 39. It states there that when they merited the miracles, the fire on the large maaracha never diminished and there was no necessity to bring other fire to kindle it (besides for the mitzva of the two logs of wood), and nevertheless there was a special maaracha on the mizbeach whose sole purpose was to be used just in case the fire went out. According to the Sfas Emes, this is illogical and not proper?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey what a great site keep up the work its excellent.
»

Anonymous said...

Great site lots of usefull infomation here.
»