Commentaire de citation sur Rois 1 6:23

It remains for us to investigate which other parts of the Tabernacle were of dimensions that could not be changed in future Sanctuaries and which were subject to change. Maimonides writes in chapter one of Hilchot Beyt Ha-bechirah that future Sanctuaries could be constructed only of either stones or bricks. From my study of Maimonides' writings on the Sanctuary I have understood that there are only three furnishings which have to correspond both in materials and dimensions to those constructed in the time of Moses. They are: the Table, the Lampstand, and the golden altar (inside the Sanctuary). This is also stated explicitly in Menachot chapter 12. Concerning all the other measurements or the appearance of the Sanctuary itelf, the Tabernacle in the desert did not serve as a model. Accordingly, we could conclude that the meaning of the words וכן תעשו in our verse applies in the future only to these three furnishings. This is incorrect, however, seeing that in the Talmud they expressly applied these words also to the sanctity of the dimensions of the Temple Courtyard. If so, the words in our verse apply also to the structure of the Sanctuary itself. Moreover, we know that Solomon constructed the cherubs on the ark according to specifications different from those mentioned in the Torah (41,6). Solomon also made many changes in the construction of the other furnishings.

We also note that according to Kings I 6,23 and 37 respectively, Solomon constructed a total of 4 cherubs as opposed to the two cherubs constructed by Betzalel for the Tabernacle. Moreover, Solomon's cherubs were of totally different measurements. We need to find justification for Solomon to have constructed additional cherubs.

Apparently the unnecessary words are an allusion to two additional cherubs which are to be constructed when the Temple would be built. The Torah used the expression ועשית "you shall construct" when speaking of the cherubs to be constructed for the Tabernacle, whereas concerning the cherubs to be constructed in the Sanctuary of the future the Torah speaks in the third person, writing: 'ועשה כרוב אחד וגו. "[The author seems to distinguish between ve-asseh, and va-asseh, considering the latter indirect speech. Ed.] Accordingly, the instruction in verse 19 is addressed to some future occasion. The additional cherubs to be constructed in that Temple in the future do not need to extend from one end of the lid to the other. In fact, the description of these cherubs in the Book of Kings has these cherubs with their feet on the floor (Kings I 6,23-32). Seeing that the wing tips extended to the respective walls, we must assume that the feet of the cherubs were on the ground. The meaning of the word מקצה may refer to wherever the wingspan ended. On the other hand, the meaning of the additional word מזה may be: "apart from this one," referring to another set of cherubs. At this point our verse refers back to the cherubs discussed as being constructed for the Tabernacle.נSubsequently the Torah returns to discussing the cherubs of the Tabernacle saying they have to be positioned on the lid of the Holy Ark. In order that we should not err and think that the Torah again speaks of cherubs of the future, the Torah once more instructs תעשו i.e. "you are to make these (now)." The word תעשו here is hard to justify unless it was meant to prevent some error we could have made as to the meaning of this verse. The words את הכרובים in verse 19 are totally superfluous if the Torah up until this point had been speaking of only one set of cherubs. These words can only be justified if they are meant to direct our attention to one set of cherubs as opposed to another set alluded to previously. When the Torah says תעשו את הכרובים, it is clear that the reference is not to the cherubs which had been mentioned immediately prior to this but to the ones which had been the subject of discussion prior to the present ones. The Torah added that the cherubs mounted on the lid of the Holy Ark are to extend על שני קצותיו, "on the two ends thereof," in order that we should not think that though they were mounted on the lid their feet could extend to the floor (as in the case of Solomon's cherubs). No such condition is mentioned when Solomon constructed his cherubs.

with the appearance of children - Heb. צַעֲצֻעִים. A similar instance is (Isa. 22:24): הַצֶּאֱצָאִים וְהַצְּפִעוֹת, which is translated by the Targum as: the children, etc. He made the form of boys and girls for cherubim, [based on the Aramaic] כְּרַבְיָא, [meaning like children,] and they were of wood, which he afterwards overlaid with gold, and in I Kings (6:23): “And he made in the Debir two cherubim of olive wood,” but all that was within of wood he does not wish to mention in this Book because of its honor.