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Ramban on Deuteronomy 10:1/רמב"ן על דברים י׳:א׳

אבָּעֵת הַהִיא אָמַר ה' אֵלַי פְּסָל לְךָ, אַחַר שֶׁהִתְנַפַּלְתִּי לִפְנֵי ה' אֵת אַרְבָּעִים הַיּוֹם וְאֶת אַרְבָּעִים הַלַּיְלָה נִתְרַצָּה אֵלַי שֶׁיִּכְתֹּב לוּחוֹת שְׁנִיּוֹת, אֲבָל הָיוּ הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים וְהַמִּכְתָּב מִכְתַּב אֱלֹהִים, וּבְאֵלּוּ צִוָּה אוֹתִי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מַחְצַב יָדִי וְהַמִּכְתָּב יִהְיֶה כַּמִּכְתָּב הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים:

1AT THAT TIME THE ETERNAL SAID UNTO ME: ‘HEW THEE TWO TABLETS OF STONE.’ After I cast myself down in prayer before G-d for forty days and forty nights, He was reconciled with me that He would write the second Tablets. However, the first ones were the work of G-d, and the writing was the writing of G-d,¹⁶⁴ whereas these [second Tablets] He commanded me that they be hewn by my hands and the writing will be like the writing on the first ones, by the finger of G-d.¹⁶⁵, 31:18.

בוְטַעַם וְעָשִׂיתָ לְּךָ אֲרוֹן עֵץ, שֶׁתָּשִׂים הַלּוּחוֹת בְּתוֹכוֹ בְּעֵת שֶׁתֵּרֵד, וְהָיָה הָאָרוֹן הַזֶּה כֻּלּוֹ עֵץ, הוּא וְהַמִּכְסֶה אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו מִלְּמַעְלָה כַּמִּנְהָג בְּכָל הָאֲרוֹנוֹת, וְהָיוּ הַלּוּחוֹת שָׁם עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְאָז עָשׂוּ הָאָרוֹן הַמְּצֻפֶּה זָהָב וְהַכַּפֹּרֶת אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו זָהָב טָהוֹר. וְלֹא אָמַר לוֹ כֵן בַּלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה גָּלוּי לְפָנָיו שֶׁיְּשַׁבְּרֵם. וְטַעַם וַיִּהְיוּ שָׁם כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי ה' (דברים י':ה'), שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן שֶׁצִּוַּנִי (שמות כה כא) וְנָתַתָּ אֶת הַכַּפֹּרֶת עַל הָאָרֹן מִלְמָעְלָה וְאֶל הָאָרֹן תִּתֵּן אֶת הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן אֵלֶיךָ. וְזֶהוּ הַטּוֹב וְהַיָּשָׁר בַּפְּסוּקִים הָאֵלֶּה. וְכָתַב רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על דברים י':א'), וְלֹא זֶהוּ אָרוֹן שֶׁעָשָׂה בְּצַלְאֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא נִתְעַסְּקוּ בַּמִּשְׁכָּן אֶלָּא לְאַחַר יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, כִּי בְּרִדְתּוֹ מִן הָהָר צִוָּה לָהֶם עַל מְלֶאכֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וּבְצַלְאֵל עָשָׂה הַמִּשְׁכָּן ואח"כ אָרוֹן וְכֵלִים, נִמְצָא זֶה אַחֵר הָיָה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹצֵא עִמָּהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה, וְאוֹתוֹ שֶׁעָשָׂה בְּצַלְאֵל לֹא יָצָא בַּמִּלְחָמָה אֶלָּא בִּימֵי עֵלִי וְנֶעֶנְשׁוּ עָלָיו וְנִשְׁבָּה. זֶה לְשׁוֹן הָרַב, וְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה הֵם שֶׁמָּצָא כָּתוּב בְּתַנְחוּמָא. וְיֵשׁ לִשְׁאוֹל, וְאַחַר שֶׁהוֹצִיא מִשָּׁם הַלּוּחוֹת וּנְתָנָם בְּאָרוֹן שֶׁעָשָׂה בְּצַלְאֵל, מָה הָיָה בָּזֶה, וְלָמָּה הוּא יֹצֵא עִמָּהֶם