Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa 2 Samuel 6:2

Now that G-d had told Israel face to face¹Deuteronomy 5:4. the Ten Commandments, and had further commanded them through Moses some of the precepts which are like general principles to the [individual] commandments of the Torah — in the same way that our Rabbis were accustomed to deal with strangers who come to be converted to the Jewish faith²Yebamoth 47 a: “We inform him of some of the light commandments and of some of the weightiest …” The convert to Judaism is thus not taught the whole Torah prior to his conversion but only some of the essentials thereof, which is followed by his total commitment to observe whatever the Torah will command. Ramban’s language clearly indicates that the procedure of the Rabbis with converts followed the pattern of events at Sinai. — and now that the Israelites accepted upon themselves to do all that He would command them through Moses and He made a covenant with them concerning all this, from now on they are His people and He is their G-d³See Leviticus 26:12. This is in accordance with the condition He made with them at the beginning: Now, therefore, if ye will indeed hearken unto My voice, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be Mine own treasure,⁴Above, 19:5. and He said further: and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.⁵Ibid., Verse 6. They are now holy, in that they are worthy that there be amongst them a Sanctuary through which He makes His Divine Glory dwell among them. Therefore He first commanded concerning the Tabernacle, so that He have amongst them a house dedicated to His name, from where He would speak with Moses and command the children of Israel. Thus the main purpose of the Tabernacle was to contain a place in which the Divine Glory rests, this being the ark, just as He said, And there will I meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the ark-cover.⁶Further, Verse 22. Therefore He first gave the commandment about the ark and the ark-cover, for they are first in importance. Next to the ark He gave the commandment about the table and the candelabrum, which are vessels just like the ark, and because they indicate the purpose for which the Tabernacle was made. Moses, however, preceded to mention in the section of Vayakheil: the Tabernacle, its Tent, and its covering,⁷Ibid., 35:11. And then in the following verse mentioned: the ark… and in that order Bezalel made them [first the Tabernacle and then the ark],⁸Ibid., 36:8-38. 37:1-9. because from the practical end it is proper to build the house first [and then make its vessels].
The secret of the Tabernacle is that the Glory which abode upon Mount Sinai [openly] should abide upon it in a concealed manner. For just as it is said there, And the glory of the Eternal abode upon Mount Sinai,⁹Above, 24:16. and it is further written, Behold, the Eternal our G-d hath shown us His glory and His greatness,¹⁰Deuteronomy 5:21. so it is written of the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Eternal filled the Tabernacle.¹¹Further, 40:34. Twice is this verse, and the glory of the Eternal filled the Tabernacle¹¹Further, 40:34. mentioned in connection with the Tabernacle,¹²Ibid., and in Verse 35. to correspond with His glory and His greatness.¹⁰Deuteronomy 5:21. Thus Israel always had with them in the Tabernacle the Glory which appeared to them on Mount Sinai. And when Moses went into the Tabernacle, he would hear the Divine utterance being spoken to him in the same way as on Mount Sinai. Thus just as it is said at the Giving of the Torah: Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon earth He made thee to see His great fire,¹³Deuteronomy 4:36. so it is written of the Tabernacle, and he heard the voice speaking unto him from above the ark-cover…from between the two cherubim; and He spoke unto him.¹⁴Numbers 7:89. The expression “speaking unto him” is mentioned here twice in order to indicate that which the Rabbis have said in the Tradition¹⁵Bamidmar Rabbah 14:22. that the Voice would come from heaven to Moses from upon the ark-cover, and from there He spoke with him; for every Divine utterance with Moses came from heaven during daytime,¹⁶Vayikra Rabbah 1:3: “But to the prophets of Israel the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself at daytime.” and was heard from between the two cherubim,¹⁴Numbers 7:89. similar to what is said, and thou didst hear His words out of the midst of the fire.¹³Deuteronomy 4:36. It is for this reason that the two cherubim were made of gold.¹⁷Further, Verse 18. — In order to resemble “the fire” that was on Mount Sinai. (Tziyoni). And Scripture so states: where I will meet with you, to speak there unto thee;¹⁸Further, 29:42. and it shall be sanctified by My glory,¹⁹Ibid., Verse 43. for there [in the Tabernacle] will be the appointed place for the Divine utterance, and it will be sanctified by My glory.¹⁹Ibid., Verse 43.
