111 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.
2When the ark was hidden, there were hidden with it the flask of Manna, the bottle of anointing oil, Aaron’s staff with its almonds and flowers, and the chest which the Philistines returned as a reparation sacrifice for Israel’s God. Who hid it? Josiah hid it. When he saw that it was written: The Eternal will lead you and your king whom you will have put above you, to a people whom neither you nor your fathers had known, he started and hid it. That is what is written: He said to the Levites, who instruct all of Israel, the ones holy to the Eternal, put the Ark into the House that Salomon, son of David, King of Israel, built; you do not have to carry it on your shoulder. ” He said, if it is exiled with you to Babylonia, you will never return it to its place. But now, serve the Eternal, your God, and his people Israel.
3The preparation of the anointing oil. Take for yourself select spices, etc. and cassia 500, etc., altogether 1500 parts. And olive oil one hin , that is twelve log , in which the roots were cooked, the words of Rebbi Meןr. Rebbi Jehudah says, he cooked them in water, then poured the oil on them, and when it had absorbed the fragrance one removed it, just as the perfumers do. That is what is written: holy anointing oil , etc.
418 This and the following paragraph also are in Horaiot 3:3 ( ה ). Rebbi Jehudah bar Ilay stated: The anointing oil made by Moses in the desert was from the start to the end a work of wonders, since there were only twelve log to start with, as it was said, and olive oil one hin . It would not have been enough to rub the wooden planks with it; so much more since the fire swallows, wood absorbs, and the kettle absorbs! From it the Tabernacles and all its vessels were anointed, the table and its vessels, the candelabrum and all its vessels. From it Aaron and his sons were anointed all of the seven days of induction, from it all high priests and kings were anointed. A king who is first needs anointing, a king who is a king’s son does not need anointing. [What is the reason? Do anoint him, for this one is it 19 1S . 17:20 . , this one needs anointing but his son does not need anointing.] 20 Corrector’s addition from B. But a High Priest who is the son of a High Priest needs anointing, even for ten generations. Nevertheless, it is all there for the future; that is what is written 21 Ex. 30:31 . , a holy anointing oil will this be for Me, for all your generations .
5One anoints kings only at a spring, as it was said 22 1K . 1:33–34 . : Let Solomon, my son, ride on my mule and take him down to the Giḥon; there Ṣadoq the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him as king over Israel. One anoints (kings) [kings sons of kings] 23 Corrector’s addition from B, not found in Yerushalmi sources. The mention of Jehu shows that the scribe’s text is the correct one. only because of disputes. Why was Solomon anointed? Because of the dispute of Adoniahu, Joash because of Athaliah, Jehu because of Joram. Is it not written 19 1S . 17:20 . , do anoint him, for this one is it, this one needs anointing, but the kings of Israel do not need anointing? But Joaḥaz because of his brother Joiakim who was two years his elder. But did not Josiah hide it 24 The anointing oil. Therefore none of Josia’s sons could be anointed with the anointing oil. ? That means that they anointed with balsamum. One anoints kings only from a horn. Saul and Jehu were anointed from a can because their kingdom was temporary; David and Solomon were anointed from a horn because their kingdom was permanent. One does not anoint priests as kings 25 Text missing in B but implied by R. Ḥiyya bar Ada. . Rebbi Jehudah Antordiya said, because 26 Gen . 49:10 . the scepter shall not be removed from Jehudah . Rebbi Ḥiyya bar Ada said, because of 27 Deut . 17:20 . he shall have many days of his kingdom, he and his sons in the midst of Israel . What is written after that? The levitic Cohanim should not 28 Deut . 18:1 . .
6Rebbi Joḥanan said, Joḥanan is Joaḥaz. But is it not written: The first born Joḥanan 29 1Chr . 3:15 . , the first in kingdom. Rebbi Joḥanan said, Shallum is Sedekiah. But is it not written, 29 1Chr . 3:15 . the third Sedekiah, the fourth Shallum ? Sedekiah , the third in birth, the fourth in kingdom. Sedekiah , because he accepted the judgment on himself, Shallum , because in his days the dynasty of David was completed. 30 In B this is a statement by R. Simeon ben Laqish, disputing R. Joḥanan’s. His name was neither Shallum nor Sedekiah but Mattaniah. That is what is written 31 2K. 24:17 . : The king of Babylon made his uncle Mattaniah 32 B’s reading מתתיה probably is a scribal error, not a different reading in the verse. king in his stead and changed his name into Sedekiah .
7Rebbi Joḥanan said, the Ark was made with a cubit of six hand-breadths. Who stated “a cubit of six hand-breadths“? This is Rebbi Meןr’s. [As we have stated 33 Mishnah Kelim 17:10 . : “Rebbi Meןr says, all cubits were of buildings; Rebbi Jehudah says, the cubit of buildings six, of vessels five.”] According to Rebbi Meןr who says that the Ark was made with a cubit of six hand-breadths, the length of the Ark was fifteen cubits, as it is written 34 Ex. 25:10 . : Its length two cubits and a half . Each cubit was six and half a cubit three. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones, as it is written 35 Deut . 10:2 . : Which you broke and put into the Ark . Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the widths of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there were three hand-breadths left. Apply them to the cylinder 36 The Torah scroll. . [On each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle, and two hand-breadths as place to put there the Torah scroll.] 37 Corrector’s addition from B, to be deleted. The width of the Ark was nine hand-breadths, as it is written: A cubit and half a cubit . A cubit six and half a cubit three. Four tablets were in it, two whole ones and two broken ones. Each of the tablets was six hand-breadths in length and three in width. Put the lengths of the tablets in the length of the Ark, there were three hand-breadths left. On each side half a hand-breadth to have a handle, and two hand-breadths as a place to put there the Torah scroll.