[Avodah] The shape of the Menorah of the Temple

[Mandel, Seth]

This new data provides additional support to my central hypothesis, that the branches of the menorah were neither semi-circular nor straight.  Indeed, this depiction is remarkably similar to the only other representation we have from the time the Bet haMiqdash was standing, and there is no possible way to reconcile these depictions with the theory that the branches were straight.
My other hypothesis was that the description by the Rishonim that seem to indicate that the branches were straight do not necessarily mean that, and can refer to branches that are not semicircular but still curved, as the branches are depicted in this new source.  In particular, I claim that the Rambam in Perush haMishnayot clearly describes (in Arabic) that his drawing is only schematic, and that it is equally possible, and, in my opinion, more probable, that in a schematic drawing he would have drawn arms that are elliptical not as semicircular but as straight.  The new depiction cannot confirm that hypothesis, of course; the only one who could confirm that would have been the Rambam.  However, the additional years and study of all of the drawings of the Rambam in the Perush haMishnayot and Mishneh Torah have only strengthened my conviction that my hypothesis is correct, and that the Rambam's drawings, although not proving the exact shape that the Rambam thought the branches to be, show only that he did not believe them to be semicircular and in no way show that he thought they were straight.
Seth Mandel
________________________________________
From: Micha Berger [micha at aishdas.org]
Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 2:12 PM
To: Avodah Torah Discussion Group; Mandel, Seth
Subject: The shape of the Menorah of the Temple

We discussed at length in the past (back in Chanukah 2003, eg RSM's post
at <http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol12/v12n065.shtml#12>) the question
of the shape of the branches of the menorah in the BHMQ. Here's another
data point in facor of curved arms.

> Full article at
> http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/133388
> by Gil Ronen

> (IsraelNN.com) The Israel Antiquities Authority has uncovered one of
> the world's oldest synagogues in an excavation at Migdal, near the Sea
> of Galilee (Kinneret). Inside the synagogue, a stone relief contains a
> depiction of the seven branched Menorah which stood in the Temple, and
> which was most likely seen by the artist who sculpted the stone
> relief.

> Known depictions of the Menorah from Second Temple times include the
> famous relief of Titus's Arch in Rome, which shows Roman soldiers
> taking it away after destroying the Temple, and depictions on
> contemporary coins as well as graffiti etched into stone in
> Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter. However, the new find is said to be the
> first which includes a relief etched by an artist contemporary with
> the Temple.

(Hat tip: R' Yisrael Markov on scjm.)

:-)BBii!
-Micha

--
Micha Berger             When we are no longer able to change a situation
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