Now he who looks carefully at the verses mentioned at the Giving of the Torah, and understands what we have written about them,²⁰See above, 20:16, 24:10, and further here, Verse 21. will perceive the secret of the Tabernacle and the Sanctuary [built later by King Solomon]. He will also be able to understand it from what Solomon in his wisdom said in his prayer in the Sanctuary: O Eternal, the G-d of Israel,²¹I Kings 8:23. just as is said at Mount Sinai: And they saw the G-d of Israel.²²Above, 24:10. Solomon however added the Name the Eternal because of a matter which we have alluded to above;²²Above, 24:10. for the G-d of Israel sitteth upon the cherubim,²³II Kings 19:15. just as is said: And the glory of the G-d of Israel was over them above. This is the living creature that I saw, under the G-d of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim,²⁴Ezekiel 10:19-20. and David said, and gold for the pattern of the chariot, even the cherubim, that spread out their wings, and covered the ark of the covenant of the Eternal.²⁵I Chronicles 28:18. Solomon also always mentions that the Sanctuary is to be for the name of the Eternal,²⁶I Kings 5:19. or for Thy name,²⁷Ibid., 8:44. and at each and every section of the prayer he says, then hear Thou in heaven²⁸Ibid., Verse 32 etc. — with the attribute of mercy. And it is further written: If Thy people go out to battle against their enemy… and they pray unto the Eternal toward the city which Thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Thy name, then hear Thou in heaven,²⁹Ibid., Verses 44-45. and in explanation Solomon said: But will G-d in very truth dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee.³⁰II Chronicles 6:18. And it is written concerning the ark, And David arose… to bring up from thence the ark of G-d, whereupon is called the Name, even the Name of the Eternal of hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim,³¹II Samuel 6:2. and in the Book of Chronicles it is written: to bring up from thence the ark of G-d, the Eternal, Who sitteth upon the cherubim, whereon is called the Name³²I Chronicles 13:6. — for it is G-d Who sitteth upon the cherubim.

SAY [UNTO THE PRIESTS] … AND THOU SHALT SAY UNTO THEM. “[The repetition of the verb say … and thou shalt say is] to warn the adults about the children” [that they observe this law]. This is Rashi’s language on the basis of the words of our Rabbis.¹Yebamoth 114 a. Now the meaning of this “warning” is to state that we are not to assist with our hands in the defilement of children [but it does not intend to warn us that we are obliged to prevent them from becoming defiled]. There are many admonitions in the Torah of this nature according to the interpretation of our Rabbis,¹Yebamoth 114 a. such being the prohibitions against eating blood and swarming things, and against the defilement [of priests], and from them we learn that [it is applicable to] all prohibitions of the Torah, that we must not assist children in any case to transgress the law. But if they are doing it of their own accord, we²I.e., the court. But his father is obliged to rebuke him and prevent him from doing that which is forbidden (ibid., and such is the final decision of the law, Shulchan Aruch, Hilchoth Shabbath, 343). are not commanded to prevent them [from so doing since they have not yet reached the training period of minors for religious practices, but if they have reached that stage, everyone is commanded to prevent them from doing a prohibited act].³Shulchan Aruch ibid., Rama, and Mishnah Brurah, 7. The meaning of the verse according to its interpretation is then: “say unto the priests … and thou shalt say it over again to them, that they are not to defile themselves,” the purpose of the many warnings being [to teach] that all sons of Aaron are to be guarded from defilement, even the young ones. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, that say unto the priests refers to the section mentioned above [i.e., Seder Kedoshim], since they [the priests] are the teachers of the Torah and it is they who admonish the people; and thou shalt say unto them, meaning those specific commandments which devolve upon them alone to observe, [as mentioned in this section]. But it is not correct [to interpret two such adjacent phrases as referring to two different sections].
