Commentary for Exodus 25:12

ויצקת — a term used of casting metal, as the Targum has it.

AND THOU SHALT CAST FOUR RINGS OF GOLD FOR IT, AND PUT THEM IN THE FOUR ‘PA’AMOTHAV’ (CORNERS THEREOF). “The word pa’amothav is to be understood as the Targum rendered it: ‘corners thereof.’ It was on the upper corners near to the cover of the ark that the rings were placed. And two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it. These are the very four rings which are mentioned at the beginning of the verse, but here Scripture explains that two of these rings were placed on one side [and the other two on the other side].” Thus did Rashi explain, and he explained it well. But I do not know why Rashi wrote that “on the upper corners near to the cover” the rings were placed. For in that case, the weight [of the ark and the tables of law hanging down from the staves] would be very much heavier. Moreover, the respectful way is that the ark be lifted up, resting high upon the shoulders of the priests¹⁰²In Numbers 7:9 it is clearly stated that it is the Levites the sons of Kohath who carried the ark, not the priests. See, however, “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 43-44, that in reality the fulfillment of this commandment, bearing the ark upon the shoulders, devolves upon the priests, but in the wilderness the duty was laid upon the Levites because of the limited number of priests then available. This is Rambam’s position. For Ramban’s opinion see my Note there, p. 44. [when carrying it].
Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote: “I have searched in all Scripture and I have not found the term pa’am to mean ‘corner’ but only ‘foot.’ Thus: How beautiful are p’amayich’ (thy feet);¹⁰³Song of Songs 7:2. The J.P.S. translation “steps” follows Ramban’s interpretation, explained further on. the feet of the poor, ‘pa’amei’ (the feet of) the needy.¹⁰⁴Isaiah 26:6. In J.P.S. translation: “steps,” as Ramban explains it. Therefore I felt bound to explain that the ark had feet to it [upon which it rested].” And so Ibn Ezra explained the meaning of the verse to be that there were altogether eight rings, the four bottom ones¹⁰⁵See my Hebrew commentary p. 459, that our Ibn Ezra texts have here a different version, and that it is only according to that different version that Ramban’s questions on Ibn Ezra can be understood. Principally Ramban differs with three points that Ibn Ezra made: 1. That there were eight rings to the ark; 2. that the staves for carrying the ark were inserted in the upper rings; 3. that the ark had feet. — It is on this second point that the texts differ. It must then be remembered that Ramban is directing his criticism on Ibn Ezra holding that it was the upper rings that were for carriage. Ramban’s opinion is that the lower rings were for the insertion of the staves with which the ark was carried. Ramban will also differ with Ibn Ezra on the other two points. being those through which the staves were inserted to carry the ark with, whilst the four upper rings were purely for ornamental purposes. His words are, however, not at all correct. For if, as he said, pa’am means foot, then Scripture is commanding that the rings should be in the lower corners upon which the ark rests, and these bottom corners are called “feet” because the Sacred Language adapts all forms according to the image of man. Thus it calls the upper part of any object rosh (head), and the bottom part regel (foot). [Accordingly there is no need to say as did Ibn Ezra that the ark had feet to it upon which it rested, since Scripture calls the bottom corners “feet.”] And this is indeed true, that the rings for the purpose of carriage were at the bottom corners, and the ark was thus lifted up above the staves, as I have explained above.
But in my opinion pa’am does not mean “foot” but is a term meaning “step.” How beautiful are ‘p’amayich’¹⁰³Song of Songs 7:2. The J.P.S. translation “steps” follows Ramban’s interpretation, explained further on. — your steps. This usage is similar to the phrase in the Talmud:¹⁰⁶Abodah Zarah 18a. “How beautiful are the steps of this maiden.” Similarly: why tarry ‘pa’amei’ (the steps of) his chariots?¹⁰⁷Judges 5:28. Translated: why tarry ‘the wheels’ of his chariots? The word pa’amothav here is Scripture’s reference to the steps of the priests¹⁰²In Numbers 7:9 it is clearly stated that it is the Levites the sons of Kohath who carried the ark, not the priests. See, however, “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 43-44, that in reality the fulfillment of this commandment, bearing the ark upon the shoulders, devolves upon the priests, but in the wilderness the duty was laid upon the Levites because of the limited number of priests then available. This is Rambam’s position. For Ramban’s opinion see my Note there, p. 44. that carry the ark, thus hinting at two things: that the rings be in the corners right at the bottom, near the seat of the ark, and that the whole length of the ark should interpose between the two rings. For, assuming that the length of the ark was placed in an east-west position, then there were two rings on its north side, one at the eastern head and one at the western, and likewise two rings on the south side of the ark [similarly placed], and the steps of the priests moved between the rings with their faces towards one another. In the Mishnah of the Tabernacle¹⁰⁸This is the Beraitha on the work of the Tabernacle. (Otzar Midrashim, Eisenstein, p. 301; Ish Shalom’s scientific edition, Breslau 1915.) For the name Beraitha see in Seder Bo, Note 209. — In the Holy of Holies the length of the ark was in a north-south position i.e., to the width of the holy place while the width of the ark was in an east-west position i.e., to the length of the holy place (Mishneh Torah, Hilchoth Beth Habchirah 3:13). When carrying the ark they carried it face to face, with their backs turned outward, and their faces set towards the ark (ibid. Hilchoth Klei Hamikdash 2:13). A reference to this point is found here in the text of Ramban. we have learned: “There were four gold rings affixed in the ark, two to the north thereof and two to the south, and in them the staves were inserted and were never moved therefrom etc.”

