In this article we examine three reasons why the staves of the Ark may not be removed. Each reason has implications for the way we relate to the Torah today.
Can't remember where I heard the idea, but I understand the poles being an essential part of the aron to convey the idea that part of the idea of Torah is that we carry it around with us wherever we go. The same way that when we camped around it in the midbar, our encampment represents how we build our lives around Torah.
Taking the poles out and putting them back in would imply that like our other possessions, when we are ready to travel, we ready the Torah for travel. Having them permanently in indicates that part of its character is to be in a permanent state of readiness to go with us
In my head before I read your article I thought it was R' Hirsch. But reading what you quoted, it wasn't quite what R' Hirsch said. Like you said, maybe inspired by it
Another possibility: despite Rambam treating of all the vessels in hilchos beis habechirah, the Aron goes unmentioned. It may be related to his conception of the Mikdash as a place for avodah which in his thinking includes all the service vessels, the Aron, lacking any service component, is excluded. This being the case it's badim are always emplaced to signify it's otherness and that the Mishkan/Mikdash isn't really it's home. The other keilim, that rightfully belong, have their badim removed as they are the Mikdash's "furniture".
Perhaps the following suggestion is included in the Chinuch's first reason however as there is some biblical evidence that the Aron is meant to go out to war with the Israelites (altho this may depend on if there were 1 of 2 aronot) it needs to be in a constant state of readiness. I'm gonna write another potential reason (which may bleed into this one) in a separate comment.
Thank you rabbi for the enlightening article on the staves of the ark. As a matter of interest, the dictionary defines a stave as a piece of wood placed vertically, while the staves that fitted in the rings of the ark were in a horizontal position. Am I missing something?
Thank you for reading it! You know, it's funny you mention this because I went back and forth in my mind about whether to call them "staves" or "poles." I did a last minute "find/replace" to change all pole references to staves because it sounded better to me (and didn't conjure up associations to jokes about people from Poland). Artscroll uses "staves," which is probably where I got it from. For what it's worth, Merriam-Webster defines it as "any of the narrow strips of wood or narrow iron plates placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel (such as a barrel) or structure." No mention of verticality.
Thank your Rabbi for your response. I saw that Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan uses the word "poles" in his translation. While some dictionaries define a stave as a vertical piece of wood, others merely say that it is a piece of wood running from edge to edge. A musical stave runs horizontally, while the musical notes written on the staves, appear vertically. I was thinking of comparing the שרטוט in a sefer torah to a musical stave. In this case, Hashem is the composer who adds the “notes” to the שרטוט , the notes being the letters of the torah which Hashem gave us. In the same way that an orchestra comprise different instruments, we would not say that the violin “contradicts” the trumpet, or that the piano “contradicts” the cello; each instrument has a part to play in creating a symphony. In the same way, each biblical commentator adds his own perush of the torah, and while we sometimes tend to say that one biblical commentator “contradicts” another, maybe we should just say that each commentator is adding his own “notes” or "music" to the biblical staves, and that they do not necessarily have to be seen or perceived as “contradicting” each other (70 panim letorah). Of course, when it comes to a pesak halachah, you need to get a decisive pesak, but to a large extent there are clear guidelines and principles governing how to make a halachic pesak and once your rav has given you a pesak, you should stay with it and observe it.
Can't remember where I heard the idea, but I understand the poles being an essential part of the aron to convey the idea that part of the idea of Torah is that we carry it around with us wherever we go. The same way that when we camped around it in the midbar, our encampment represents how we build our lives around Torah.
Taking the poles out and putting them back in would imply that like our other possessions, when we are ready to travel, we ready the Torah for travel. Having them permanently in indicates that part of its character is to be in a permanent state of readiness to go with us
I wonder if this idea you got was inspired by the Rav Hirsch I quoted. Sounds like it!
In my head before I read your article I thought it was R' Hirsch. But reading what you quoted, it wasn't quite what R' Hirsch said. Like you said, maybe inspired by it
Another possibility: despite Rambam treating of all the vessels in hilchos beis habechirah, the Aron goes unmentioned. It may be related to his conception of the Mikdash as a place for avodah which in his thinking includes all the service vessels, the Aron, lacking any service component, is excluded. This being the case it's badim are always emplaced to signify it's otherness and that the Mishkan/Mikdash isn't really it's home. The other keilim, that rightfully belong, have their badim removed as they are the Mikdash's "furniture".
Good stuff.
Perhaps the following suggestion is included in the Chinuch's first reason however as there is some biblical evidence that the Aron is meant to go out to war with the Israelites (altho this may depend on if there were 1 of 2 aronot) it needs to be in a constant state of readiness. I'm gonna write another potential reason (which may bleed into this one) in a separate comment.
Thank you rabbi for the enlightening article on the staves of the ark. As a matter of interest, the dictionary defines a stave as a piece of wood placed vertically, while the staves that fitted in the rings of the ark were in a horizontal position. Am I missing something?
Thank you for reading it! You know, it's funny you mention this because I went back and forth in my mind about whether to call them "staves" or "poles." I did a last minute "find/replace" to change all pole references to staves because it sounded better to me (and didn't conjure up associations to jokes about people from Poland). Artscroll uses "staves," which is probably where I got it from. For what it's worth, Merriam-Webster defines it as "any of the narrow strips of wood or narrow iron plates placed edge to edge to form the sides, covering, or lining of a vessel (such as a barrel) or structure." No mention of verticality.
Thank your Rabbi for your response. I saw that Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan uses the word "poles" in his translation. While some dictionaries define a stave as a vertical piece of wood, others merely say that it is a piece of wood running from edge to edge. A musical stave runs horizontally, while the musical notes written on the staves, appear vertically. I was thinking of comparing the שרטוט in a sefer torah to a musical stave. In this case, Hashem is the composer who adds the “notes” to the שרטוט , the notes being the letters of the torah which Hashem gave us. In the same way that an orchestra comprise different instruments, we would not say that the violin “contradicts” the trumpet, or that the piano “contradicts” the cello; each instrument has a part to play in creating a symphony. In the same way, each biblical commentator adds his own perush of the torah, and while we sometimes tend to say that one biblical commentator “contradicts” another, maybe we should just say that each commentator is adding his own “notes” or "music" to the biblical staves, and that they do not necessarily have to be seen or perceived as “contradicting” each other (70 panim letorah). Of course, when it comes to a pesak halachah, you need to get a decisive pesak, but to a large extent there are clear guidelines and principles governing how to make a halachic pesak and once your rav has given you a pesak, you should stay with it and observe it.
That's a creative take on the analogy of "staves"!