דברים פרק י א בָּעֵת הַהִוא אָּמַר ה' אֵלַי פְסָּל-לְךָ שְנֵי -לוּחֹת אֲבָּנִים כָּרִ אשֹנִים וַעֲלֵה אֵלַי הָּהָּרָּה וְעָּשִיתָּ לְךָ אֲרוֹן עֵץ :
ב וְאֶכְתֹב עַל-הַלֻּחֹת אֶת-הַדְ בָּרִ ים אֲשֶר הָּיוּ עַל-הַלֻּחֹת הָּרִ אשֹנִים אֲ שֶר שִבַרְ תָּ וְשַמְתָּם בָּאָּרוֹן:
ג וָּאַעַש אֲרוֹן עֲצֵי שִטִים וָּאֶפְסֹל שְנֵי-לֻּחֹת אֲבָּנִים כָּרִ אשֹנִים וָּאַעַל הָּהָּרָּה וּשְנֵי הַלֻּחֹת בְיָּדִ י :
Moshe made an Aron and also Betzalel made an Aron. Later an Aron also went out to war with the Jews. Plus, at one point in the time of Eli Cohen Gadol, an Aron was captured by the P’listim and returned in a miraculous fashion.
How many Arons were there and what was their function?
Rashi
Moshe made an Aron of wood in which he placed the broken parts of the first Luchos. When Moshe came down from Har Sinai on Yom Kipur with the second Luchos he also placed them in the same Aron which was located in the tent of Moshe. On the fist of Nissan at the inauguration of the Mishkan, Moshe placed the second Luchos in the Aron that Betzalel made. The broken first Luchos remained in the Aron that Moshe made and kept in his tent. This latter Aron with the broken Luchos went out to war, and was the Aron “Bris HaShem” that travelled three days in front of the Jews in the desert. The broken Luchos remained in this Aron until the completion of the Bais haMikdash by Shlomo at which time they were transferred to the Aron of Betzalel. The Aron of Betzalel did not go out to war except during the leadership of Yehoshua by Divine command. Eli did send out this Aron and the Jews were punished by its capture.
Ramban (1)
The broken Luchos and the second Luchos were both transferred on the first of Nissan to the Aron that Betzalel made. The Aron that Moshe made was put into geniza as an item that served for holy items. The Aron travelled in front of the Jews for only one trip of three days in which all the possible damaging items were removed or destroyed. Afterwards the Aron remained within the encampment of the Jews.
Ramban (2)
Only one Aron was made (by Betzalel). Moshe did not make a separate Aron. The intention from the beginning was to place the Luchos in the Mishkan after the completion of its structure and vessels. Until that time, the Luchos remained in the tent of Moshe.
Malbim
Moshe made the original Aron of wood and placed within it both sets of Luchos. Betzalel then built the two Arons (of gold) in which the Aron of wood was placed between them. Further, the Kapores and the Keruvim were placed over this “joined” Aron.
Netziv
Three rabbinical sources:
- Sifrei states like Rashi
- Tosefta: Rabbi Yehuda ben Lakish states three Arons existed. One made by Betzalel which held the second Luchos. A second Aron that held the broken first Luchos. Plus, a third Aron that held the Sefer Torah that Moshe wrote. A disagreement between the Sages regarding whether the second or third Aron went out to war. At Arvos Moav Moshe placed the completed Sefer Torah in the Aron which held the Luchos and only two Arons went into Eretz Yisrael.
- Yerushalmi: Only two Arons existed: one that Bezalel made that held both sets of Luchos; and a second Aron that held the Sefer Torah of Moshe, which also went out in front of the travelling Jews. At Arvos Moab, all three items were placed in the Aron which Bezalel made and only one Aron went into Eretz Yisrael.
Yoma 3b: Question: There seem to be contradictory Pesukim regarding the funding source of the Aron (Moshe or the public)? Shmos 25,10: ועשו ארון Devarim 10,1: ועשית לך ארון
Answer: When Yisrael does His Will, the Aron is credited to them; if not (after the Eigel) it is credited only to Moshe.
