Menakhot 98 A Torah tidbit

TB daf Menakhot 98 records the disagreement between Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Rabbi Shimon concerning the placement of the menorah in the Temple’s courtyard. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi held that the long end of the menorah ran east to west while Rabbi Shimon held that it ran from North to South. Each sage interpreted the same verse differently.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi reasoning: “The Gemara asks: And with regard to the Candelabrum itself, from where do we derive that it was positioned from east to west? This is derived from the fact that it is written with regard to the western lamp of the Candelabrum: “Outside the Curtain of the testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron shall set it in order, to burn from evening to morning before the Lord continually” (Leviticus 24:3). The phrase “shall set it in order” is written in the singular, referring only to the western lamp.

“The Gemara explains: One can infer from the fact that the verse states that the western lamp is set “before the Lord,” i.e., before the Holy of Holies, that the location of all the other lamps of the Candelabrum is not considered “before the Lord,” as they are not situated in the same proximity to the Holy of Holies. This would be the case only if the Candelabrum was positioned from east to west. But if it enters your mind to say that the Candelabrum was positioned from north to south, then all the other lamps should also be considered “before the Lord,” as all the lamps are an equal distance from the Holy of Holies.” (Sefaria.com translation)

Rabbi Shimon’s reasoning: “The Gemara replies that according to Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, the term “before the Lord” means that the wick of the middle lamp is turned toward the Holy of Holies, as the priest who kindles the lamps turns the wicks of the other lamps slightly to the side, whereas the wick of the middle lamp is turned directly toward the Holy of Holies.

"This is as it is taught in a baraita: The verse states: “When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light toward the front of the Candelabrum” (Numbers 8:2). This teaches that the priests would turn the front of each lamp toward the middle lamp, but the middle lamp was turned toward the Holy of Holies.” (Sefaria.com translation)

At this juncture Rabbi Natan makes an observation based upon Rabbi Shimon’s reasoning which is my Torah tidbit today. “Rabbi Natan says: One can infer from here that the middle position is preeminent.” (Sefaria. com translation) When we read the Torah on Mondays and Thursday a minimum of 10 verses are divided into 3 aliyot. That means that 2 aliyot contains 3 verses and one contains 4 verses. But which one contains more verses, the first, second, or third aliyah?  

Rashi ד"ה אל מול פני המנורה comments “From here we infer that the middle position is commendable - regarding three that read Torah on Mondays and Thursdays, and we say in Megillah 21b: "we do not read any less than ten verses. And Rabbi Yochana says: the middle [alyiah] is preferable, and that is four verses, and the others are three and three.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Tosafot raises a difficulty with Rashi’s explanation. “The middle is preferable. And the explanation of the book [Rashi] is regarding that we read the Torah that we do not read any less than ten verses, and the middle reads four verses, being preferable. And regarding this he brings the baraita there, in the third chapter of Megilah (Megilah 21b) but it is difficult - because they bring also other baraitot, that affirm that the first and the last [alyiot] are preferable [as well].” (Sefaria.org translation)

In the end the first aliyah for Mondays and Thursdays as well as on Saturday afternoon is divided into three portions with breaks that make the most sense. The only caveat is each aliyah must contain a minimum of three verses.