(לא) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ מְנֹרַ֖ת זָהָ֣ב טָה֑וֹר מִקְשָׁ֞ה תֵּעָשֶׂ֤ה הַמְּנוֹרָה֙ יְרֵכָ֣הּ וְקָנָ֔הּ גְּבִיעֶ֛יהָ כַּפְתֹּרֶ֥יהָ וּפְרָחֶ֖יהָ מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ׃ (לב) וְשִׁשָּׁ֣ה קָנִ֔ים יֹצְאִ֖ים מִצִּדֶּ֑יהָ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה ׀ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֗ה מִצִּדָּהּ֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ קְנֵ֣י מְנֹרָ֔ה מִצִּדָּ֖הּ הַשֵּׁנִֽי׃ (לג) שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה גְ֠בִעִים מְֽשֻׁקָּדִ֞ים בַּקָּנֶ֣ה הָאֶחָד֮ כַּפְתֹּ֣ר וָפֶרַח֒ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה גְבִעִ֗ים מְשֻׁקָּדִ֛ים בַּקָּנֶ֥ה הָאֶחָ֖ד כַּפְתֹּ֣ר וָפָ֑רַח כֵּ֚ן לְשֵׁ֣שֶׁת הַקָּנִ֔ים הַיֹּצְאִ֖ים מִן־הַמְּנֹרָֽה׃ (לד) וּבַמְּנֹרָ֖ה אַרְבָּעָ֣ה גְבִעִ֑ים מְשֻׁקָּדִ֔ים כַּפְתֹּרֶ֖יהָ וּפְרָחֶֽיהָ׃ (לה) וְכַפְתֹּ֡ר תַּחַת֩ שְׁנֵ֨י הַקָּנִ֜ים מִמֶּ֗נָּה וְכַפְתֹּר֙ תַּ֣חַת שְׁנֵ֤י הַקָּנִים֙ מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְכַפְתֹּ֕ר תַּחַת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַקָּנִ֖ים מִמֶּ֑נָּה לְשֵׁ֙שֶׁת֙ הַקָּנִ֔ים הַיֹּצְאִ֖ים מִן־הַמְּנֹרָֽה׃ (לו) כַּפְתֹּרֵיהֶ֥ם וּקְנֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּ֣נָּה יִהְי֑וּ כֻּלָּ֛הּ מִקְשָׁ֥ה אַחַ֖ת זָהָ֥ב טָהֽוֹר׃ (לז) וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ אֶת־נֵרֹתֶ֖יהָ שִׁבְעָ֑ה וְהֶֽעֱלָה֙ אֶת־נֵ֣רֹתֶ֔יהָ וְהֵאִ֖יר עַל־עֵ֥בֶר פָּנֶֽיהָ׃ (לח) וּמַלְקָחֶ֥יהָ וּמַחְתֹּתֶ֖יהָ זָהָ֥ב טָהֽוֹר׃ (לט) כִּכָּ֛ר זָהָ֥ב טָה֖וֹר יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֹתָ֑הּ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַכֵּלִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (מ) וּרְאֵ֖ה וַעֲשֵׂ֑ה בְּתַ֨בְנִיתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה מָרְאֶ֖ה בָּהָֽר׃ (ס)
(31) You shall make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its base and its shaft, its cups, calyxes, and petals shall be of one piece. (32) Six branches shall issue from its sides; three branches from one side of the lampstand and three branches from the other side of the lampstand. (33) On one branch there shall be three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals, and on the next branch there shall be three cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals; so for all six branches issuing from the lampstand. (34) And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups shaped like almond-blossoms, each with calyx and petals: (35) a calyx, of one piece with it, under a pair of branches; and a calyx, of one piece with it, under the second pair of branches, and a calyx, of one piece with it, under the last pair of branches; so for all six branches issuing from the lampstand. (36) Their calyxes and their stems shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single hammered piece of pure gold. (37) Make its seven lamps—the lamps shall be so mounted as to give the light on its front side— (38) and its tongs and fire pans of pure gold. (39) It shall be made, with all these furnishings, out of a talent of pure gold. (40) Note well, and follow the patterns for them that are being shown you on the mountain.
How is the menorah built?
ממנה יהיו. הַכֹּל מִקְשָׁה יוֹצֵא מִתּוֹךְ חֲתִיכַת הָעֶשֶׁת, וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה לְבַדָּם וְיַדְבִּיקֵם:
ממנה יהיו SHALL BE OF THE SAME — All shall be of beaten work coming out of this block-shaped piece: one must not make them separately and then join them on the branches.
(ז) שִׁבְעָה קְנֵי מְנוֹרָה מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. שִׁבְעָה נֵרוֹתֶיהָ מְעַכְּבִין זֶה אֶת זֶה. שְׁתֵּי פָרָשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁבַּמְּזוּזָה מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ כְתָב אֶחָד מְעַכְּבָן. אַרְבַּע פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת שֶׁבַּתְּפִלִּין מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ. וַאֲפִלּוּ כְתָב אֶחָד מְעַכְּבָן. אַרְבַּע צִיצִיּוֹת מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ, שֶׁאַרְבַּעְתָּן מִצְוָה אֶחָת. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, אַרְבַּעְתָּן אַרְבַּע מִצְוֹת:
With regard to the seven branches of the Candelabrum (see Exodus 25:32), the absence of each prevents fulfillment of the mitzva with the others. With regard to its seven lamps atop the branches, the absence of each prevents fulfillment of the mitzva with the others....
גמ׳ מ"ט הויה כתיב בהו
GEMARA: What is the reason that the absence of any of the seven branches of the Candelabrum prevents fulfillment of the mitzva with the others? The Gemara answers: It is written concerning them a term of being: “Their knobs and their branches shall be of one piece with it” (Exodus 25:36), and a term of being indicates an indispensable requirement.
What does the menorah symbolize?
Rabbi Jennifer Mager, sermon from 2016
...The menorah symbolizes the indivisibility of the Torah. The menorah has long been a symbol of the unity and continuity of the Jewish people. It represents the Jewish communities in the seven regions of the world, all stemming from the same roots. The unity of its form means that the branches are all essential to one another, they inform and draw strength from one another.
The Arch of Titus in Rome. This arch was commissioned a mere 12 years (82 CE) after the destruction of the Temple for Rome to celebrate the conquering of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.
Chosen as the national emblem of the State of Israel in 1949. Signifies that the one in the Arch of Titus is not going to be the end of us - we are still a thriving nation.
"The Menorah is a representation of a flowering almond tree! The almond tree is distinctive not only in that it blossoms early, but also in that it then rapidly buds leaves, develops new branches, and forms its sustaining fruit-all before the flowers’ calyx drops off (Nogah Hareuveni, Nature in Our Biblical Heritage, 1980, p. 130). Its Hebrew name, shaked, means “the early waker,” and it may symbolize God’s watchfulness or the speed with which God responds (see Jeremiah 1:2)." (https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-nature-of-the-cosmos/?utm_content=buffer719b6&utm_medium=social&utm_source=mjlfacebook&utm_campaign=buffer)
May we each see the menorah not just as a way to count the days or there because God told us, but because it reminds us of God's presence and our development as a people with God conversing with us.