R. Abba then began the following discourse: AND BEZALEL MADE THE ARK OF ACACIA WOOD, ETC. ‘The Holy Assembly’, he said, ‘have, indeed, already expounded the esoteric aspect of the Tabernacle. Yet there is still much here to ponder on, as its inner meaning is adorned with many mysteries of the teaching of Wisdom. The ark is one vessel with six sides, and it contains and conceals in its interior the Written Law that reaches out into the six directions of the creation.
Again, the ark consists of five boards and an ark-cover, to symbolize the five books of the Pentateuch with the one grade that pervades them all, called the mystery of the covenant. Together, the six-sided ark and the Torah represent the inwardness of the nine grades that are summed up in the two Divine Names-TETRAGRAMMATON, ELOHYM-whilst the ark-cover represents the most high heaven that surrounds all, covers up all, so that the whole remains undisclosed.
Now we have to investigate the recondite significance of the ark. For there is ark and ark, one the opposite of the other. In connection with one,’ continued R. Abba, ‘it is written: “All this did Araunah the king give to the king”, etc. (2 Sam. 24, 23). Now, even if we allow that Araunah was a king, yet seeing that David conquered Jerusalem and made it his own, as it says, “David took the stronghold of Zion”, etc. (Ibid. 5, 7-8), why did he need to buy the spot from Araunah with money? A simple explanation would be that although David was the ruler of Jerusalem, that spot was the heritage of Araunah, and so it could only be taken from him by his consent; in the same way as Ahab, although king and ruler in Israel, in order to acquire the vineyard of Naboth the Jesreelite, had first to obtain the latter’s consent.
But a deeper explanation is that Araunah indeed was king and ruler of that spot, and when the time came for it to pass out of his possession, this could only be effected at the cost of much blood and slaughter to Israel. Subsequently, when the Destroying Angel in the execution of his work of slaughter reached that spot he could not prevail there, and his strength was exhausted.
It was, indeed, the spot where Isaac was bound on the altar that Abraham built; and so, when the Holy One looked at that place He was filled with compassion, as we read, “and as he was about to destroy, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil” (I Chron. 21, 15), meaning that He beheld there the binding of Isaac, and so had compassion on them, and straightway said to the Destroying Angel:
“It is enough”, etc. (Ibid.); the words, “it is enough”, have the same import as the similar words in the passage, “Ye have dwelt long enough in this mountain” (Deut. 1, 6), as much as to say: “This place has been long enough in thy possession; thou hast had it for many years, now return it to its rightful master.” And for all that it could only be taken from him at a great sacrifice of life and money.
What is the significance of the name “Araunah”? The same name is also written “Oman” (I Chron. 21, 15). So long as that place was in his possession he was called Araunah, a word of five letters, for in the case of such a niggard who represents the “other side”, the addition of a letter implies a degradation, whereas for the side of holiness the diminution of the letters implies an added holiness.
Observe now that the holy side is called the ark (aron) of the covenant, and such an ark is appropriate for the placing therein of the bodily remains of a man. For this reason, when the holy and pious depart this world their bodies are placed in an ark, since the “other side” has not been provided with a body and has nothing in common with the body of Man.
פָּתַח רִבִּי אַבָּא וְאָמַר, (שמות ל״ז:א׳) וַיַּעַשׂ בְּצַלְאֵל אֶת הָאָרוֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וְגוֹ'. הָכָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּכָל רָזִין דְּמַשְׁכְּנָא הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָּיא בְּאִדָּרָא קַדִּישָׁא. הָכָא אִית לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, דְּהָא רָזָא דָּא מִתְעַטְּרָא בְּכַמָּה רָזִין, לְמֵילַף חָכְמְתָא. אָרוֹן דָּא אִיהוּ רָזָא לְמֵיעַל תּוֹרָה שֶׁבִּכְתָּב. וְאִתְגְּנִיז בֵּיהּ בְּשִׁית לוּחִין (ס"א ואתגניזן ביה שית לוחין ואינון שית מסחרין) מְסַחֲרִין, וְדָא אִקְרֵי אָרוֹן. כַּד סָחֲרָן אִינּוּן שִׁית לְמֶהוֵי כַּחֲדָא, כְּדֵין אִיהוּ גּוּפָא חַד לְאַעֲלָא בֵּיהּ רָזָא דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּשִׁית סִטְרִין וַאָרוֹן.
