וידבר ה' אל משה לאמר, דבר אל אהרן ואמרת אליו בהעלותך את הנרות אל מול פני המנורה יאירו שבעת הנרות.
“And Hashem spoke to Moshe so to speak: Speak with Aharon and tell him: ‘When you bring up the lights towards the front of the Menorah you shall light seven candles.’” (Bamidbar 8:2)
Rashi asks why the verse uses the word B’haloscha, which means “when you bring up” the lights. This is an interesting way of saying that Aharon should light the Menorah. Rashi explains: “And more have our sages taught, that from here we learn that there were steps in front of the Menorah on which Aharon stood when shining the Menorah.” Rashi’s usually writes, when citing the opinion of our sages, that “some say this or that.” What does Rashi mean by saying “more have our sages taught”?
There is much to be learned from this verse. We have just finished a seven-week countdown to Shavuos. Each week, we focused on rectifying and perfecting one of the seven midos (spiritual attributes). A person may think that now, after Shavuos, he is perfect and he no longer has to work on himself.
This verse is telling us that a person should never think he is perfect, or that he has achieved spiritual perfection. A Jew must always continue to grow, to go forward and gain new heights in spiritual fulfillment.
“When you bring up the lights… you shall light seven candles...” Even after you’ve already lit the seven candles, and you have already “brought up” the seven spiritual attributes by working on yourself to become better in all seven midos, you should remember that your work is not finished. This is why Rashi says: “and more have our sages taught.” Our sages are letting us know that there is still more to work on. “There were steps in front of the menorah... when shining the Menorah.” Even if you’ve already lit the seven midos, you can still shine even more. You can continue to grow higher in more areas of avodas Hashem. There is not limit to the greatness you can achieve when you continue taking one step at a time to reach the spiritual light of Hashem.
In the merit of striving to reach higher levels of avodas Hashem, may all who are in need of a refuah merit a full recovery, and those in need of nechama should be fully consoled. May we all merit greeting Moshiach speedily in our days, Amen.