## Tur HaArokh, Exodus

###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:2:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:2:1)

**ויקחו לי תרומה.**לאחר שדבר השם אל משה פנים בפנים י' הדברות וצום על ידי משה קצת המצות שהם אבות למצות התורה כאשר הנהיגו רבותינו ז"ל עם הגרים שמודיעים קצת המצות וישראל קבלו עליהם כל מה שציום וכרת עמהם ברית על זה מעתה היו לו לעם והוא להם לאלהים והם הם ראויים שיהיה להם מקדש להשרות שכינתו עליהם ועל כן ציום לעשות לו משכן להשרות שכינתו בתוכם כאשר הבטיחם אם שמוע תשמעו בקולי והייתם לי סגולה ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים מיד שיהי' לו בית בתוכם ועקר החפץ במקדש (במשכן) הוא מקום השכינה שהיא הארץ (הארון. כצ"ל) כדכתיב ונועדתי לך שם ודברתי אתך מעל הכפורת על כן הקדים מיד הארון והכפורת ואחריו השלחן והמנורה שהם כלים כמוהו שבעבורם נעשה המשכן לתתם בתוכו ומשה הקדים בפרש' ויקהל המשכן ואת אהלו ואת מכסהו וכן בצלא' לפי שהוא ראוי לקדם במעשה. והכבוד ששכן על הר סיני דכתיב וישכון כבוד ה' על הר סיני הוא שכן במשכן דכתיב וכבוד ה' מלא את המשכן וכאשר דבר ה' אל משה במתן תורה כך היה הדבור עמו במשכן דכתיב וישמע את הקול מדבר אליו מעל הכפורת:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ויקחו לי תרומה, “let them take for Me a contribution.” After G’d had spoken to Moses face to face when He gave him the Ten Commandments, and He had already communicated some of the other 613 commandments which form the bedrock of the entire legislation known as Torah, a method comparable to our sages when they admitted proselytes to the Jewish faith and nation, the people in the meantime had accepted even all the laws they had not yet had time to become familiar with. G’d had concluded a covenant with them which confirmed them as His exclusive people for all time to come. He, in turn, would be their exclusive G’d. The time had come then to erect a Sanctuary for this G’d on earth, a structure which symbolized G’d’s presence not only on earth generally, but in the midst of His people. This represented the realization of G’d’s promise in Exodus 19,5 which spelled out the special relationship between G’d and the Jewish people. The principal reason for building this structure was to provide a home for the *Shechinah,* G’d’s benevolent presence among the people. The Holy Ark within that structure represented the holiest part of it. In connection with it, and after giving detailed instructions as to its size, the materials it was to be made of, and the lid and the cherubs adorning it, G’d had announced ונועדתי לך שם ודברתי אתך מעל הכפורת מבין שני הכרובים אשר על ארון העדות, “there I will set My meetings with you, and I shall speak with you from atop the Cover, from between the two cherubs that are on the Ark of Testimony, etc.”
 This is why Moses began immediately with the construction of the Holy Ark, followed by the making of the Cover, followed by the Table and the *Menorah,* all of which are the furnishings of that Tabernacle The fact that G’d did indeed speak to Moses from that location, on the Cover of the Holy Ark, has been confirmed in Numbers


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:6:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:6:1)

**בשמים לשמן המשחה ולקטרת הסמים.**כתב הרמב"ן יש אומרים שזה מקרא קצר ופירושו וסמים לקטרת הסמים. ואחרים פירשו כאלו כתיב ולקטרת השמים יביאו סמים והזכירם בכלל ולא פירש הסמים ופי' השמים הידועים שהם טובים להקטיר כי גם במקומם לא פירשם. ור' אברהם פי' שהיא כמשמעו בשמים לשמן המשחה וגם לקטורת הסמים כי יתנו בקטורת בשמים שבולת נרד וכרכום וקנמון ולא הוצרך לומר בשמים וסמים בקטרת בעבור שכתוב לקטורת הסמים כאשר לא אמר שמן לשמן המשחה והוצרכו לכל אלו הסברות כי דעת בעלי הלשון שהסמים הם התרופות כגון החלבנה והלבונה ובשמים הם הנאכלים שיש להם פיטום בריתם הטוב אבל דעת רש"י שסמים הוא שם לבשמים וכן דעת אונקלוס שתרגם בוסמין בשניהם והוא הנכון:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
בשמים לשמן המשחה ולקטורת הסמים, “spices for the oil of anointment, and for the aromatic incense.”
 Nachmanides says that there are some commentators who consider this verse as having been abbreviated, and that its meaning is as if the Torah had written:וסמים לקטורת הסמים, “and fragrances to be used in the aromatic incense.”
 Other commentators interpret this verse as if the text had read: ולקטורת הסמים יביאו סמים, “and for the purpose of making the aromatic incenses they shall bring different fragrances.” The Torah mentions these fragrances collectively at this point, as the letter ה in front of the word סמים indicates that the various fragrances alluded to were well known, and did not require being listed. They were not even listed individually in the paragraph dealing with the making of the incense in Exodus 30,34-38, where only 5 out of a total of 11 are enumerated. [the other six are derived by the sages through interpretation of the text. Ed.]
 Ibn Ezra explains that there was no need to mention the other 6 ingredients as they were used both for the oil of anointment and for the making of the incense. There was no need to repeat the words בשמים and סמים as these words were mentioned already in connection with the “headings” for both the oil of anointing and the incense for burning up. The Torah also did not consider it necessary to write שמן לשמן המשחה, “oil for the oil of anointing,” as the “heading” שמן was implied by the term שמן למשחה as applicable to each of these ingredients.
 The reason why we need all these different explanations with which the commentators preoccupied themselves, is to counter the argument of the linguists that the word סמים refers to medications, or drugs, in other words, something used internally, in the body, not externally. According to these linguists the word פיטום as in פיטום הקטורת, denotes that these drugs exude a strong fragrance.
 However, *Rashi* thinks that the word סמים describes certain categories of spices, and this is also the opinion of Onkelos who translates both the word בשמים and the word סמים as בוסמיא, spices.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:7:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:7:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:7:1)

