Q. Why are the menoras of many shuls and Batei Midrashot higher than the ten tefachim (about 42in. – 1.m) required lekatchila by the Shulchan Aruch?
A. Mishna Berura (671: 27) quotes Pri Megodim that in a shul, where we light in memory of the menorah of the Beis Hamikdosh, that was higher that ten tefachim, our menorah should be also similar.
Shaarei Teshuva (ibid.) maintains that lechatchila (on the onset), the menorah of a shul should be between ten and eighteen tefachim, however. Other Poskim offer different opinions
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shli’a opinion is that a shul should follow the already established traditions of prior years.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a