1Rebbi Abun made doors for the main house of study. Rebbi Mana came to him; he said to him, look what I did. He told him, Israel forgot its Creator and built palaces 102 Hos. 8:14 . . Were there no people who study Torah 103 Support of needy students is more important than great buildings on campus. ?
2It was stated: Altar sancta take what is appropriate for them from sancta of upkeep of the Temple. Sancta of upkeep of the Temple do not take what is appropriate for them from altar sancta 104 . But did we not state, “any vessel which they deem is needed for the upkeep of the Temple they keep, but the remainder is sold and their proceeds fall into the lodge of upkeep of the Temple 107 This implies that vessels needed for the service of the altar cannot be used directly but must be sold and other vessels bought in their stead. ”? Rebbi Ḥizqiah said, so is the Mishnah: in case of need 108 For any need, including the altar. from the lodge of upkeep of the Temple.
3MISHNAH: Thirteen horns, thirteen tables, and thirteen prostrations were in the Temple. The family of Rabban Gamliel and of Rebbi Ḥanania the Second in Command of the priests were prostrating themselves fourteen times. And where was the additional one? In front of the storage room of the wood since they had a tradition from their forefathers that there the Ark was hidden. It happened that a Cohen was occupied when he saw that a floor tile was different from the others. He went to tell it to a comrade but could not finish speaking before his soul left him; then they knew with certainty the the Ark was hidden there.
4HALAKHAH: “Thirteen horns,” etc. It was stated: these horns were curved; narrow on top and wide on the bottom because of the tricksters 1 The “horns” were chests for the money given to the Temple for various reasons, as detailed in Mishnah 7 . A person putting money into one of the chests could not put his hand into it, he had to let the coins drop in from the top. .
5It was stated in the name of Rebbi Eliezer: 2 Tosephta 2:18 ; Babli Yoma 53b .. “The Ark was deported with them to Babylon. What is the reason? There will not remain a word 3 2K. 20:17 . . Word refers only to what contains the Words. And so it says, at the turn of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon with the desirable vessels of the Eternal’s House 4 2Chr. 36:10 . In the Tosephta this is the reason given by R. Simeon (ben Yoḥay) in support of R. Eliezer. . What are the desirables of the Eternal’s House ? This is the Ark. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish 5 This name of an Amora is impossible in a Tosephta. B has R. Jehudah bar Ilay; the Tosephta R. Jehudah ben Laqish (a fifth generation Tanna). Also quoted in Sefer Wehizhir p. 92a. said, at its place it was hidden. That is what is written 6 1K . 8:8 . , the poles were long; the tips of the poles were seen in the Sanctuary, in front of the Hall, but were not seen outside, < and were there until this day. 7 The additional words are only in ג and the Tosephta; they are the reason for ben Laqish’s statement. > It is written, were seen , and you are saying, but were not seen . They protrude and stick out like a woman’s breasts 8 This argument only explains the wording of the verse, explaining that the ends of the poles with which the Ark was carried were noticed on the gobelin between the Sanctuary and the Holiest of Holies. Babli Yoma 54a in the name of Rav Jehudah. .
6But the rabbis say, the Ark was hidden in the storage room of the wood. It happened that a blemished Cohen was splitting wood in the storage room of the wood and saw a floor plate different from the others. 9 This and the next sentences are missing in B and M; the full text is quoted by Sefer Wehizhir (p. קיג); a slightly different full version is in Babli Yoma 54a . He came and said to a colleague, come and see this floor plate which is different from the others. They did not finish the matter before his soul left him; then they knew that there the Ark was hidden. Rebbi Hoshaia stated 10 B and M: It was stated in R. Hoshaia’s name. : He hit on it with a sledgehammer; fire erupted and burned him.
711 From here to the end of the Halakhah the text is from Soṭah 8:3 (Notes 43–130 , ס ), where all references to the Babli are given. It was stated: “Rebbi Jehudah ben Laqish says, two arks were travelling with Israel in the desert; one in which the Torah was deposited and one in which the broken pieces of the tablets were deposited. The one in which the Torah was deposited was put into the Tent of Meeting; that is what is written 12 Num . 14:44 . : Moses and the Ark of the Eternal’s covenant did not move from the camp . The one in which the broken pieces of the tablets were deposited was going out and coming in with them 13 Sifry Num . #82, referring to Num . 10.33 . . But the Rabbis say, it was only one, and once it went out in the days of Eli and was taken prisoner. A verse supports the Rabbis: Woe to us, who will save us from this mighty god 14 1S. 5:8 . ? A word which shows that they never had seen it before. A verse supports Rebbi Jehudah ben Laqish. Saul said to Aḥiya: present God’s Ark 15 1S. 14:18 . . But was the Ark not at Qiryat Ye`arim? What do the rabbis do with it? ‘Present to me the High Priest’s diadem 16 This is the correct interpretation, as explained at the end of Yoma Chapter 7, not “ephod” following LXX and many moderns. ’ Another verse supports Rebbi Jehudah ben Laqish: The Ark, Israel, and Jehudah, dwell in huts 17 2S. 11:11 . . Was the Ark not in Zion? What do the rabbis with it? The straw roof cover that was in the walls, since the Temple was not yet built.