In my opinion the plain sense of the verse is as follows: The meaning of emor (say) is like that of dabeir (speak): Give ear to ‘amarai,’ O Eternal⁴Psalms 5:2. is like d’varai (my words). A similar case is ‘imrei’(words of) truth.⁵Proverbs 22:21. This is equivalent to ‘divrei’ emeth (words of truth) — Ecclesiastes 12:10. So also: for it hath heard all ‘imrei’ (the words of) the Eternal.⁶Joshua 24:27. Here too it is like ‘divrei’ Hashem (the words of G-d) in Exodus 24:3. And the expression Go in unto Pharaoh ‘v’dibarta’ (and thou shalt speak) to him⁷Exodus 9:1. is like v’amarta (and thou shalt say). ‘Vayedabeir Mosheh’ (And Moses spoke) unto Aaron, and unto Elazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left: ‘Take the meal-offering,’⁸Above, 10:12. is like vayomer Mosheh (and Moses said). And so also you find in many places that both [amor and dabeir are used in one verse, such as:] ‘Dabeir (Speak) unto the children of Israel, ‘v’amarta’ (and say) unto them,⁹Numbers 15:38. such usage [of the two verbs] being found in those sections where He wishes to warn them strongly [about a certain law] either because of the stringency of the matter, or on account of their habit to commit that sin. Thus ‘emor’ (say) unto the priests … ‘v’amarta’ (and thou shalt say) unto them [is like ‘dabeir’ (speak unto the priests) ‘v’amarta’ (and thou shalt say), as will be explained further on]. Similarly, Thus saith the Eternal, the G-d of Israel: Go ‘v’amarta’ (and say) to Zedekiah king of Judah ‘v’amarta’ (and say) unto him: Thus saith the Eternal etc.¹⁰Jeremiah 34:2. means “Go dabeir (speak) to Zedekiah.” Similarly, ‘Vatomer ha’ishah ha’t'ko’ith’ (And when the woman of Tekoa said) to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and prostrated herself, ‘vatomer’ (and she said): ‘Help, O king’¹¹II Samuel 14:4. is like: “vatedabei’r ha’ishah (and the woman spoke) to the king vatomer (and she said), ‘Help, O king.’” The meaning of Say unto the priests … and thou shalt say unto them is thus like “speak to the priests and say to them,” similar to [that which we find elsewhere], ‘Dabeir’ (speak) unto the children of Israel, ‘v’amarta’ (and say) unto them,⁹Numbers 15:38. the meaning thereof being: “speak to the people in My Name, and say thus to them,” like, Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto him: [‘Thus saith the Eternal: Let My people go’].¹²Exodus 7:26. — In brief, Ramban up to this point has explained that there is no difference between emor and dabeir, and that the double use of each of these verbs or the use of the two together is to indicate the importance of the subject discussed. I have found a similar view in Yonah ibn Ganach’s Sefer Hashorashim, root dabeir. Now many scholars¹³I have not identified these scholars. say that the meaning of ‘dabeir’ unto the children of Israel is like that of the term kriah (calling), thus: “call unto the children of Israel that they assemble themselves before you, and you shall say to them the following,” and similarly ‘emor’ to the priests means [“call them] to assemble themselves and to listen.”
[SAY UNTO] THE PRIESTS. The reason for [His mentioning the term] the priests [in this section is as follows]: In commandments relating to matters of the offerings He says, Command Aaron and his sons¹⁴Above, 6:2. Or: Speak unto Aaron and his sons (ibid., Verse 18). and does not refer to them by the name “the priests,”¹⁵“The priests.” In the Tur quoting Ramban: “and He does not refer to them by the term of priesthood.” because those subjects concern the offerings or the various degrees of holiness of the Sanctuary. But here He warns the priests that they should never defile themselves for the dead, even at a time when they do not come into the Sanctuary, this being a mark of distinction to them personally; therefore Scripture mentioned here the priests, meaning to say that it is because they are the priests of the Eternal and the ministers of our G-d that He told them to conduct themselves in a manner reflecting honor and greatness, and that they should never become defiled. Thus the priests who are unfit for the priesthood [i.e., those who are born from a marriage forbidden to their father], are excluded from this principle [i.e., they are permitted to defile themselves for the dead].
The explanation of ‘lo yitama’ (he shall not defile himself — in the singular) is that you [i.e., Moses] are to tell the priests that none of them is to defile himself for the dead among his people. Or it may be that [the use of the singular in lo yitama] is connected with the expression of ‘ba’al b’amav’ (a chief man among his people) mentioned below in Scripture,¹⁶Verse 4. and the meaning thereof [here] is: “the chief man among his people is not to defile himself [for the dead].” And the meaning of ba’al b’amav¹⁶Verse 4. is like the expressions: ‘miba’alei Yehudah;’¹⁷II Samuel 6:2. ‘ba’aleigoyim,’¹⁸Isaiah 16:8. namely “the dignitaries” or “the lords” among them [i.e., Judah¹⁷II Samuel 6:2. and the nations¹⁸Isaiah 16:8.], similar to the phrase: ‘ba’alav ein imo’¹⁹Exodus 22:13. — “the master is not with it; “‘ba’al habayith’ — “the master of the house;” as honored people are called “lords.” The verse here is thus stating: “the honored one among his people [i.e., the priest] is not to defile himself for the dead, [in which case] he would be treating his honor with irreverence.” Scripture is thus explaining that it is because of the distinction of the priest, seeing that he is fit to become the highest and most honored one among his people [i.e., the High Priest] that it warns him not to profane his distinction with the impurity of the dead. By means of this statement, Scripture intends to teach us that it should not occur to us to say that the warning [against the priests defiling themselves for the dead] is only when they come into the Tent of Meeting to perform the holy Service. Similarly in this whole section He states that all restrictions [on the priests mentioned here] are due to their distinction. Thus: she profaneth her father;²⁰Verse 9. and he shall not profane his seed.²¹Verse 15. Onkelos likewise translated [Verse 4]: “The chief among his people shall not defile himself, to be profaned thereby.” But in the Torath Kohanim²²Torath Kohanim, Emor 1:15. [ba’al b’amav]¹⁶Verse 4. is interpreted [literally] to refer to “a husband” with reference to his wife, as Rashi has written.²³Thus: “A husband [a priest] shall not defile himself for his wife’s corpse while it is among his people, meaning where there are other persons who can attend to her burial, this applying only to a wife who disqualified him from serving as a priest, because she was forbidden to him in marriage.” But otherwise the priest is to defile himself for his wife, even if there are other people to attend to her burial.

