By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal
SAN DIEGO — Since this week’s parasha begins with the commandment for the Israelites to manufacture pure olive oil for lighting ner tamid (more about this later), I turned to Google for more information. However, when I typed in “ner tamid” I did not at first find information about the Torah or the Eternal Light, but discovered about 10,000 congregations named “Ner Tamid” (well, perhaps I am exaggerating just a little bit).
Every synagogue I have ever visited has a Ner Tamid which hangs in front of the Aron Kodesh (Holy Ark). The Eternal Light represents God’s Eternal Presence. They are made out of a variety of materials. Although the synagogue Ner Tamid used to be illuminated by oil, candles, or natural gas, now they are almost all electric (we have replaced the incandescent bulbs in ours with energy efficient LED’s).
Whereas the Ner Tamid in the Tifereth Israel sanctuary is contemporary in design, the Ner Tamid in our Goodman Chapel is more traditional and once stood before the Aron Kodesh when our congregation was located at 30th and Howard in North Park.
In the Torah the term “ner tamid” does not refer to a synagogue Eternal Light, but rather the oil lamps that were kindled in the seven branched Menorah in the Temple every evening when it grew dark. In the Torah the word tamid does not mean “eternal” but rather “regular.” The Menorah was kindled regularly, at the same time each evening.
The Torah instructs that the oil used for lighting the Menorah had to be pure and of the highest quality. Before Chanukah, Rav Shai Cherry arranged for the representatives of the Temecula Olive Oil Company to visit our Torah School and speak about the manufacturing of olive oil. They pointed out that the purest and finest oil comes from the first pressing of the olives. The finest of this oil is classified as “extra-virgin” olive oil and has the most delicate flavor. It is normally used for salads and other foods which require the best tasting oil.
The Midrash Tanchuma confirms that the same was true in Talmudic times as well. The best olive oil was normally reserved for flavoring foods. Lower grade olive oils were used for industrial purposes or for lighting oil lamps, with one exception. The Menorah which stood in the Temple was illuminated with only the finest and purest olive oil as an indication of our ancestors’ love of God.
Furthermore, as our Etz Hayim Chumash explains: “That which fuels the menorah must be pure, uncontaminated by jealousy, selfishness, pride or greed. Why olive oil? In antiquity as today, the olive branch was a sign of peace.” (Etz Hayim, p. 503)
It would be impractical today to use olive oil in the Ner Tamid in modern synagogues (who would be daring enough to daily climb an eighteen foot ladder in our sanctuary to refill our Ner Tamid?).
However, there is a time when it is possible, appropriate, and practical to use olive oil to kindle lights: during Chanukah.
When I was growing up in the 50’s and 60’s everyone lit candles in their Chanukah Menorahs. Today it is possible to use olive oil to kindle our Chanukah lights and many contemporary Chanukiyot have this option. The burning olive oil gives off a soft and mellow light, adding greater beauty to the mitzvah.
Does using olive oil instead of candles require more work? Sure, but only a little bit. But it is worth it. Usually olive oil not only better reminds us of the seven branched Menorah kindled in the Temple every evening, but also of the need for us to approach every mitzvah with whole and pure hearts, especially when it requires an effort.
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Rabbi Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego