יִ֠שָּׂאֻהוּ עַל־כָּתֵ֨ף יִסְבְּלֻ֜הוּ וְיַנִּיחֻ֤הוּ תַחְתָּיו֙ וְיַֽעֲמֹ֔ד מִמְּקוֹמ֖וֹ לֹ֣א יָמִ֑ישׁ אַף־יִצְעַ֤ק אֵלָיו֙ וְלֹ֣א יַעֲנֶ֔ה מִצָּרָת֖וֹ לֹ֥א יוֹשִׁיעֶֽנּוּ׃ (ס)
Echanselo sobre los hombros, llévanlo, y asiéntanlo en su lugar; allí se está, y no se mueve de su sitio. Danle voces, y tampoco responde, ni libra de la tribulación.
Kli Yakar
And for this reason we find in the portion of Shelach Lecha, in the passage And if you err, etc. (Numbers 15:22–24) which speaks about idolatry, that it places the burnt offering before the sin offering, even though in all [other] atonements the sin offering precedes the burnt offering. This is because in every sin, the thought precedes the action, yet the action is more severe than the thought. Therefore, one removes first the greater [sin], which is the sin offering that atones for the action, and afterward the burnt offering for the spirit of thought. But with idolatry, the sin of thought is greater than the action, therefore it places the burnt offering before the sin offering.
Similarly here, it places the atonement for thought before the atonement for action, as it first says a work of skilled design to atone for the sin of thought, and afterward it says two shoulder pieces joined to it to atone for the sin of action, as it is written They bear it on the shoulder, etc. (Isaiah 46:7) regarding idolaters. And because the [golden] calf caused the breaking of the tablets that Moses carried on his two shoulders, which had five commandments corresponding to five [on the other tablet], and they were joined, as the commandments were parallel to one another, therefore as atonement came two shoulder pieces joined to it, etc.
In addition to this atonement, the Ark was made, which was carried on two shoulders by the two poles of the Ark. And this is what is meant by He dwells between his shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12). For the Holy One, blessed be He, condensed His Divine Presence between the two poles of the Ark that were placed on the shoulders of those carrying the Ark. Furthermore, the Holy One, blessed be He, condensed His Divine Presence between the two shoulder pieces of the priest carrying the ephod, for on it was hung the breastplate of judgment in which were the Urim and Thummim opposite his heart, and the explicit Divine Name was engraved in them.
Similarly here, it places the atonement for thought before the atonement for action, as it first says a work of skilled design to atone for the sin of thought, and afterward it says two shoulder pieces joined to it to atone for the sin of action, as it is written They bear it on the shoulder, etc. (Isaiah 46:7) regarding idolaters. And because the [golden] calf caused the breaking of the tablets that Moses carried on his two shoulders, which had five commandments corresponding to five [on the other tablet], and they were joined, as the commandments were parallel to one another, therefore as atonement came two shoulder pieces joined to it, etc.
In addition to this atonement, the Ark was made, which was carried on two shoulders by the two poles of the Ark. And this is what is meant by He dwells between his shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12). For the Holy One, blessed be He, condensed His Divine Presence between the two poles of the Ark that were placed on the shoulders of those carrying the Ark. Furthermore, the Holy One, blessed be He, condensed His Divine Presence between the two shoulder pieces of the priest carrying the ephod, for on it was hung the breastplate of judgment in which were the Urim and Thummim opposite his heart, and the explicit Divine Name was engraved in them.
Kimcha Davshuna
In order to afflict them with forced labor: There are those who explain that this was the forced labor of idolatry. They subjugated them and forced to worship idols, as is written: "They hire a metal worker to make it into a god…They must carry it on their back and (yisbiluhu) transport it." (Isaiah 46:7)
Rashbam
ונתנו על המוט. Rabbi Joseph Kara (1060-1130, Troyes) erred in understanding this verse, thinking that since the Torah did not mention two staves, as in Numbers 13,23) for instance, that it follows that this stave was underneath the vessels, seeing that the Torah wrote the word על, “above.” I would counter that the staves (poles) were always on the sides of the vessels being transported and that they had been inserted through rings fastened to the respective objects being transported by them. We find that the Torah spells this out in Exodus 25,14, 25,27, 27,7, and 30,4.
The singular במוט is indeed found in connection with carrying something by means of poles in Exodus 25,28 and in Isaiah 46,7 as well as in Chronicles II 35,3. We must not be misled by the word being in the singular. It simply means to describe the “method” of transportation, this method being poles. [when we speak of כסף meaning “money,” we also do not necessarily refer to a single coin. Ed.]
The singular במוט is indeed found in connection with carrying something by means of poles in Exodus 25,28 and in Isaiah 46,7 as well as in Chronicles II 35,3. We must not be misled by the word being in the singular. It simply means to describe the “method” of transportation, this method being poles. [when we speak of כסף meaning “money,” we also do not necessarily refer to a single coin. Ed.]