Continuing on this sacred journey, we will now focus on the command of HKB”H: “Toward the face of the menorah shall the seven lamps cast light.” According to the Rambam, this means that the six lateral lamps had to be affixed so that they all faced the central Western Lamp. I would like to suggest an explanation for the special significance of the middle lamp, which can also be described as the fourth lamp. Now, if the lamps align with the seven midos, then the middle lamp represents the midah of “netzach,” the fourth midah. This midah is the attribute of victory.
In a sense, one could argue that “netzach” is the most crucial of all the midos. For, as we have learned: "יצרו של אדם מתחדש עליו בכל יום"—a person’s yetzer hara renews its efforts against him each day. Accordingly, this means that a person must battle the yetzer hara constantly to survive. From this perspective, the midah of “netzach” is the central and most important of the midos, since a person must overcome and defeat the yetzer hara daily in order to serve Hashem with the other six midos.
This explains fantastically why the Noam Elimelech and the Ohev Yisrael teach that the seven lamps of the Menorah align with the seven holy shepherds: Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, Moshe, Aharon, Yosef, and David. According, to this scheme, the fourth lamp corresponds to the fourth shepherd, namely Moshe Rabeinu, the personification of the midah of “netzach.”
To clarify the association of Moshe Rabeinu with the midah of “netzach,” we will refer to a teaching in the Gemara (ibid.). HKB”H says to Yisrael: "בני בראתי יצר הרע ובראתי לו תורה תבלין, ואם אתם עוסקים בתורה אין אתם נמסרים בידו"—My son, I created the yetzer hara, and I have created Torah as its antidote. If you engage in Torah-study, you will not be delivered into its hand. In other words, the only way to defeat the yetzer hara is through Torah-study. Now, as we know, Moshe Rabeinu transmitted the Torah to Yisrael, as it is written (Devarim 33, 4): "תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה קהלת יעקב"—the Torah which Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov. Hence, Moshe Rabeinu personifies the midah of “netzach,” because victory over the yetzer hara can only be achieved with the Torah, which he transmitted to Yisrael.
Let us add an intriguing tidbit. The passuk at the beginning of the parsha says: “Aharon did so; toward the face of the Menorah, he kindled its lamps, as Hashem had commanded Moshe.” Why was it necessary to reiterate “as Hashem had commanded Moshe”? This goes without saying! There is no question that Aharon did precisely what HKB”H had commanded him to do through Moshe. Nevertheless, in keeping with this discussion, we can suggest that the passuk is hinting to us that Aharon HaKohen had in mind to light the lamp so that it faced the middle candle associated with Moshe Rabeinu. In other words, Hashem wanted all the other lamps and midos to relate to Moshe Rabeinu, the personification of “netzach,” to emphasize to the people that only with the power of the Torah transmitted to them by Moshe is it possible to defeat the yetzer hara.
We now have cause to rejoice. It should be clear now why the middle lamp faced the Kodesh HaKodashim. After all, the two “luchos haBris” were housed in the Aron located in the Kodesh HaKodashim. The Torah was disseminated from there to all of Yisrael, as it is written (Shemos 25, 22): "ונועדתי לך שמה ודברתי אתך מעל הכפורת מבין שני הכרובים אשר על ארון העדות את כל אשר אצוה אותך אל בני ישראל"—it is there that I shall arrange audience with you, and I shall speak with you from atop the “Kapores,” from between the two “keruvim” that are on the Aron of the Testimony, and it is all that I shall command you pertaining to Bnei Yisrael. Therefore, the middle lamp representing the midah of “netzach” faced the Kodesh HaKodashim to emphasize the fact that it is impossible to defeat the yetzer hara without engaging in the study of Torah.
