THE RADIANCE OF EXCELLENCE

In the latest of a series of claims extolling the virtues of olive oil consumption, an article recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported benefits to brain health, reducing the risk of dementia.

Olive oil makes the headlines in this week’s parasha too. It begins with the commandment to kindle the Menorah in the Mishkan (mobile Temple.): “Command the Israelites to bring you pure olive oil, pressed for illumination, to kindle the lamp every night.” (Shemot 27:20). The Torah specifically prescribes olive oil for the Temple Menorah, and more than that, it details the exact type of oil required.

If you take a moment to examine the olive oil section in the supermarket, you’ll find an array of options: regular olive oil, refined olive oil, virgin olive oil, and extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The oil required for the Menorah was akin to the highest-quality extra-virgin oil, produced through the first cold-pressing of the olives. Rashi, our renowned medieval commentator, quoting the Talmud (Menachot 86a), elaborates on the specific process for creating the purest oil: “One must press the olives in a mortar, but may not grind them in a mill, so that they will not contain sediment. After one has extracted the first drop of oil, he places the olives into a mill and grinds them. The resulting second oil is unfit for the Menorah but is fit for meal offerings.”

Sommeliers of olive oil will know that there are subtle differences of aroma and flavour between extra-virgin olive oil and other varieties. Heat and other processes destroy the delicate balance in the makeup of the oil. But when we are talking about oil as fuel for lighting a lamp, why should it matter if it is extra-virgin or regular oil? Indeed, the Midrash points out that, normally, better-quality oil is used for food and secondary oil for fuel. Here it is the other way round! Why is the Torah so particular about using the best quality oil for the Menorah?

This emphasis on using the finest oil is not just about the physical fuel for the Menorah. Rabbi Elie Munk (d. 1981) offers a profound spiritual interpretation, suggesting that the Torah is teaching us a powerful message. The light of the Menorah represents the light of Torah—the light of our heritage. In matters of the spirit, when we are communicating the light of the Torah, we should always aim for the highest possible quality. We need to deploy the finest of our resources so that its message can penetrate with the greatest chance of success.

While the benefits of consuming high-quality olive oil for brain health are still under investigation, the Torah’s insistence on using the finest oil for the Menorah reveals an essential truth: in spiritual matters, mediocrity is never enough. Just as the finest oil was needed to create the most radiant light of the Menora, so too we should invest the best of our intellect, time, and energy into radiating the values and teachings of Judaism.