Editing Temple menorah (section)

==Construction and appearance==

=== Hebrew Bible ===
The [[Hebrew Bible]] states that [[God in Judaism|God]] revealed the design for the menorah to [[Moses]] and describes the construction of the menorah as follows:<ref>{{bibleverse||Exodus|25:31–40|HE}}</ref>
<blockquote>
<sup>31</sup>Make a lampstand of pure gold. Hammer out its base and shaft, and make its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms of one piece with them.
<sup>32</sup>Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other.
<sup>33</sup>Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand.
<sup>34</sup>And on the lampstand are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms.
<sup>35</sup>One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all.
<sup>36</sup>The buds and branches shall be all of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.

<sup>37</sup>Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.
<sup>38</sup>Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold.
<sup>39</sup>A [[Talent (measurement)|talent]] of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories.
<sup>40</sup>See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+25%3A31-40&version=NIV Exodus 25:31-40] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129075855/https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+25%3A31-40&version=NIV |date=29 November 2019 }}, ''New International Version''.</ref>
</blockquote>

The Book of [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] (Chapter 8) adds that the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand and reiterates that the lampstand was made in accordance with the pattern shown to Moses on the mountain.<ref>Numbers 8:1-4</ref>

=== In other sources ===
[[File:Menorah Rambam.jpg|upright=0.73|thumbnail|right|Maimonides' drawing of the menorah.]]
Rabbinic sources teach that the menorah stood 18 handbreadths/palms (three common [[cubits]]) high, or approximately {{convert|1.62|m|ft}}.<ref>[[Babylonian Talmud]] ([[Menahot]] 28b); [[Maimonides]], [[Mishne Torah]] (''Hil. Beit ha-Baḥirah'' 3:10 ). Figure is based on the accepted rabbinic view that there are four finger-widths to every handbreadth/[[palm (unit)|palm]], and each finger-width is estimated at 2.25&nbsp;cm. This measurement does not include the step-like platform upon which it rested.</ref> Although the menorah was placed in the antechamber of the Temple sanctuary, over against its southernmost wall, the [[Babylonian Talmud|Talmud]] (''Menahot'' 98b) brings down a dispute between two scholars on whether or not the menorah was situated north to south, or east to west. The branches are often artistically depicted as semicircular, but [[Rashi]],<ref>Rashi, Exodus 25:32</ref> (according to some contemporary readings) and [[Maimonides]] (in a sketch commented on by his son [[Avraham son of Rambam|Avraham]]),<ref>Commentary on Exodus, ch 7</ref> held that they were straight;<ref>Maimonides depicted them as straight in a manuscript drawing, but see Seth Mandel's alternative interpretation below.</ref> all other Jewish authorities, both classical (e.g. Philo and Josephus) and medieval (e.g. Ibn Ezra), who express an opinion on the subject state that the arms were round.<ref>See the Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, ''Likkutei Sichot'', vol 21, pp 168-171.</ref>

The [[History of the Jews in the Roman Empire|Roman-Jewish]] historian [[Josephus]], who witnessed the Temple's destruction, says that the menorah was actually situated obliquely, to the east and south.<ref>[[Josephus]], ''[[Antiquities of the Jews|Antiquities]]'' (Book iii, chapter vi, section 7).</ref>

==== Arch of Titus ====
[[File:Arc Titus Forum romanum Rome Italy.jpg|thumb|Depiction of the menorah on the [[Arch of Titus]] in Rome]]

The most famous preserved representation of the menorah of the Second Temple was depicted in a [[frieze]] on the [[Arch of Titus]], commemorating his [[Roman triumph|triumphal parade]] in [[Rome]] following the [[destruction of Jerusalem]] in the year 70 CE.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/romanurbs/archtitus.html|title=Arch of Titus|website=penelope.uchicago.edu|access-date=27 June 2016|archive-date=1 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230701134841/http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/romanurbs/archtitus.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In that frieze, the menorah is shown resting upon a hexagonal base, which in turn rests upon a slightly larger but concentric and identically shaped base; a stepwise appearance on all sides is thus produced. Each facet of the hexagonal base was made with two vertical stiles and two horizontal rails, a top rail and a bottom rail, resembling a protruding frame set against a sunken panel. These panels have some relief design set or sculpted within them.

==== Magdala Stone ====
[[File:Magdala Stone (4).jpg|thumbnail|right|[[Magdala Stone|Stone]] with menorah that was found in the archaeological site [[Magdala]].]]
In 2009, the ruins of a [[Migdal Synagogue|synagogue in Magdala]] with pottery dating from before the destruction of the Second Temple were discovered under land owned by the [[Legion of Christ|Legionaries of Christ]], who had intended to construct a center for women's studies.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090917033442/http://www.regnumchristi.org/english/articulos/articulo.phtml?se=364&ca=118&te=782&id=27331 ''First-century Synagogue Discovered on Site of Legion’s Magdala Center in Galilee''] 11 September 2009 - regnumchristi.org</ref> Inside that synagogue's ruins, a carved stone block was discovered, which had on its surface, among other ornate carvings, a depiction of the seven-lamp menorah differing markedly from the depiction on the Arch of Titus, which could possibly have been carved by an eyewitness to the actual menorah present at the time in the Temple at Jerusalem. This menorah has arms which are polygonal, not rounded, and the base is not graduated but triangular. It is notable, however, that this artifact was found a significant distance from Jerusalem and the Arch of Titus has often been interpreted as an eyewitness account of the original menorah being looted from the temple in Jerusalem.