“In the Tent of Meeting outside the curtain that is before the Testimony Aharon and his sons shall set it in order.”
(Shemos 27:21)

“Aharon and his sons shall set it in order” — meaning even before he was chosen for the priesthood for it doesn’t say Hakohein.
This is because [Aharon] didn’t only merit the lessons of the Menorah from his role as Kohein. The lessons of the Menorah belong to every talmid chacham and teacher of Torah. Since the Menorah symbolizes Torah and teaches many principles of disseminating Torah and teaching the mitzvos we find therefore that it also instructs each father and each teacher how to educate and teach students and children.… (Rav Moshe Feinstein Kol Ram)
The lessons of the Menorah aren’t only for Kohanim. It’s about Torah education in each generation. From each ornamental knob and each flower we can learn how to kindle the light in our children.
And from the requirement to use half a log of oil even for the short nights of Tammuz we learn that we must teach and educate even the most talented student just as we teach and educate the simple students.
Don’t rely on his talents and think you don’t need to teach him much… that he understands on his own. If you rely on that he is likely to err and will end up leaving learning and make use of his talents for other things and not for Torah and mitzvos. (ibid.)
The Kohein Gadol comes to teach us how to relate to the short nights of Tammuz the ones with almost no darkness. He pours into its cups half a log of oil exactly the same amount that he uses for the long nights of Teves.
We tend to “forget” our good children. We’re busy with their mischievous brothers the baby with asthma and a demanding job. And the six-year-old angel that she is keeps herself busy so nicely with her dolls and her friends. Baruch Hashem she doesn’t require attention.
But she does. Half a log of oil no less. No problems? Wonderful. Go sit beside her and talk to her. Not because she’s causing trouble not because she’s bored. Just because she needs half a log of oil just like everyone does to lubricate her heart and help her grow on the right path.
The oldest is a genius? Baruch Hashem. He doesn’t need help with his homework? He gets 100s without studying? You breathe a sigh of relief and feel good that your husband is completely free to help the younger brother who’s struggling.
Wait. Half a log of oil. The eldest also needs someone to sit and learn with him. He also occasionally needs someone to make time just for him. The top yeshivah he attends the excellent feedback from everyone who knows him don’t exempt us from giving him a call in yeshivah to say hi and give him some guidance attention and love. Even the best wheels don’t turn on their own. They require a half a log of oil no less.
One must dedicate attention to weak students too and not think that the student has no chance of growing in Torah due to weak abilities or his or his father’s economic status… For in the Menorah they put the same amount of oil for the long winter nights and for the short summer nights. And from here [we learn] that one shouldn’t discriminate between students who have a quick grasp and those who have difficulty comprehending. (ibid.)
Children of Tammuz and Teves children of Adar and children of Elul — all our children. They’re each a branch of pure gold with a large open cup for pure oil. And each is awaiting half a log of oil from us.