[Avodah] Semi-Circular Menorah

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, November 20, 2007 7:02 pm, T613K at aol.com wrote:
: From: Aryeh Herzig _guraryeh at gmail.com_ (mailto:guraryeh at gmail.com)
:> Moshe was shown how it should look on Har Sinai.  KaMar'eh Asher
:> Hor'etha BaHar.

:> This "straightness" of the neiros is, therefore,  a Halacha LMoshe
:> MiSinai

: When the BHM'K is rebuilt, bimheirah beyameinu, we will then know what
: the menorah is supposed to look like.  I am confident that it will be
: aesthetically beautiful, classical, and not modernistic.

I think there are two things being conflated:
1- How did the menorah look?
2- How MUST a menorah look?

The first question is broadened by the realization that over the
course of the 1,270 or so years (so far) that we've had a miqdash of
one sort of another there were multiple menoros.

The second question broadens the topic by distinguishing between what
a menorah must look like kedin lechatchilah (bedi'eved it would seem 7
spears would be okay) and how that din was fulfilled.

I have no reason to believe that the menorah /must/ have curved arms
or straight ones, perhaps both are fine even lechatchilah. The pasuq
mentions many requirements, we would be adding the burden of
explaining why this one isn't in there if we insist on one shape or
the other.

I therefore have no problem believing that Herod had a menorah built
in the latest style, with images on it -- assuming it doesn't violate
"lo sa'aseh lekha ... kol temunah". Or that earlier versions of the
menorah had three legs, which he made as three balls under a hexagonal
base.

And therefore the possibility of a beautiful modernistic menorah isn't
necessarily ruled out.

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv