Q. Kvod Harav. I lately observed in a big shul in the front next to the Aron Hakodesh, a silver menorah that had only seven branches. Is that permitted?
A.Talmud (Rosh ha-Shanah 24a).forbids fashioning and owing a seven-branched menorah, as is ordered on the prohibition of “imitating” any of the vessels (keilim) that were used in the Mishkan.(Yisro 20:20.) There are at least three views in the early authorities as to the extent of the prohibition: Many Poskim maintain that duplicating the menorah is indeed forbidden even when it is made from other metals, and without all the decorative cups, petals and knobs that were in the original menorah. (Tosafos, Avodah Zarah 43, Beiur ha-Gra, Y.D. 141:21; Birkei Yosef, Y.D. 141:8. See Darchei Teshuvah 141:52 for a more lenient opinion.
See next question
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Y. Hirshman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu, Horav Kalman Ochs, and Horav Dovid Bartfeld consulting in need Horav Hagaon Rav Yitzchak Berkowitz Shlit’a
Important Numbers