AND MAKE THEE AN ARK OF WOOD. The meaning thereof is that you put the Tablets into this ark when you descend [the mountain]. Now this ark, including its cover, is to be entirely from wood [and not overlaid with gold], like all arks, and the Tablets should remain there until the Tabernacle is made. [Only] then, they made the ark which was covered with gold and the ark-cover upon it of pure gold.¹⁶⁶Ibid., 37:1-6. — In order to understand the text, it is necessary to recall that the affairs of the golden calf, the breaking of the first Tablets, and the giving of the second Tablets, all took place in the summer of the first year after the exodus, while the building of the Tabernacle, the making of the ark, etc., were not completed until the spring of the second year after the exodus. Now, since the command about making an ark for the second Tablets was given to Moses immediately upon his receiving them on the tenth day of Tishri — the Day of Atonement — this ark was obviously not the ark made by Bezalel for the Tabernacle during the following winter. Ramban will further on present a different solution to the problem. He did not tell Moses [to make an ark] for the first Tablets because it was manifest before Him that he would break them [immediately upon coming down the mountain]. And the meaning of the verse, and there they were, as the Eternal commanded me¹⁶⁷Further, Verse 5. is that the Tablets were there [in the ark] until the Tabernacle was made concerning which He commanded me, And thou shalt put the ark-cover above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee.¹⁶⁸Exodus 25:21. This is the good and correct [interpretation] of these verses.
And Rashi wrote: “Now, this was not the ark which Bezalel made [for the Tabernacle], because they did not occupy themselves in the making of the Tabernacle until after the Day of Atonement, for it was only when he came down from the mountain that he commanded them concerning the construction of the Tabernacle, and it was Bezalel who made, first the Tabernacle, and afterwards the ark¹⁶⁹See Vol. II, p. 606, Note 72. and the vessels. Thus it follows that this [ark mentioned here] was a different one, and it was this [ark] that went forth with them to battle, while the one that Bezalel made did not go forth to battle except in the days of Eli¹⁷⁰I Samuel 4:4. and they were punished for this and it was captured [by the Philistines].”¹⁷¹Ibid., Verse 17. This is the Rabbi’s language, quoting words of Agadah which he found written in the Tanchuma.¹⁷²Tanchuma, Eikev 10.
Now one may ask: “And after they removed the Tablets from this ark and placed them in the ark which Bezalel made, what happened to this ark? And why did this one go forth with the people to battle [since it was empty, the Tablets having been removed]?” Some say that the broken Tablets lay in that ark, and so in fact it is found in the Agadah, but these are the words of a single Sage, for thus we learned in Tractate Shekalim:¹⁷³Yerushalmi Shekalim VI, 1. “We are taught [in a Beraitha]: Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Ilai says: Israel had two arks in the wilderness, one in which the broken Tablets lay etc. But the Rabbis say: there was only one, and once it went forth [to battle] in the days of Eli and it was captured [by the Philistines].” The opinion of our Rabbis throughout the Talmud is also not so [that there were two arks]; but that [both] the whole Tablets and the broken Tablets lay in the [same] ark. Besides, where was this ark containing the first [broken] Tablets to stay all the years in the wilderness? For in the Tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies beyond the Veil, there were no two arks, and Solomon also brought but one ark into the Holy of Holies [of the Sanctuary]!¹⁷⁴I Kings 8:7. Rather, [we must say] that this ark of Moses was stored away upon the completion of the ark of Bezalel, as is the law of implements of holiness [which must be stored away after having served their purpose].¹⁷⁵Megillah 26b.
