The Gemora states that the flame of the menorah was taken from the mizbeach hachitzon. Tosfos asks that it should require a maaracha by itself just like the ketores had its own maaracha? He answers that since it was not necessary to take any coals off the mizbeach for this (like it was required for the ketores), they only needed to light the wicks, it is not logical for there to be an independent maaracha just for the menorah.
The Sfas Emes suggests another answer. When Klal Yisroel merited, the Ner Ma'aravi did not extinguish and it was never necessary to get a flame from the Mizbe'ach (as we learned previously on daf 39), therefore it would not be proper to set up a special maaracha for the menorah merely for those instances when Klal Yisroel did not deserve the miracle.
I am bothered by a question (perhaps I saw it someplace, but I cannot locate it now) from the same Gemora on daf 39. It states there that when they merited the miracles, the fire on the large maaracha never diminished and there was no necessity to bring other fire to kindle it (besides for the mitzva of the two logs of wood), and nevertheless there was a special maaracha on the mizbeach whose sole purpose was to be used just in case the fire went out. According to the Sfas Emes, this is illogical and not proper?
avrohom adler, cleveland, usa
That is a beautiful point indeed.
Rashi DH Kiyum indeed learns that the Ma'arachah of Kiyum ha'Esh was meant to be used for adding wood to the main Ma'arachah if the latter was not sufficiently strong. As you wrote, this was not necessary when the Jews were meritorious, just like the Ner Ma'aravi did not extinguish when they were meritorious. Rashi thus could not explain like the Sefas Emes, l'Shitaso.
The Sefas Emes must have learned that the Ma'arachah of Kiyum ha'Esh was needed to provide a constant fire, even when the main Ma'arachah was dismantled at the end of the day to prepare the following day's Ma'arachah. This might be the opinion of the Rambam (Temidin u'Musafin 2:9), who implies that the only Ma'arachah that is lit from the Beis ha'Moked is the one for Kiyum ha'Esh, and the other Ma'arachot are then lit from it (see Avodas ha'Korbanos, #33:6). This was necessary even when the Jews were meritorious.
Best wishes,
M. Kornfeld