**אבני שהם ואבני מלואים לאפוד ולחושן.**פירש"י שקרואים מלואים על שם שעושין גומא בזהב מושב לאבן ונותנין האבן למלאות הגומא ומקום הגומא קרוי משבצות:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
אבני שוהם ואבני מילואים, “*shoham* stones, and stones for the settings.” *Rashi* explains that the reason why these stones were called מילואים, settings, is that they were set in gold which had been recessed to accommodate each stone so that it would be firmly set in its frame. The exact spot of this recessed hole is called משבצות in the Torah. (28,25)


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:7:2
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:7:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:7:2)

**לאפוד ולחשן.**השהם לאבני האפוד והמלואים לחשן וכן פי' ג"כ משובצים זהב יהיו שמוקפים משבצות בעומק שיעור שיתמלא בעובי האבן. והקשה הרמב"ן שאינו נראה שיקרא אותם עתה אבני מלואים על שם העתיד עוד לצוות בהם למלא הגומא שיעשה בהם ועוד כי גם אבני השהם היו משובצים משבצות זהב ולא קראם מלואים וגם מה שפירש"י משבצות שהי' עשוי כמין גומא אינו כן אלא הוא כתרגום אונקלום מרמצא והוא שעושין מלמטה מושב למדת האבן ומוציאין ממנו מזלג שלש השיניים שיאחז האבן והוא מלשון חכמים ומפיק לי' ברמצא דפרזלא לשון מזלג וכן עושים היום בכל אבן יקרה בטבעות כדי שיראה הדרה בכל צד ולא תטמן בטבעת אלא פי' מוסבות משבצות זהב שיעשה רומצי זהב ועל דעת אונקלוס שתרגם משוקעין היו האבנים משוקעות בתוך הבתים והיו יוצאים מהם קמצין ומקיפין אותם ואוחזין בהם מלמעלה ופי' מלואים שתהיינה האבנים שלמות שנבראו כך ולא אבני גזית שנכרתו ממחצב גדול או שנחצב מהם כלום כי גם בתולדות ידוע שאין שלמות כחות האבנים היקרות והסגולות בהם (זולתי. כצ"ל) אשר הוא כחלקי אבנים מן הנחל ולכך תרגם אונקלוס אשלמותא כי לשון מלוי בכלים או גומא תרגם מילוי ממש ותמלא כדה ומליאת וכן בכולם אבל כאן תרגם לשון שלמות וזה פי' ובחרושת אבן למלאות שידע לפתח פתוחי חותם באבנים במלואותם. והנה באבני אפוד נאמר מעשה חרש אבן פתוחי חותם תפתח על שני אבנים כי היו עושין להם חריץ בכתיבת השמות כאשר יעשו חרשי אבן כי לא הי' במלואתם אבל באבני חשן כתיב ומלאת בו מלואת אבן וכתיב יהיו במלואות' על שמות בני ישראל שתים עשרה על שמותם ולא מעשה חרש ולכך לא הי' לו למשה רבינו עצה לעשות אלא בשמיר כמו שאמרו רבותינו ז"ל אבנים הללו אין כותבין עליהם באיזמל דכתיב במלואותם אלא מביאין שמיר ומראה להם והם מתבקעין מאליהן ובמלואותם לא כתיב אלא בחשן אף על גב דאמרינן איכא שמיר דאייתי משה לאבני אפוד דרך העברה קרי לחשן אפוד מפני שהוא מחובר בו וכן בלשון הפסוק הגישה לי האפוד אע"ג דבחשן היו שואלין. וכן פי' הפסוק אבני שוהם שהם ג' לאפוד ואחד לחשן ואבני מלואים לחשן ואם הי' דעת רבותינו ז"ל שהיו גם אבני אפוד מלואים אפשר שמזה הפסוק למדו כן שיפרשו שניהם אבני שוהם ואבני מילואים:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
לאפוד ולחושן, “for the *ephod* and the breastplate.” The *shoham* stones were on the shoulder pieces of the *ephod,* and the jewels referred to as מילואים were inserted in the breastplate. They were משובצים, surrounded by the golden rim that protruded around the grooves within which these jewels were inserted. 
 Nachmanides is troubled by this interpretation as it does not seem right to him that the stones should already have been named according to their ultimate function, although this was still many months in the future. At this time each jewel had a name by which it was known universally, regardless of which piece of jewelry it was used in. He also finds it strange that the Torah should refer to settings for these stones, seeing that even the breastplate and the ephod for which they were intended did not exist yet, and we have not been told what either of these two garments was. Furthermore, Nachmanides makes the point that the אבני שוהם also required to be placed in settings on the shoulder pads of the ephod, so that the expression אבני מילואים applies in equal measure to these two jewels. They are, however, nowhere described as other than משבצות זהב, “held in place by gold settings.” (28,11) Nachmanides also does not accept *Rashi’s* comment that the meaning of משבצות זהב is that the jewels set in a groove, depression in the gold, were held in place by a golden rim around the jewel. He prefers the translation by Onkelos מרמצן בדהב, enclosed in gold. This means that underneath each jewel there would be a golden receptacle with small fork-like pincers at the top, which would grip the jewel once it had been inserted in the golden setting. This concept is borrowed from the sages ברמצא דפרזלא, boring a hole with an iron pick. (Shabbat 103, *Niddah* 62) What is described is a kind of fork, the extreme ends of which can be bent so as to hold a precious object firmly in place. The jewels would be placed at the curved bottom of such a “fork,” before the prongs at the top would be bent over to hold the jewel inside firmly in its position. This is still the way it is done in our days (author speaking)
 The meaning of the word מילואים is that the stone be whole, stones that have not been worked over by diamond cutters and such. Just as hewn stones, אבני גזית, were not to be used in constructing the altar, so the jewels for the breastplate and the *ephod* of the High Priest had to be in their original state. It is an accepted assumption by people who believe in the therapeutic and other value of certain jewels, that if these jewels are not in their original state they will have no such therapeutic value. 
 The reader interested in the subject, is encouraged to read up in my translation of the commentary of Rabbeinu Bachya, pages 1286-1294 where he explains the therapeutic values of each of the stones in the breastplate of the High Priest. Some gemstones’ therapeutic value cured diseases of the body, others had beneficial effect for people mentally underprivileged. [The author claims that scientific texts in his time claimed that there are actually no more than12 kinds of genuine gemstones. Ed.] Apparently, when such gemstones are found in a river bed, they are flawed as far as their use both in the breastplate or as therapeutic aids is concerned, as the constant contact with the water of the river makes it impossible for them to be retrieved in their natural state. This is why here Onkelos translates the word מילואם as אשלמותא, emphasising the wholeness, whereas in connection with filling of vessels or filling in a hole, he translates it as מילוי, as this is an expression used when it concerns such an activity.
 When the Torah discusses the אבני אפוד, (28,11) it speaks of מעשה חרש אבן פתוחי חותם תפתח על שני אבנים, usually translated as “with a jeweler’s handiwork, engraved like a signet ring, shall you engrave the two stones.” In those instances, each gemstone had to have holes in them to accommodate engraving the names of the various tribes. This was the kind of work done by stonemasons. Concerning the gemstones on the breast plate however, the Torah does not use the expression חרש אבן, but ומלאת בו מלואת אבן, an expression which is repeated in 28,20 יהיו במלואותם, perhaps best translated as “in their mountings.” In view of all these considerations, Moses had no choice but to use the secretion of the *shamir* worm to accomplish this objective. He showed this worm to helpers of Betzalel, demonstrating that the gemstones would split by themselves in the desired places without the use of stonemasons’ tools, jewelers’ engraving tools.
 Seeing that the word במלואותם occurs only in connection with the jewels inserted in the breastplate, even though the sages say that Moses brought the *shamir* also to go to work on the jewels of the*ephod*, by moving that worm above the surface of these two jewels in a manner parallel to writing the respective names of the tribes on them. This is probably an incorrect reference to the jewels on the breastplate, seeing that the breastplate, after all, is known also as the חשן האפד “the breastplate of the *ephod”* seeing it was fastened by chains to the *ephod.* The meaning of the wordsאבני שוהם, accordingly, is: the three places where jewels were affixed, i.e. 2 on the shoulder pads of the *ephod* itself, plus the four rows of jewels on the breastplate. The expression אבני מלואים however refers merely to the jewels worn on the High Priest’s breastplate.
 If it was indeed the opinion of the sages that the jewels on the shoulder pads of the *ephod* were mounted in the same way as those on the breastplate, it is conceivable that they derived this from the wording in our verse, and they understood the words אבני מלואים as applying equally to the jewels of the *ephod* and the *choshen,* respectively.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:9:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:9:1)