לַמִּלְחָמָה. וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁשִּׁבְרֵי הַלּוּחוֹת הָיוּ שָׁם, וְכֵן בָּאַגָּדָה. אֲבָל דִּבְרֵי יָחִיד הֵם, שֶׁכָּךְ שָׁנִינוּ בְּמַסֶּכֶת שְׁקָלִים (ירושלמי פ"ו ה"א), תַּנְיָא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי אִלְעַאי אוֹמֵר, שְׁנֵי אֲרוֹנוֹת הָיוּ עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר, אֶחָד שֶׁהָיוּ שִׁבְרֵי הַלּוּחוֹת מֻנָּחִין בּוֹ וְכוּ', וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אֶחָד הָיָה, וּפַעַם אַחַת יָצָא בִּימֵי עֵלִי וְנִשְׁבָּה. וְדַעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בְּכָל מָקוֹם בַּתַּלְמוּד (ברכות ח ב"ב יד מנחות צט) אֵינוֹ כֵן, אֶלָּא לוּחוֹת וְשִׁבְרֵי לוּחוֹת מֻנָּחִים בָּאָרוֹן. וְעוֹד אָנָה יַעֲמֹד הָאָרוֹן הַזֶּה עִם הַלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת כָּל יְמֵי הַמִּדְבָּר, כִּי בַּמִּשְׁכָּן בְּבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים לְאַחַר הַפָּרֹכֶת אֵין שָׁם שְׁנֵי אֲרוֹנוֹת, וְכֵן שְׁלֹמֹה לֹא הִכְנִיס לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים אֶלָּא אָרוֹן אֶחָד (מלכים א ח ו-ט). אֲבָל הָאָרוֹן הַזֶּה שֶׁל מֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה אֲרוֹנוֹ שֶׁל בְּצַלְאֵל גְּנָזוּהוּ כְּדִין תַּשְׁמִישֵׁי קְדֻשָּׁה, וְזֶהוּ הַנָּכוֹן עַל דַּעַת רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, כִּי עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט יִתָּכֵן כִּי וְעָשִׂיתָ לְּךָ אֲרוֹן עֵץ יִרְמֹז לָאָרוֹן שֶׁעָשָׂה בְּצַלְאֵל, וְזֶה כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה נִצְטַוָּה מֹשֶׁה עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְכֵלָיו, וְהָיְתָה הַמִּצְוָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה וְעָשׂוּ אֲרוֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים (שמות כה י), כִּי הִיא עִקַּר הַכַּוָּנָה בְּכָל הַמִּשְׁכָּן, לִהְיוֹת הַשֵּׁם יוֹשֵׁב הַכְּרוּבִים, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן עָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל, וְכַאֲשֶׁר נִתְרַצָּה הַשֵּׁם לְמֹשֶׁה וְאָמַר לוֹ שֶׁיִּכְתֹּב עַל הַלּוּחוֹת הָאֵלּוּ כַּמִּכְתָּב הָרִאשׁוֹן, צִוָּהוּ בִּקְצָרָה שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לַלּוּחוֹת הָאֵלֶּה אֲרוֹן עֵץ, הוּא הַמְּצֻוֶּה לוֹ לַלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת. וְהִנֵּה הִזְכִּיר לוֹ הַמִּצְוָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁבְּעִנְיַן הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְשֶׁהַכֹּל תָּלוּי בָּהּ, וּמִזֶּה לָמַד מֹשֶׁה לַעֲשׂוֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְכֵלָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר נִצְטַוָּה מִתְּחִלָּה. וְיִהְיֶה פֵּרוּשׁ וַיִּהְיוּ שָׁם כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי ה', שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם לָעַד לְעוֹלָם כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ ה' מִתְּחִלָּה (שם שם כא-כב) וְאֶל הָאָרֹן תִּתֵּן אֶת הָעֵדֻת אֲשֶׁר אֶתֵּן אֵלֶיךָ וְנוֹעַדְתִּי לְךָ שָׁם וְדִבַּרְתִּי אִתְּךָ וְגוֹ'. וְהִנֵּה