פעמותיו, the corners at its outer edges.

ויצקת לו, they would protrude beyond the outer edges of the Ark and not be an integral part of it.

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.

ונתתה על ארבע פעמותיו, “you shall place it (them) on its four corners.” Rashi writes that the word פעמותיו is to be understood in accordance with the rendering by Onkelos i.e. זויתה, “its corners.” The rings were attached at the corners close to the top of the Ark, immediately beneath the kapporet. I believe that the correct explanation of the verse is found in the commentary by Nachmanides who understands the word פעמותיו as derived from, or similar in meaning to, פסיעות, steps. The word פעמות occurs as meaning “steps” in Song of Songs 7,2 מה יפו פעמיך, “how lovely are your steps.” It is a fact that the rings were attached at the respective corners near the very bottom of the Ark as it would not have been seemly for the Ark to be sort of suspended below the shoulders of the priests who carried it. It was much more dignified and in keeping with the lofty ideals that the Ark represented that it be carried above the shoulders of those priests charged with transporting it.

Two on one side and two on the other, along the width of the ark. . . But if it was two on each side along the length of the ark, two people carrying it could not walk next to each other, since the space between [the poles] was only an amoh and a half.

VV. 12 — 15. ברים, Tragstangen, sind nicht ein Vehikel, das nur im Momente des Tragens notwendig wäre, sie durften nie von der Lade weichen, לא יסורו ממנו והמסיר בדי ארון לוקה (Joma 72 a). Sie gehören wesentlich zur symbolischen Darstellung der Lade, so sehr, dass sie, dem Wortlaute unseres Textes zufolge, sogar an der Lade bereits vorhanden sein sollen, bevor das Zeugnis hinein und der Deckel darauf gelegt wurde. — (תוספו׳ das. vermuten sogar, dass zwei Paar Stangen zur Lade gehörten. Ein Paar, das stets an der Lade war und nie von ihr weichen durfte, jedoch nicht zum Tragen gebraucht wurde, somit völlig symbolisches Zubehör war, und ein zweites Paar, das nur im Augenblick des Tragens und zum Behufe desselben angelegt wurde. Eine Vermutung, die den Wortlaut der Verse 12 und Bamidbar 4, 6 für sich, dagegen den Wortlaut des V. 14 gegen sich hat). Jedenfalls ist die wesentliche Bedeutsamkeit der Stangen für die Lade durch die gesetzliche Bestimmung des "Nimmerweichens von der Lade", im Gegensatz zu den anderen Heiligtumsgeräten, gesichert. Kön. I. 8, 8 erfahren wir sogar, dass die Vorderenden der Tragstangen den Vorhang hervordrängten und sich so verhüllt sichtbar machten, somit das Einzige waren, wodurch sich das Dasein der Bundeslade hinter dem Vorhange den Betretern des Heiligtums ankündigte.

ויצקת לו ארבע טבעות זהב, “you shall pour four golden rings for it.” According to the plain meaning these were small rings which were actually an integral part of the outer wall of the ark.

פעמתיו — Understand this as the Targum renders it: ON ITS CORNERS. It was on the upper corners near to the cover that the rings were placed — two on one side of the ark and two on the other along the breadth of the ark, and the staves were put into them (the rings). The length of the ark thus formed a space of two cubits and a half between one stave and the other so that two men who were carrying the ark could walk with ease between on the same side. Thus is it explained in Treatise Menachot in the section beginning with the words, "Shtei HaLehem" (Menachot 98b).

ושתי טבעות על צלעו האחת, the side, wall of the Ark, is called צלע. G’d had commanded therefore that these rings be attached at the four corners of the Ark. G’d therefore commanded that there were to be four such rings at the four corners. Furthermore, G’d commanded that they not be attached along the short sides of the Ark but along the long sides of the ark. [this contradicts the commentary of both Rashi and Rash’bam. Ed.]

ושתי טבעות, of the total of four such rings.

