בהעלתך את הנרת אל מול פני המגורה יאירו שבעת הגרות… | ח-ב
Rashi offers two explanations for the word בהעלתך – “When you cause to ascend. Since the flame rises, the posuk describes kindling in terms of ascending. (Aharon) is required to kindle the Menorah until the flame rises by itself (עד שתהא שלהבת עולה מאליה) . Our sages further expounded from here that there was a step in front of the Menorah, on which the kohen stood to prepare (the lamps).”
In Darash Moshe, R’ Moshe Feinstein zt”l explains that there are two ways for a rebbi or teacher to educate his charges.
One the one hand, he can “hold his student’s hand” and patiently coach him through a topic until the student has mastered the material at hand. However, a more effective method is when a mentor empowers his or her student to feel the confidence in their own abilities. The rebbi or teacher can do this by staying “above” the talmid, urging him on. By doing this, it will give the student self-motivation and conviction to understand the matter at hand on his own, to “take a crack” at delving into the pshat, producing far greater results. This is what Aharon HaKohen was commanded to do with the Menorah. The Menorah represents the light of the Torah.
בהעלתך את הנרת is an expression of ascending, of rising higher. The flame should be ignited to the degree where it burns on its own!
About the Author: Rabbi Yisroel Meir Rubinfeld
Rabbi Rubinfeld has been in the field of Torah education for over 3 decades and serves as an Executive School Consultant for Torah Umesorah. He provides an array of services to schools across North America, including teacher and principal mentorship, school and curricula evaluations, professional development and parent education.
Rabbi Rubinfeld's expertise includes classroom management and discipline, effective instruction, bullying, cultivating sensitivity in the classroom, impulse disorders (such as ADHD and ODD), and balancing the educational needs of mainstream and special needs children in the classroom.
Rabbi Rubinfeld is the also the founder and director of Torah Umesorah's Lilmod U'Lilamed department which provides professional development for teachers and principals throughout the year.
Rabbi Rubinfeld is a talmid of the distinguished Yeshivos of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, the Mirrer Yeshiva in Yerushalayim and Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood.