**וכן תעשו.**פירש"י לדורות שיעשו כלי המקדש כתבנית אלו. וכתב הרמב"ן ולא ידעתי שיהי' זה אמת שיתחייב שלמה לעשות כלי המקדש כתבנית אלו והנה המזבח עשאן שלמה ך' אמה על ך' אמה. ור' אברהם פי' וכן תעשו הכלים כי מתחלה צוה על המקדש. ועל דרך הפשט אין צריך לכל זה אלא הכפל בא לזרז ולחזק הדבר שאמר ועשו לי מקדש וגו' וכן תעשו כלכם בזריזות וחריצות וכן ויעשו בני ישראל ככל אשר צוה ה' את משה ואת אהרן כן עשו והכא מפני שהיא צוואה אמר וכן תעשו.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
וכן תעשו, “and so you shall do.” According to*Rashi* these words are an instruction that the materials and dimensions mentioned here are applicable not only to the Tabernacle, its furnishings and the priestly garments about to be constructed, but that the same rules apply throughout later generations.
 Nachmanides is not sure at all that this is in fact so, as it would have obligated Solomon to make exact replicas of the vessels used in the Tabernacle, and we have clear evidence that Solomon built an altar of 20 by 20 cubits instead of 5 by 5 cubits as described in (compare Chronicles II 4,1) 
 Ibn Ezra explains the need for the words וכן תעשו, as due to the fact that up until this point the Torah had spoken of the structure, not the furnishings.
 According to the plain meaning of the text, there is no need for all these explanations, as whenever the Torah repeats something, the objective is to urge the party addressed to proceed with the task at hand without any delay. G’d had first said: ועשו לי מקדש, “they shall make a Sanctuary for Me,” and now He repeats: “now that I explained what it is to consist of, I tell you to proceed with the job.” All the Israelites are addressed by the word תעשו, and they all responded, as we know from Seeing that in this verse we are dealing with a command, and instruction, the people are addressed in direct speech: “you are to do.”
 25,10 ועשו ארון, “they shall construct an ark.” This refers to the Israelites referred to in verse 2. When the Torah switches to direct speech in the following verses, making it sound as if these commandments were all addressed to Moses personally, this must be understood in terms of Moses representing the entire Jewish people. The reason that the Torah first employed a plural mode was to encourage all the Israelites to take an active part in the making of the Tabernacle by contributing of their wealth, so that their participation in a sacred undertaking would guarantee each one of them a share in the Torah. However, only skilled people could take part in fashioning the parts and the furnishings.
 Actually 3 separate arks were made. The outer and inner one were made of gold, whereas the middle ark was of acacia wood. The reason that the Torah does not use the expression וצפית אותו זהב, “you are to overlay it with gold,” is that the ark was enclosed only from 5 out of 6 sides, the top remaining open, until the lid was placed on it, as a separate part.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:10:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:10:1)