R. Abba then began the following discourse: AND BEZALEL MADE THE ARK OF ACACIA WOOD, ETC. ‘The Holy Assembly’, he said, ‘have, indeed, already expounded the esoteric aspect of the Tabernacle. Yet there is still much here to ponder on, as its inner meaning is adorned with many mysteries of the teaching of Wisdom. The ark is one vessel with six sides, and it contains and conceals in its interior the Written Law that reaches out into the six directions of the creation.
לוּחִין אִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ, וְעָאלִין בֵּיהּ חָמֵשׁ סְפָרִים, וְאִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ אִינּוּן שִׁית, בְּחַד דַּרְגָּא דְּאָעִיל בָּהּ בִּגְנִיזוּ, דְּאִקְרֵי רָזָא דְּכֹלָּא, וְהַאי אִיהוּ רָזָא דִּבְרִית. כַּד עָאל דָּא, גּוֹ אִינּוּן חָמֵשׁ לוּחִין, כְּדֵין קַיְּימָא אֲרוֹנָא וְאוֹרַיְיתָא, בְּרָזָא דִּתְשַׁע דַּרְגִּין, (רי"ג ע"א) דְּאִינּוּן תְּרֵין שְׁמָהָן, יְהוָֹ"ה אֱלהִי"ם. וּלְבָתַר קַיְּימָא לוּחָא חֲדָא, רָזָא עִילָאָה דְחַפְיָא עַל כֹלָּא וְהַהוּא הֲוֵי רָזָא דְּהַהוּא רְקִיעָא דְסַחָרָא וְחַפֵי עַל כֹּלָּא וְכֻלְּהוּ קַיְימֵי בִּגְנִיזוּ.
Again, the ark consists of five boards and an ark-cover, to symbolize the five books of the Pentateuch with the one grade that pervades them all, called the mystery of the covenant. Together, the six-sided ark and the Torah represent the inwardness of the nine grades that are summed up in the two Divine Names-TETRAGRAMMATON, ELOHYM-whilst the ark-cover represents the most high heaven that surrounds all, covers up all, so that the whole remains undisclosed.
הָכָא אִית לָן לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא, וּלְמִנְדַּע רָזִין דַּאֲרוֹנָא, אִית אָרוֹן וְאִית אָרוֹן, דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא. פָּתַח וְאָמַר, (שמואל ב כ״ד:כ״ג) הַכֹּל נָתַן אֲרַוְנָה הַמֶּלֶךְ לַמֶּלֶךְ וְגוֹ'. וְכִי אֲרַוְנָה מֶלֶךְ הֲוָה וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּחַבְרַיָּיא אוּקְמוּהָ, אֶלָּא דָּוִד, דִּכְתִּיב בֵּיהּ (שמואל ב ה׳:ח׳) כָּל מַכֵּה יְבוּסִי וְיִּגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר וְגוֹ' וְאִיהוּ נָטַל וְתָּפִיס לִיְרוּשָׁלַ ם, וּמִדִּידֵיהּ הֲוָה, אֲמַאי קָנָה בְּכַסְפָּא. וְאִי תֵּימָא אַף עַל גַּב דַּהֲוַות יְרוּשָׁלַם דִּידֵיהּ דְּדָוִד, הַהוּא אֲתָר אַחֲסַנְתֵּיהּ דַּאֲרַוְנָה הֲוָה, כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּנָבוֹת הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִי, דְּאַף עַל גַּב דְּשַׁלִּיט אַחְאָב, וַהֲוָה מַלְכָּא, אִצְטְרִיךְ לְמִתְבַּע לְנָבוֹת הַהוּא כֶּרֶם, אוּף הָכִי דָּוִד.
