We will now continue on this sacred journey to explain what HKB”H said to Aharon HaKohen to uplift him after being disheartened by his lack of participation in the inauguration along with the other nesiim:
“I swear by your life! Your contribution is greater than theirs, for you will kindle and prepare the Menorah’s lamps.” Let us refer to the Mishnah (Avos 1, 12): "הלל אומר הוי מתלמידיו של אהרן, אוהב שלום ורודף שלום, אוהב את הבריות ומקרבן לתורה." Hillel says: Be among the disciples of Aharon—love peace and promote peace, love your fellow creatures, and bring them closer to Torah.
The Bartenura explains in the name of the Avos D’Rabbi Nasan: And how did he bring people closer to the Torah? When he was aware that a particular person had committed an aveirah, he would befriend him and greet him with a smile. That person would feel ashamed. For he would say to himself: If this tzaddik was only aware of my evil deeds, he would surely stay far away from me. As a result, he would return to the good (i.e., mend his ways). Thus, the prophet attests to his character (Malachi 2, 6): “He walked with Me in peace and with fairness, and turned many away from iniquity.”
Now, with the utmost reverence and devotion, I would like to propose a novel explanation: HKB”H entrusted the mitzvah of kindling the seven lamps of the Menorah to Aharon HaKohen and his descendants in order to extend the extraordinary light of the “tagin” of the seven letters שעטנ"ז ג"ץ to ba’alei-teshuvah—to provide them with a new, higher life-source beyond the reach of the “chitzonim.”
To accomplish this, HKB”H commanded Moshe to instruct Aharon: "בהעלותך את הנרות". Regarding the neshamos of Yisrael, it says (Mishlei 20, 27): "נר ה' נשמת אדם"—a man’s neshamah is the lamp of Hashem.” Thus, we can interpret this directive to Aharon as follows: When you elevate the neshamos of Yisrael by lighting the lamps in order to return them by means of teshuvah; "אל מול פני המנורה יאירו שבעת הנרות"—orient them in such a way to draw upon the extraordinary light from the upper world of the “tagin” associated with the seven letters שעטנ"ז ג"ץ; then they will be immune from the deleterious effects of the “chitzonim.”
We can suggest that this is why the fire of the seven lamps was comprised of three colors. As we have learned in the Gemara (Berachos 52b), Beis Hillel told Beis Shamai that the berachah "בורא מאורי האש", which we recite on Motza’ei Shabbas, is formulated in the plural, because “there are many shades of light in the fire.” Rashi comments: A flame contains red, white, and green coloring. We find a related statement in the Tikunei Zohar (Tikun 52b). It states that man’s neshamah, Hashem’s candle, shines with these three colors—white, red, and green. Thus, we have three colors in a flame corresponding to the three “tagin” that adorn the letters שעטנ"ז ג"ץ.
