מלכים א ח׳:א׳-י״א

נשיאי האבות לבני ישראל. של בני ישראל:

The leaders of the paternal families of the Bnei Yisroel. Of the children of Yisroel.¹The literal translation is, “to the children of Yisroel.”

מעיר דוד. שנתנו שם דוד כשהביאו מבית עובד אדום:

From the city of Dovid. Dovid had placed it there when he brought it from the house of Oved Edom.²See II Shmuel 6:10-12, 17.

בירח האיתנים. תרגם יונתן: בירחא דעתיקיא דקרן ליה ירחא קדמאה בחגא וכען הוא ירחא שביעאה. משניתנה תורה וכתיב בניסן שהוא ראש חדשים, נקרא תשרי שביעי:

In the month Eisonim. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, “In the month which people of the ancient times called the first month, on the festival, and at present it is the seventh month,” i.e., since the Torah was given, and it is written in the month of Nissan which it is the first of the months, [therefore,] Tishrei³Although the construction of the Beis Hamikdosh was completed in the eighth month of the previous year [see above 6:38], Shlomo postponed its dedication until the following Tishrei. is called the seventh [month].⁴איתן means “mighty” and ירח האיתנים refers to the month of Tishrei which has the strongest spiritual effect for people to improve themselves because of the holidays celebrated during Tishrei—Ralbag. Alternatively, איתנים alludes to the Patriarchs. See Maseches Rosh Hashana 11a.

ואת אהל מועד. שעשה משה, וגנזו שלמה משנבנה בית ראשון, כמו ששנינו בתוספתא דסוטה (יג א):

The Tent of Meeting. Which Moshe made and Shlomo stored this away as soon as the first Beis [Hamikdosh] was built, as we have learned in the Tosefta of Maseches Sotah.⁵ 13:1

אשר באהל. אשר נטה דוד לארון:

That were in the Tent. Which Dovid pitched for the Ark.⁶See II Shmuel 6:17

כנפי הכרובים. אותן שעשה שלמה העומדים על רגליהם בקרקע, ואין אלו כרובים של כפורת שעל הארון:

The wings of the cherubim. Those which Shlomo made, which are standing on their feet on the ground; and these are not the cherubim of the cover which was on the Ark.

אל מקום הארון. מקיר אל קיר, כמו שאמר למעלה בענין:

Over the place of the Ark. From wall to wall as it is stated above⁷I Melochim 6:27. regarding this subject.

ויראו ראשי הבדים. בפרוכת שכנגד הפתח באמה טרקסין, יכול יהיו מקרעין בה ויוצאין, תלמוד לומר ולא יראו החוצה, הא כיצד, דוחקין ובולטין כעין שני דדי אשה, כענין שנאמר (שיר השירים א יג): בין שדי ילין (יומא נד א):

The ends of the poles were seen. In the curtain which was at the entrance in the “Amoh Troksin.” One might think they tore through it [i.e., the curtain] and protruded [on the other side], it states, “but they could not be seen from outside.” How is this possible? They were pushing and bulging⁸These were new poles made by Shlomo to replace the ones made by Moshe. Shlomo’s poles were 20 amohs long vs. Moshe’s poles which were 10 amohs in length. Shlomo made them longer to enable more Kohanim to participate in carrying the Ark.—Ralbag similar to two breasts of a woman, as the matter is stated, “He lies between my breasts.”⁹I.e., “the Divine Presence dwelt between the Holy Ark’s poles.”¹⁰Shir Hashirim 1:13.¹¹Maseches Yoma 54a.

בצאת הכהנים מן הקדש. הכהנים שנשאו הארון בדביר, כשיצאו שרתה שכינה בהיכל:

After the Kohanim went out of the Kodesh. As the Kohanim who carried the Ark into the Holy of Holies were leaving, the Divine Presence immediately came to rest in the Sanctuary.