**ועשו ארון.**חוזר על בני ישראל המוזכרים למעלה ואמר אחר כן ויצקת לו וצפית אותו לשון יחיד כי משה כנגד כל ישראל ואמר תחלה לשון רבים שיהיו כלם משתתפי' בעשייתו שהוא קדוש משכני עליון כדי שיהיו כלם זוכים לתורה: ג' ארונות עשה אחד של עץ וב' של זהב ומבית ומחוץ תצפנו ולא כתיב וצפית אותו זהב (?) כמו בשלחן שלא הי' מצופה צד העליון שלו:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ועשו ארון, “they shall construct an ark.” This refers to the Israelites referred to in verse 2. When the Torah switches to direct speech in the following verses, making it sound as if these commandments were all addressed to Moses personally, this must be understood in terms of Moses representing the entire Jewish people. The reason that the Torah first employed a plural mode was to encourage all the Israelites to take an active part in the making of the Tabernacle by contributing of their wealth, so that their participation in a sacred undertaking would guarantee each one of them a share in the Torah. However, only skilled people could take part in fashioning the parts and the furnishings.
 Actually 3 separate arks were made. The outer and inner one were made of gold, whereas the middle ark was of acacia wood. The reason that the Torah does not use the expression וצפית אותו זהב, “you are to overlay it with gold,” is that the ark was enclosed only from 5 out of 6 sides, the top remaining open, until the lid was placed on it, as a separate part.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:12:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:12:1)