Die בדים Traghebel an der Lade, symbolisch genommen, bezeichnen die Bestimmung und die Aufgabe: die Lade und ihren Inhalt auch über die Grenze ihres gegenwärtigen Standortes, wenn es sein muss, fortzutragen, und die Bestimmung, dass diese Traghebel nie fehlen durften, hielt somit für alle Zeit von vornherein die Wahrheit gegenwärtig: dass dieses Gesetz und seine Aufgabe nicht an die Scholle gebunden sei, auf welcher zur Zeit der Tempel und sein Heiligtum stehe.

על ארבע פעמותיו, “on its four sides. There is another explanation which understands the word פעמון, as leg, in the sense of feet taking steps. Compare Song of Songs 7,2: מה יפו פעמיך בנעלים, “how lovely are your feet in sandals?, or Isaiah 26,6: רגלי עני פעמי דלים, “by the feet of the needy, the soles of the poor.” According to this view it would not be appropriate for the Holy Ark to stand directly on the floor. There would be also two large rings as housings for the staves by which the Ark would be carried on the shoulders of the Kehatites while the people were wandering. These were lowered with the small rings permanently attached to the walls of the ark, as G-d did not wish for the carriers of the Ark to come into direct contact with the Ark while inserting the staves through the rings. [Once inserted, the staves were never to be removed from the Ark. Ed.] (verse 15)

שתי הלחם ושתי טבעות על צלעו האחת AND TWO RINGS IN THE ONE SIDE OF IT — These are the very four rings spoken of in the beginning of the verse but here Scripture explains to you where they were fixed. This ו of the word ושתי (the first time the word occurs here) is really redundant and the interpretation is as though it read, שתי טבעת (see Note on Exodus 24:12). Since however the ו is there you may make it fit in thus: and two of these rings shall be on the one side of it and two on the other side thereof.

על צלעו האחת, along the width of the Ark (the shorter side) seeing that the staves protruded in the direction of the sanctuary (backwards, seeing the Ark itself was in the inner sanctum) The length of the Ark had to be positioned in a north/south direction so that the staves would face east/west.

Diese Bedeutung der ewigen Präsenz der בדים als Dokumentierung der lokalen Unbedingtheit des göttlichen Gesetzes erhält noch eine bedeutsame Schärfe in dem Gegensatz der Lade zu den anderen Heiligtumsgeräten, insbesondere zu dem Tische und dem Leuchter, die der permanenten Traghebel entbehren. Es spricht sich darin sofort der Gedanke aus: Israels Tisch und Israels Leuchter — sein materielles Leben in seiner Fülle und sein Geistesleben in seiner Blüte — sind an den Boden des heiligen Landes gebunden. Israels Thora ist es nicht.

על צלעו האחת, ושתי טבעות על צלעו השנית, “on one of its sides and two rings on its opposite side.” In other words, seeing that there were four sides, on the four corners. The ark was positioned inside the Holy of Holies with its longer side facing north. so that the carriers would walk on its eastern and western side.

צלעו means THE SIDE OF IT.

Joma 72 a wird auf den scheinbaren Widerspruch der Stellen: בטבעות הארון יהיו הבדים לא יסורו ממנו (Kap. 25,15) und והבאת את הברים וגו׳ לשאת וגו׳ (V.15) parallel mit והובא את בריו בטבעות (Kap. 27, 7) beim Altar, hingewiesen (siehe תוספו׳ das.), und die Lösung in der Beschaffenheit der Stangen gegeben: מתפרקין ואין נשמטין, d.h. sie ließen sich mit Gewalt herausnehmen, entschlüpften aber nicht von selbst. Sie waren, nach Raschi, an den Enden dicker als in der Mitte. Das Verbot לא יסורו ממנו uחd המסיר בדי ארון לוקה, setzt schon die Möglichkeit des Herausnehmens voraus. Die Hebel sollen nicht weichen, aber sie können weichen, können der Lade gewaltsam entrissen werden. Die Lade bliebe dabei aber unversehrt und wartete — auf neue Träger!

פעם פעמתיו, als Winkel kommt nur hier und Kap. 33, 3 beim ארון, und außerdem noch beim ים של שלמה (Kön. I. 7, 30) vor. Da פעם eigentlich Schritt bedeutet, so bezeichnete es nach רמב׳׳ן z. St. die unteren Winkel. Vielleicht ist auch damit gesagt, dass die Ringe in der Schrittrichtung, d. h. also angebracht werden sollen, dass die Stangen in der Schrittrichtung, d. h. in der Richtung, in welcher die Lade getragen würde, durchgesteckt werden können. Die Länge der Lade stand nämlich im Heiligtume von Nord zu Süd, die Stangen reichten von West zu Ost, so dass die 21/2 Ellenlänge der Lade zwischen den Stangen war und vorn und hinten für je zwei Träger Raum gewährte, die die Lade in der Richtung ihrer Breite forttrugen (Menachoth 98 a u. b).