This is the correct interpretation in accordance with the opinion of our Rabbis, for, in line with the plain meaning of Scripture, it is possible that the verse here, and make thee an ark of wood, refers to the ark which Bezalel made. This [could be explained as follows]: First Moses was commanded regarding the making of the Tabernacle and its vessels, the first command being And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood,¹⁷⁶Exodus 25:10. for this [to contain the Tablets] was the main purpose of the entire Tabernacle — that the Eternal that sitteth upon the cherubim¹⁷⁷II Samuel 6:2. be there. Afterwards they made the calf and when G-d was reconciled with Moses and told him that He would write on these Tablets according to the first writing,¹⁷⁸Verse 4 here. He commanded him briefly that he should make for these [second] Tablets an ark of wood, this being the same one concerning which he was commanded for the first Tablets. Thus He mentioned to Moses [as narrated by Moses in the verse before us] the primary commandment regarding the Tabernacle, and [the one] upon which everything depended. It was from this [charge to build the ark] that Moses deduced [that he was] to make the Tabernacle and its vessels, as he had been commanded earlier. And in that case the interpretation of the phrase, and there they were, as the Eternal command me¹⁶⁷Further, Verse 5. is that they be there forever as the Eternal commanded me originally: and in the ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee etc.¹⁷⁹Exodus 25:21-22. Now when Moses came down from the mountain he placed the Tablets in [his personal] tent of meeting¹⁸⁰Ibid., 33:7. until he made the ark and the Tabernacle.¹⁸¹In the Tur: “the Tabernacle and the ark.” For had he not broken the first Tablets, they would have been in [his] tent of meeting¹⁸⁰Ibid., 33:7. until Bezalel had made the ark. And so perforce we must also say that the broken tablets were there [in his tent of meeting], for he did not return them with him when he ascended the mountain. Proof for this [i.e., that the command for making the ark mentioned here is identical with the command mentioned in the Book of Exodus with the instructions to build the Tabernacle] is the fact that Moses did not mention this command in the section of Ki Thisa,¹⁸²There, in the chapter after the affair of the golden calf, we are told that Moses was commanded concerning the second Tablets (Exodus 34:1-5), but nothing is said there about the making of an ark for those Tablets, such as is mentioned here. Now, if the ark cited here was a different one than Bezalel’s, the question arises why is that command not referred to in the Book of Exodus, where the subject of the second Tablets is mentioned? If, however, we say that the ark here, is the same as that made by Bezalel, then there was no need to discuss it in Exodus, for Moses had already ordered its construction in Exodus 31:7. for there He mentioned the ark of Bezalel expressly.¹⁸³Ibid., 31:7. — The section begins: See, I have called by name Bezalel (Verse 2). Now here he did not mention the Tabernacle and its vessels for the people saw it before them, and therefore he mentioned it only briefly [through the first command concerning the ark].
Now, do not consider it difficult that he said, So I made an ark of acacia-wood, and hewed two Tablets of stone¹⁸⁴Verse 3 here. [which would seem to indicate that Moses made the ark at once and then hewed the two Tablets of stone, and, if so, this could not be the ark of Bezalel], for he completed the narration of the subject of the ark at one time. For G-d had commanded him, Hew thee two Tablets of stone etc., and come up unto Me into the mount; and make thee an ark of wood, meaning that he should first come up with the Tablets and afterwards he should make an ark of wood; but He prolonged [the subject of the Tablets] in order to say, And I will write on the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets which thou didst break, and thou shalt put them in the ark,¹⁸⁵Verse 2. that is to say that these second Tablets will be identical to the first ones in writing and, therefore, it is proper that they, like the first ones, be in the [previously] commanded ark, where I will meet with the children of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by My glory.¹⁸⁶Exodus 29:43. Therefore Moses finished the account by stating, So I made an ark,¹⁸⁴Verse 3 here. in order to briefly complete the commandment and the deed. Afterwards he returned to speak at length on the subject mentioned before.

and he blessed the people in the name of the Lord which was called upon the Ark, as is written above (II Sam. 6:2): “the Ark of God, the Lord, upon which a name was called.”

to bring up from there, etc. As it is written (II Sam. 6:2): “... which is called a name, the name of the Lord of Hosts, Who dwells upon the cherubim;” i.e., the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, was called upon the Ark. Although the Ark had been exiled to [the land of] the Philistines, this name did not leave it, because it was hallowed.