**על ארבע פעמותיו.**פירש"י על ארבע זויותיה ובשליש העליון סמוך לכפרת היו נתונים ולא היו אלא ארבע ומה שאמר אחר כן ושתי טבעות פי' ושתים מן הטבעות האלו היו על צלעו האחת. וכתב הרמב"ן ודאי לא היו אלא ד' אבל מה שפירש שהיו בשליש העליון סמוך לכפורת לא מסתבר דכל מה שהיו יותר למעלה הי' המשוי יותר כבד ועוד כי דרך כבוד הוא שיהי' הארון למעל' נישא גבוה על כתפות הכהנים: **לשון א"א הרא"ש ז"ל.** ולי נראה פירש"י מפירושו דבשליש העליון סמוך לכפורת היו נתונים מההיא דאמרינן במס' שבת פרק המוציא משוי למעלה מי' טפחים חייב שכן משא בני קהת ויליף לה מארון דאמר מר ארון ט' וכפורת טפח וגמירי דכל טוענא דמידרי במוטות תילתא מלעיל ותרי תילתא מלתחת נמצא שהיו הטבעות בתחלת שליש העליון ולהכי גמירי הכי שאם הי' רוב המשוי למעלה מכתפיהם הי' מתנדנד לכאן ולכאן אבל כשרוב המשוי למטה מן הכתפים אז הוא נישא יפה. ואני אומר שח' טבעות היו לו לארון ד' טבעות קטנות בארבע הזוויות כדי שיהא נישא ומטלטל בהם בשעה שמתקנין אותו וד' טבעות בצדיו ברחבו בסוף רביע האחרון וחצי רוחב בין ב' הטבעות ובהם היו הבדים ולהכי כתיב בטבעות הראשונות פעמותיו שהן זויות ובטבעות האחרונות צלעות שהם צידי הארון. ור' אברהם כתב כי בכל מקום הוא לשון רגל כמו מה יפו פעמיך בנעלים על כן פי' שהארון היו לו ד' רגלים וד' הטבעות שהי' נישא בהן היו מלמטה ברגלים וד' אחרים לנוי מלמעלה. וכתב הרמב"ן ואין דבריו נכונים ולפי דעתי פעם הוא שם פסיעה מה יפו פעמיך פסיעותיך ואמר כאן פעמותיו על פסיעות הכהנים שנושאים אותו רמז לב' דברים שיהיו הטבעות בזויות למטה ממש ושיהי' כל אורכו של ארון מפסיק בין ב' הטבעות כי הארון ארכו למזרח והטבעות לצפון אחד בראש המזרחי ואחד במערבי וב' בדרום כנגדם ופעמי הכהנים הולכים בין טבעת לטבעת:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
על ארבע פעמותיו, “on its four corners.” *Rashi,* following Onkelos, understands the word פעמות as referring to the four corners of the ark, and suggests that these rings were fastened at the upper third of the ark close to the כפורת, the lid. There were altogether only four such rings. When the Torah writes later ושתי טבעות וגו', these are not additional rings, but the reference is to two out of the four rings being fastened on one of the sides of the ark.
 Nachmanides writes that there certainly were not more than four rings, but that he cannot agree with *Rashi* that these rings were fastened in the upper third of the ark, something he considers physically impossible, as it is a well known fact that the higher the rings for the staves were positioned the more difficult would it be for the carriers of the ark to carry their load. 
 [this editor has seen a calculation by the late Rabbi Eliyahu Ki Tov, of sainted memory, that the ark with its combined content weighed approx 39000kg. If so, it could only be lifted with the help of a miracle, and Nachmanides’ concern is of no practical significance. Ed.] A second argument by Nachmanides against the view of *Rashi,* is that it is far more dignified that more of the ark would be exposed to view when it was being transported, seeing it was borne on the shoulders of the sons of Kehat. [I find this argument also irrelevant as the ark, in common with all the other furnishings was covered by blue woolen cloth, and thus not visible to the people at large while it was being transported. Ed.]
 The following is the commentary on the location of the rings. by my late father of sainted memory the רא'ש. “Personally, I prefer *Rashi’s* commentary to that of Nachmanides, seeing that the Talmud in tractate *Shabbat* chapter 8 states that if someone carries a load on the Sabbath more than 10 *tefachim* (100 cm) above ground he is guilty of carrying in the public domain on the Sabbath, the reason being that the sons of Kehat carried the ark at a level higher than that. [This in itself is an unusual *halachah* as the domain known as רשות הרבים, the public domain, is not considered as such at a level above 10 *tefachim.* However, since all the details of forbidden activities on the Sabbath are directly derived from what was forbidden on the Sabbath for the Israelites in the desert, this anomaly resulted. Ed.] The Talmud derives this from the fact that according to the measurements given in the Torah, the height of the ark at one and a half cubits was 9 *tefachim* without the lid, which was an additional *tefach* thick. It is derived from there that any load that is transported by means of staves, (such as the ark*)* has the staves affixed at the juncture of the first and the second third from the top. The rationale given in the Talmud is that the major part of the height of the ark would be above the level of the shoulder height of the carriers, would be in constant state of swinging to and fro, a most uncomfortable if not impossible manner of transporting such a heavy load. On the other and, when two thirds of the height of the ark was below the shoulder height of the Kehatites carrying it, the task of carrying it would be much easier.
 I believe (*Rosh speaking)* that there were not 4 but 8 rings, 4 small rings attached to the 4 corners, in order to enable the ark to be properly positioned. There were another 4 rings along the respective sides each about one quarter of the distance from the respective corners. They were attached to the sides forming the width of the ark. The staves of which the Torah writes, were inserted through these latter 4 rings along the sides. This explains why in connection with the first 4 rings the Torah added the words על ארבע פעמותיו, whereas no mention of these corners is made in connection with the second set of 4 rings that were attached along the walls of the ark.
 Ibn Ezra writes that wherever else the wordפעמות appears, it refers to legs. He quotes verses from Isaiah, Psalms, and Song of Songs, to prove his point. He therefore concludes that the ark had legs attached to its four corners, and that it would have been disgraceful for such a holy vessel as the ark to be simply resting on the floor of the Tabernacle, [especially as the “floor” apparently was not even a carpet over the desert sand. Ed.] The four rings by which the ark was carried, were attached near the bottom, immediately above the legs. The other 4 rings were decorative, much higher than the ones by means of which the ark was carried.
 Nachmanides, while agreeing that the word פעמות appears elsewhere in our Scriptures always as meaning ”feet,” comes to the conclusion that it means the steps taken by the feet here, but that the feet referred to were those of the priests carrying the ark [through the Jordan river, for instance compare Joshua 4,15 Ed.] The Torah thereby hints that the rings were attached at the corners at the bottom of the ark, the length of the ark faced the eastern wall of the Tabernacle, whereas the rings faced north, one at the north east corner and the other at the northwestern corner. The two southern rings were exactly opposite them at the southeast and southwest corners respectively. The feet of the priests would move between the positions of the rings.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:21:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:21:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:21:1)

**ואל הארון תתן.**פירש"י שנכפל לומר שבעודו ארון בלא כפורת יתן תחלה העדות לתוכו ואחר כך יתן הכפורת עליו ואיני מבין דבריו דמילתא דפשיטא הוא שצריך ליתן העדות תחלה קודם שיתן עליו הכפורת ואפשר שרוצה לומר שלא יתן עליו הכפורת כלל אפילו לנשאותו עד שיתן לתוכו העדות. והרמב"ן כתב על דברי רש"י אם כדבריו שאומר שהוא צוואה אדרבה יותר הי' נראה להפך שאחר שיתן הכפורת עליו יתן העדות כדכתיב ואל הארון תתן העדות וארון נקרא עם הכפורת שעליו ועוד הקשה למה החזיר מעל הכפורת וגו' אשר על ארון העדות כי בידוע שהכרובים היו על ארון העדות ומה צורך עוד לפרש כיון שאמר מעל הכפורת מבין שני הכרובים ופי' הוא בעבור שצוה בכרובים ולהיותם פורשי כנפים ולא פי' למה יעשם כלל ומה ישמשו במשכן ולמה היו בענין הזה לכך חזר ואמר ונתת את הכפורת עם כרוביו שהכל דבר אחד על הארון מלמעלה כי אל הארון תתן את העדות אשר אתן אליך כדי שיהי' לו כסא כבוד כי אני אועד לך שמה ומשכין שכינתי עליהם ודברתי אליך מעל הכפורת מבין שני הכרובים בעבור שהוא על ארון העדות. וי"מ דלכך כפל אותו לומר שגם שברי לוחות יהו מונחים בארון ב' פעמים יהי' העדות בארון:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ואל הארון תתן, “and you are to place within the ark, etc.” *Rashi* explains that the reason why this verse appears to repeat what has been written already in verse 16, is to tell us that the Tablets were to be placed inside the ark even before the lid was placed on it. I might have thought otherwise that only after the lid had been constructed was the ark considered complete enough to house the Tablets. After that the lid would be placed on the ark.
 I do not understand what *Rashi* is saying. It is the most obvious thing that the Tablets could not have been placed inside the ark unless the lid was off at the time. Perhaps *Rashi* meant to say that the lid was not to be put on the ark at all, not even in order to move it from one site to another, unless the Tablets had already been placed inside it.
 Nachmanides, referring to *Rashi’s* commentary, writes that if indeed our verse is an instruction, this sounds most illogical; it would be far more likely that the Torah would instruct not to put the Tablets into an as yet incomplete piece of furniture, and only after the ark had been fitted with the lid were the Tablets to be placed inside. After all, the Torah writes that the Tablets are to placed inside the ark, and the ark is not called “ark,” unless it has been fitted with the lid first. Nachmanides also questions the words מעל הכפורת אשר על ארון העדות, “from above the lid, which is on top of the ark of the testimony.” Why would this information have to be repeated? We know that the cherubs were part of the lid, the כפורת! He therefore explains that seeing the Torah had neither explained the need for the cherubs, nor why they had to have their wingspans extended *vis* a *vis* each other, it is explained now that the voice of G’d when He spoke to Moses would appear to emanate from precisely this spot between the extended wings of the cherubs on top of the lid of the ark.
 Keeping all this in mind, the Torah repeats that seeing that the *Shechinah* will speak to Moses from between the outstretched wings of the cherubs, it is fitting that they are placed on the equivalent of a “throne,” כסא הכבוד. This “throne” for the *Shechinah* on earth, is the Holy Ark, when it is the repository of the Tablets that had been written by G’d Himself.
 Some commentators think that the reason the line was repeated is simply to teach that the first set of Tablets, the ones Moses had broken, were also to be placed inside the same Ark.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:23:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:23:1)