Now we have to investigate the recondite significance of the ark. For there is ark and ark, one the opposite of the other. In connection with one,’ continued R. Abba, ‘it is written: “All this did Araunah the king give to the king”, etc. (2 Sam. 24, 23). Now, even if we allow that Araunah was a king, yet seeing that David conquered Jerusalem and made it his own, as it says, “David took the stronghold of Zion”, etc. (Ibid. 5, 7-8), why did he need to buy the spot from Araunah with money? A simple explanation would be that although David was the ruler of Jerusalem, that spot was the heritage of Araunah, and so it could only be taken from him by his consent; in the same way as Ahab, although king and ruler in Israel, in order to acquire the vineyard of Naboth the Jesreelite, had first to obtain the latter’s consent.
אֶלָּא וַדַּאי אֲרַוְנָה מַלְכָּא הֲוָה, וְהַהוּא אֲתָר בִּרְשׁוּתֵיהּ הֲוָה, וַהֲוָה שַׁלִּיט עֲלוֹי, וְכַד מָטָא זִמְנָא לְנָפְקָא מִתְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ, לָא נָפִיק אֶלָּא בִּסְגִיאוּת דָּמָא וְקָטוֹלָא בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. לְבָתַר קָאִים הַהוּא מַלְאָכָא מְחַבְּלָא עַל הַהוּא אֲתָר, וְתַמָּן כַּד הֲוָה קָטִיל, וְקָאִים בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, לָא הֲוָה יָכִיל, וְתָשַׁשׁ חֵילֵיהּ.
But a deeper explanation is that Araunah indeed was king and ruler of that spot, and when the time came for it to pass out of his possession, this could only be effected at the cost of much blood and slaughter to Israel. Subsequently, when the Destroying Angel in the execution of his work of slaughter reached that spot he could not prevail there, and his strength was exhausted.
וְהַהוּא אֲתָר, אֲתָר דְּאִתְעֲקַד בֵּיהּ יִצְחָק הֲוָה, דְּתַמָּן בָּנָה אַבְרָהָם מַדְבְּחָא, וְעָקַד לֵיהּ לְיִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ. כֵּיוָן דְּחָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הַהוּא אֲתָר, אִתְמְלֵי רַחֲמִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (דברי הימים א כא) רָאָה יְיָ' וַיִּנָּחֵם וְגוֹ'. מַהוּ רָאָה יְיָ'. חָמָא עֲקֵידַת יִצְחָק בְּהַהוּא אֲתָר, וְתָב וְרִיחַם עֲלַיְיהוּ מִיַּד.
It was, indeed, the spot where Isaac was bound on the altar that Abraham built; and so, when the Holy One looked at that place He was filled with compassion, as we read, “and as he was about to destroy, the Lord beheld, and he repented him of the evil” (I Chron. 21, 15), meaning that He beheld there the binding of Isaac, and so had compassion on them, and straightway said to the Destroying Angel:
וַיֹּאמֶר לַמַּלְאַךְ הַמַּשְׁחִית רַב עַתָּה וְגוֹ'. מַהוּ רַב. הָא אוּקְמוּהָ, טוֹל הָרַב. אֶלָּא הָכִי הוּא, כְּתִיב הָכָא רַב, וּכְתִיב הָתָם, (דברים א׳:ו׳) רַב לָכֶם שֶׁבֶת בָּהָר הַזֶּה. אוּף הָכִי נָמֵי רַב, רַב לָךְ לְמֶהֱוֵי הַאי אֲתָר תְּחוֹת יְדָךְ, שְׁנִין סַגִּיאִין הֲוָה תְּחוֹת יְדָךְ, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה רַב, אָהֲדַר אַתְרָא לְמָארֵיהּ. וְעִם כָּל דָּא (בדמא) בְּמוֹתָא וּמָמוֹנָא נָפַק מִתְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ.
