We have seen many similarities that we find between the menorah of Chanukah and the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash.
Here are some more:
1) The text of the brochah – “lihadlik”
In regards to the text of brochos recited for mitzvos, we sometimes preface the wording with “al” (e.g., al netilas yada’im) and sometimes “l’” (e.g., l’hafrish chalah). The Raavad explains that the rule of thumb is: “l’” is used for a Scriptural mitzvah and “al” is when the mitzvah is of a rabbinical nature. Based on this rule, candle lighting of Chanukah, which is a rabbinic mandate, should have been “al.” However, the Raavad concludes that the text of the brochah is based on the text used for the brochah when they lit in the Beis Hamikdash, which is a Scriptural mitzvah. Once again we see the connection between the lighting of the menorah of Chanukah and the lighting of the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash.
2) Hadlaka osah mitzvah –
The Gemara has a long discussion if the mitzvah is the actual lighting, or is it the placement of the menorah in its proper place. The Gemara concludes that it is the lighting that is the mitzvah. Rashi there explains that the reason for this is that it should be similar to the mitzvah in the Beis Hamikdash, where the main component was the lighting.
3) Burning the entire night
The Yaavetz mentions that since the lighting is similar to the mitzvah in the Beis Hamikdash, there is a hidur (beautification of the mitzvah) if the menorah burns the entire night, just as the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash was lit the entire night.
Ner Chanukah – a continuation of the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash
We can understand all of these connections to the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash, based on the famous words of the Ramban in Parshas Behaloschah. When Aharon felt “left out” of the inauguration of the mishkan, together with the nesi’im, Hashem told him that ”shelchah gadol mishelahem;” your portion – the mitzvah of lighting candles – is even greater than that of the others, because it is forever. The Ramban explains that this is because the candle lighting continues even after the churban, with the menorah of Chanukah, as opposed to the korbanos, which we do not have today. The commentators explain that this is because the menorah of Chanukah is in essence a replica, and a continuation of sorts, of the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash.
Rav Yehoshua Kutner, in his sefer Yavin Shmua, takes this a step further and proposes that the mitzvah of lighting the menorah on Chanukah was actually instituted only after the churban, the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash, in order to have a continuation and remembrance of the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash.
This explains why we see so many similarities between the two, because, in essence, the mitzvah of lighting the menorah on Chanukah is a continuation of the candle lighting of the menorah in the Beis Hamikdash.
Rabbi Scheiner