**ועשית שלחן.**כי השלחן הוא סימן לעושר וכבוד וגדולה. וכתב הרמב"ן ועשית שלחן ענין השלחן כי ברכת השם היא תעשיר מעת שנברא העולם אבל כאשר יהי' שם שרש דבר תחול עליו הברכה ותוסף בו כאשר אמר אלישע ע"ה הגידה לי מה יש לך בבית וחלה הברכה על אסוך שמן ובאליהו ז"ל על כד הקמח וכן השלחן בלחם הפנים תחול הברכ' ממנו יבוא השובע לכל ישראל וכן אמרו רבותינו ז"ל כל כהן שהגיעו ממנו כפול אוכל ושבע:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ועשית שלחן, “you are to construct a table;” the reason is that the table is the symbol of wealth, honour, distinction, grandeur. 
 Nachmanides writes that the significance of placing the table in the Tabernacle lies in it being a reminder that all material blessings are channeled to us from its original source, from G’d, ever since He created the world. However, in order for that blessing to continue and to grow, it must have some root that it can draw on. The table represents this root. The matter became evident when the prophet Elisha asked the woman whose creditors were threatening to take her children as slaves in settlement of her deceased husband’s debts, (Kings II 4,1) “what can I do for you?” Seeing that all she had was the remnants of a small jar of oil, he told her: “get yourself some containers from your neighbours first.” After she had done so, Elisha used the existing oil to fill all the containers. The lesson we learn from that story is that even a blessing must have something it can focus on, something of substance in this world. Something similar was demonstrated by the prophet Elijah, Elisha’s mentor in Kings I The table on which the show-breads were stacked, fulfilled the same function on behalf of the entire Jewish people. Our sages illustrated the effectiveness of this heavenly blessing channeled through the show-breads by stating that any priest who ate as little as the size of a bean from these show-breads found that he was completely sated.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:29:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:29:1)