“It is enough”, etc. (Ibid.); the words, “it is enough”, have the same import as the similar words in the passage, “Ye have dwelt long enough in this mountain” (Deut. 1, 6), as much as to say: “This place has been long enough in thy possession; thou hast had it for many years, now return it to its rightful master.” And for all that it could only be taken from him at a great sacrifice of life and money.
אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי אֲרַוְנָה. אֶלָּא כְּתִיב אֲרַוְנָה וּכְתִיב אָרְנָן. בְּעוֹד דְּהַהוּא אֲתָר הֲוָה תְּחוֹת יְדֵיהּ, אִקְרֵי אֲרַוְנָה אֲרוֹן דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא. וְעַל דְּאִתּוֹסָפוּ בֵּיהּ אַתְוָון יַתִּיר, הָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ (קס"ד ע"ב) לְאִתּוֹסְפָא לְהַהוּא רַע עַיִן, רָזָא דְּסִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, וְהַהוּא תּוֹסֶפֶת אִיהוּ גְּרִיעוּתָא לְגַבֵּיהּ.
What is the significance of the name “Araunah”? The same name is also written “Oman” (I Chron. 21, 15). So long as that place was in his possession he was called Araunah, a word of five letters, for in the case of such a niggard who represents the “other side”, the addition of a letter implies a degradation, whereas for the side of holiness the diminution of the letters implies an added holiness.
בִּסְטַר קְדוּשָּׁה גַּרְעִין לֵיהּ אַתְוָון, וְאִתּוֹסָף קְדוּשָׁתֵיהּ. וְדָא רָזָא דִּכְתִּיב, (מלכים א ז׳:כ״ה) עַל שְׁנֵי עָשָׂר בָּקָר. גָּרַע מֵ"ם דְּלָא כְּתִיב שְׁנַיִם, אֶלָּא שְׁנֵי. וּלְסִטְרָא (קס"ד ע"ב) אַחֲרָא יַהֲבִין לֵיהּ תּוֹסֶפֶת אַתְוָון, דִּכְתִּיב וַיַּעַשׂ יְרִיעוֹת עִזִּים לְאֹהֶל עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן עֲשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה יְרִיעוֹת, תּוֹסֶפֶת אַתְוָון וְאִיהוּ גְּרִיעוּתָא. וּבְסִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה, שְׁנִי עָשָׂר וְלָא יַתִּיר. וְהָכָא עֲשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה. וְכֹלָּא אִיהוּ גְּרִיעוּ לְגַבֵּיהּ, וְהָכִי אִצְטְרִיךְ לְהַהוּא רַע עַיִן, לְאַשְׁלְמָא עֵינֵיהּ וְאִיהוּ בִּגְרִיעוּ. (כגוונא דא ארונה, תוספת אתוון ולא כתיב ארון)
תָּא חֲזֵי, סִטְרָא דִּקְדוּשָּׁה אִקְרֵי אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית. וְהַהוּא אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית, אִתְחָזֵי לְגוּפָא לְמֵיעַל בֵּיהּ דִּיּוּקְנָא דְּאָדָם. וְעַל רָזָא דָּא, אִינּוּן חֲסִידֵי קַדִּישִׁין, כַּד הָווֹ מִפְטְרֵי מֵהַאי עָלְמָא, הָווֹ אַעְלִין לוֹן בְּאָרוֹן. דְּהָא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא לָא מִתְתָּקַּן בְּגוּפָא, וְלָאו אִיהִי בִּכְלָלָא דְּגוּפָא דְּאָדָם. וּבְגִין דָּא לָא אִתְבְּרוּן גּוּפַיָּיא לְהַהוּא סִטְרָא אַחֲרָא, בְּגִין דְּלָאו אִינּוּן (הקדמה ו' ע"ב) בִּכְלָלָא דְּגוּפָא דְּאָדָם.
Observe now that the holy side is called the ark (aron) of the covenant, and such an ark is appropriate for the placing therein of the bodily remains of a man. For this reason, when the holy and pious depart this world their bodies are placed in an ark, since the “other side” has not been provided with a body and has nothing in common with the body of Man.