**ועשית קערותיו וגו'.**מה שפירש"י אונקלוס תרגם מנקיותיו מכילתי' הכריע כדברי האומרים שמנקיותיו הם סניפין ותרגם מכילתי' לפי שסובלין משא הלחם העליון מלשון נלאיתי הכיל כתב הרמב"ן בל' ארמי הוא שם למדה כמו שתירגם איפת צדק מכילן דקשוט. ופי' הוא דעת אונקלוס כי מכילא הוא דפוס העשוי לבצק כמו שאמרו ג' דפוסין היו שם האחד עשוי למדת הלחם לארכו ולרחבו ונותנו בו כשיהי' בצק ומתקנו בו והוא מנקיות ונקרא מכילת' לפי שצריך להיות לצורת הלחם ממש לא פחות ולא יותר ואחד של ברזל ליתנו בו אחר אפיי' ואותו אינו צריך להיות ממש כמדת הלחם אלא קערה ליתנו בו אחר אפיי' שלא ישבר וזהו קערותיו והקשות הוא כולל הקנים והסניפין ואולי בעבור פיצולן יקראו כן בחלוף הצד"יק בשי"ן כמו ויראו יושבי קצוות מאותותיך ומנקיות הוא שם מדה כמו איפה וסאה כשם קערות וכפות ושאר השמות שאין להם תואר. ואולי המדות המצדיקות איפת צדק והין צדק נקראין מנקיו' לפי שהן נקיות מן השקר ומנקות את בעליהן מן האונאה. וקשה לי לזה הפירוש למה הזכירם בזה הסדר שראוי הי' להקדים המנקיות:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ועשית קערותיו, “you will make its dishes, etc.” Onkelos translates that which *Rashi* describes as קערות, the forms in which the show-breads were baked (iron forms, and subsequently displayed), golden forms, as being the מנקיות. In a dispute on the subject, in the משנה, (compare *Tossaphot* 96,b commencing with the words לא היה) Onkelos decides in favour of the view of the sage who considers the מנקיות as being sort of branch-like semi-open tubes, מכילתא, in Aramaic. The reason advanced by the author for his view is that these מנקיות supported the weight of the forms in which the show-breads were displayed on the table, especially the highest layer of the show-breads. The source, linguistically speaking, is the phraseהכיל ,נלאתי in Jeremiah 6,11, which means: “I am exhausted and cannot contain it anymore.”
 Nachmanides, not assuming that the word may have an Aramaic origin, quotes numerous verses in Scripture where the word means: “supporting something.” He explains that what Onkelos means is that these are the forms in which the show-breads had been baked, and, due to their thinness, they could not be allowed to lie there without being enclosed as during the seven days that each bread stayed on the table from one Sabbath to the next, they would have broken up into small pieces without such support. The Talmud speaks of three kinds of forms, one of which was exactly matching the dimensions of the bread, i.e. the dough that was baked in them; these were the ones called here מנקיות. In Aramaic they are called מכילתא, as they had to be true to the measurements of the dough. Incidentally, Onkelos translates the words איפת צדק, “a true measure,” as מכילין דקשוט. (Leviticus 19,36) This was a form, presumably made of wood or clay, in which the dough was placed prior to being transferred for baking into a similar form made of iron. Finally, there was a form made of gold, to which the breads were transferred after having cooled off, and they were placed on display on the two parallel racks above the table. The measurements of these latter forms did not have to be so meticulously tight fitting. The main purpose of the latter forms was to act as containers. 
 The קשוות is a term which includes the various other small utensils including the shelving tubes. Perhaps they were named thus as they were meant to prevent the breaking up of these breads, and the letter ש in this word is used in lieu of the letter צ. We find a similar substitution of the letter ש for the letter צ in Psalms 65,9 וייראו יושבי מאותותיך, “the dwellers at the far corners of the earth were awed by Your signs (miracles).” 
 The word מנקיות describes a certain measuring cup, or something similar; they are called thus to symbolize that they are accurate, not deceptive, i.e. איפה צדק “true measure.” (Lev. 19,36) The owners will be perceived as free from sin, נקי, as they do not use these devices to enrich themselves by deceiving their customers. I find it difficult to understand, if that were the meaning, why the מנקיות should not have been mentioned first.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:30:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:30:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:30:1)

**לחם פנים.**פירש"י שיש לו פנים רואים לכאן ולכאן לצידי הבית ואתיא כמ"ד שהי' כמין תיבה פרוצה אבל למ"ד שהי' כמין ספינה אינו כן. ור' אברהם פי' שנקרא לחם פנים על שם לפני תמיד:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
לחם פנים, “show-bread.” *Rashi* explains the name פנים, faces, to mean that these breads had two ”faces,” i.e. that the manner in which they were displayed enabled people from opposite sides of the Tabernacle to see them clearly. He accepts the view of the sage who describes the manner in which they were displayed as resembling a box that has split open. According to the view that these breads, when in their forms, resembled the shape of a ship, this cannot be the meaning of the word פנים.
 Ibn Ezra explains simply that the breads were called thus as the Torah itself describes G’d as viewing them as constantly in His presence, i.e. enjoying His attention,לפני תמיד.


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:33:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:33:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:33:1)

**כן לששת הקנים היוצאים מן המנורה.**בשביל שלא הזכיר אלא שנים מהם הוצרך לומר כן לששת הקנים לומר של כולם היו כן ובקרא שלמטה שהזכיר כל ששת הקנים לא הוצרך לומר כן אלא לששת הקנים היוצאים ממנה לומר שלא תאמר אחרים הם אלו שאומרין עליהם וכפתור תחת שני הקנים היוצאים ממנה לכך חזר ואמר לששת הקנים לומר שהן אותן ששת הקנים עצמן הנזכרים למעלה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
כן לששת הקנים היוצאים מן המנורה, “likewise for the six branches that protrude forth from the *Menorah.”* Seeing that thus far only two of these “arms” have been mentioned, the Torah had to add the word “כן,” “likewise, similarly, i.e. that the same pattern applied to all the six arms. In the verse following, (35) where all six “arms” have been mentioned specifically, there was no need for the extra word כן. This was necessary only where I could have thought that a different six “arms” were referred to. We did need to be told that the knobs, almond shaped decorations, and blossom shaped decorations, were all to be integral on each of these “arms.”


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:38:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:38:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:38:1)

**מחתותיה.**פירש"י שחותין בהן אפר הפתילות שכבו. וי"מ כמין מחתה תחת הנר שנותנין בו השמן ולא נהירא דא"כ מאי נרותיה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ומחתותיה, “and its pans.” *Rashi* explains that these “pans,” were meant to accommodate the wicks after they had burnt out.
 Other commentators claim that these “pans” were small receptacles in which the oil for each of the lamps was placed. This seems unlikely, as it would pose the question what does the word נרותיה in verse 37 mean?


###### Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:39:1
[Tur HaArokh, Exodus 25:39:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Tur%20HaArokh/s/Exodus/r/25:39:1)

**ככר זהב טהור.**פירש"י שלא יהא משקלה עם כל כליה אלא ככר לא פחות ולא יותר. וכתב הרמב"ן ודאי כן נראה פשוטו של מקרא אבל תימא לומר כן שאם כן היאך לא יתן הכתוב משקל לגופה של מנורה ואפשר שיהי' רוב הככר לכלים הנפרדים ממנה אבל מתוך משמעות הגמרא במנחות נראה דהא דקאמר ואת כל כליה לא קאי אכלים הנפרדים ממנה אלא על כלים שהם מגוף המנורה כגון נרותיה וקורא אותם כליה אף על פי שמחוברים בה לפי שדרך בשאר המנורות להיותם נפרדים מהם ויש להם שם בפני עצמם. ועל דרך הפשט אומר ככר זהב טהור יעשה אותה ואת כל כליה פי' שיעשה אותה ג"כ זהב טהור כי לא פי' תחלה שיהיו זהב טהור וכן במעשה אומר ויעש את נרותיה שבעה ולא פי' שהן של זהב ומלקחיה ומחתותיה זהב טהור שאין זהב טהור חוזר רק על המלקחיים והמחתות וחזר ואמר ככר זהב טהור עשה אותה ואת כל כליה לומר שעשה כל כליה זהב טהור ולא מן הככר ויכנס עוד בכלל כליה כלים רבים שהוצרכו לה לשמן ולכמה דברים. כתב ר' אברהם הזכיר משקל הזהב במנורה ולא עשה כן בארון ושלחן בעבור היותה כלה זהב ומדתה מן הככר כפי שראוי לעשותה מככר כי מדת הארון ידועה וזהב לציפוי מה שיכיל והכפורת כלה זהב הזכיר מדתה ואין לה עובי כי אם מעט וצפוי הארון והשלחן ושני הזירין כמדת הארון והשלחן ע"כ. ואף לדברי רבותינו דכפורת עובי' טפח אתי שפיר שהרי מדתה ידועה וזהב לפי הצריך לה אבל מנורה אין מדתה ידועה אלא אמר שיעשוה כפי הככר וגובהה של מנורה י"ח טפחים לפי שגובה מערכת הלחם הי' י"ח טפחים והמנורה עשוי' להאיר על השלחן. מה שהביא רש"י הדרש של תיעשה מלמד שנעשית מאיליה אם נפשך לומר שאינו חלוק על מה שכתו' ג"כ במדרש שהראה לו הקב"ה למשה כמין מנורת אש תאמר שאף לאחר שהראה לו מנורת אש נתקשה ונעשי' מעצמה:

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
ככר זהב טהור, “one talent of pure gold.” *Rashi* explains that the Torah means that the *menorah* including all its auxiliary vessels, should weigh neither more nor less than one talent of gold. 
 Nachmanides comments that when looked at from the plain meaning of the text, the פשט, *Rashi* is certainly correct. However, if it is so, this poses the question how much the chunk of gold known as the *menorah* was to weigh by itself? Why would the Torah not have given us this detail concerning the by far largest part of this major piece of furniture in the Sanctuary? The Torah might at least have revealed how much the total of all the auxiliaries weighed, and we would have been able to calculate how much the *menorah* itself weighed? By not revealing this detail we might even assume that the various auxiliaries together weighed more than the *menorah* itself*!*
 When perusing the discussion about all this in the Talmud, *Menachot* 85, it appears that *Rashi* departed from the views expressed there. Apparently, the words ואת כל כליה, “and all its auxiliary vessels,” in our verse, do not refer to vessels constructed separately, not part of the chunk of gold, but refer to the basic auxiliaries such as the lamps which were also part of the single cast chunk of gold which constituted the *menorah*. If, in spite of the fact that they were an integral part of the *menorah,* the Torah describes these lamps as נרותיה ואת כל, clearly implying that they were subordinate to the *menorah* itself, the reason is that all other candelabras that we are familiar with, always have these lamps attached as a detachable auxiliary to the candlestick itself. They deserve a name in their own right precisely because as a rule they are separate attachments.
 According to the plain meaning of the text the meaning of the line ככר זהב טהור יעשה אותה ואת כל כליה, is that even all the auxiliary vessels of the *menorah* were made of pure gold. Seeing that it was quite unusual for vessels constantly in touch with fire to have been made of gold, the Torah, in describing the weight of the gold used for the single cast *menorah* describes the weight as pertaining to אותה, “it,” before including the auxiliary vessels, that, while made of gold, were not part of that talent of pure gold described previously.
 Ibn Ezra writes that the reason why the Torah mentions the weight of the *menorah*, whereas no such weights were given for the Holy Ark, for instance, or for the Table, for that matter, is that it was the only one of the furnishings in the Sanctuary which consisted of pure gold only, both the Ark and the Table were only overlaid with gold. Moreover, the Torah was interested in informing us in an oblique manner that the maximum size of such a *menorah* that could be fashioned out of a single talent of pure gold was well known, so that the Torah did not need to spell out the height of the *menorah,* though the sages did tell us the measurements i.e. eighteen *tefachim.* There was also no need to describe the size of the crown-like borders around the Table and the Holy Ark, as they were thin and were directly attached to the Table and Ark, respectively.
 Although, according to our sages the thickness of the lid for the Ark, the כפורת, was one *tefach*, there was still no need to mention the size or weight, as it too corresponded precisely to the measurements of the Ark which the Torah has provided. Seeing, that the basic size of the *menorah* was not spelled out, the Torah, giving us the weight of it, enabled the sages to calculate its size on that basis. The height of the menorah was such that it had to provide illumination for the surface of the Table when the show-breads would be placed there and would be exchanged on the following week.
 As to the reason why *Rashi* quoted the *Midrash* according to which the word תיעשה in the passive mode means that the *menorah* emerged from the crucible on its own, i.e. without having been cast by Betzalel in a specific mould, you may interpret this as not conflicting with the view expressed in the *Midrash* that G’d showed Moses a precise image of what the *menorah* would look like, but that Moses still had difficulty envisioning the construction of the *menorah* even after G’d had shown him the vision referred to.