בְּרִדְתּוֹ הִנִּיחַ הַלּוּחוֹת בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה הָאָרוֹן וְהַמִּשְׁכָּן, כִּי אִלּוּ לֹא שָׁבַר הַלּוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד יִהְיוּ עַד עֲשׂוֹת בְּצַלְאֵל הָאָרוֹן, וְכֵן שִׁבְרֵי הַלּוּחוֹת עַל כָּרְחֵנוּ שָׁם הָיוּ, כִּי לֹא הֶחְזִירָם עִמּוֹ לָהָר. וּרְאָיָה לָזֶה, שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּיר מֹשֶׁה זוֹ הַצַּוָּאָה בְּסֵדֶר כִּי תִשָּׂא, כִּי שָׁם הִזְכִּיר אֲרוֹן בְּצַלְאֵל בְּפֵרוּשׁ וְכָאן לֹא הִזְכִּיר הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְכֵלָיו כִּי הֵם הָרוֹאִים אוֹתוֹ, וּלְפִיכָךְ הִזְכִּיר זֶה בִּקְצָרָה. וְאַל יִקְשֶׁה בְּעֵינֶיךָ שֶׁאָמַר וָאַעַשׂ אֲרוֹן עֲצֵי שִׁטִּים וָאֶפְסֹל שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים, כִּי הִשְׁלִים עִנְיַן הָאָרוֹן כְּאֶחָד, כִּי הִנֵּה צִוָּהוּ הַשֵּׁם פְּסָל לְךָ וְגוֹ' וַעֲלֵה אֵלַי הָהָרָה וְעָשִׂיתָ לְּךָ אֲרוֹן עֵץ, שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה תְּחִלָּה בַּלּוּחוֹת וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יַעֲשֶׂה אֲרוֹן עֵץ, אֲבָל הֶאֱרִיךְ לוֹמַר וְאֶכְתֹּב עַל הַלֻּחֹת אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עַל הַלֻּחֹת הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר שִׁבַּרְתָּ וְשַׂמְתָּם בָּאָרוֹן, לוֹמַר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ כָּרִאשׁוֹנוֹת בַּמִּכְתָּב וְרָאוּי שֶׁיִּהְיוּ בָּאָרוֹן הַמְּצֻוֶּה כָּרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, שֶׁאִוָּעֵד שָׁמָּה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנִקְדַּשׁ בִּכְבֹדִי, וּלְכָךְ הִשְׁלִים וָאַעַשׂ אֲרוֹן לְהַשְׁלִים הַמִּצְוָה וְהַמַּעֲשֶׂה בִּקְצָרָה, וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן שָׁב לְהַאֲרִיךְ בַּמֻּקְדָּם:

2AND MAKE THEE AN ARK OF WOOD. The meaning thereof is that you put the Tablets into this ark when you descend [the mountain]. Now this ark, including its cover, is to be entirely from wood [and not overlaid with gold], like all arks, and the Tablets should remain there until the Tabernacle is made. [Only] then, they made the ark which was covered with gold and the ark-cover upon it of pure gold.¹⁶⁶, 37:1-6. — In order to understand the text, it is necessary to recall that the affairs of the golden calf, the breaking of the first Tablets, and the giving of the second Tablets, all took place in the summer of the first year after the exodus, while the building of the Tabernacle, the making of the ark, etc., were not completed until the spring of the second year after the exodus. Now, since the command about making an ark for the second Tablets was given to Moses immediately upon his receiving them on the tenth day of Tishri — the Day of Atonement — this ark was obviously not the ark made by Bezalel for the Tabernacle during the following winter. Ramban will further on present a different solution to the problem. He did not tell Moses [to make an ark] for the first Tablets because it was manifest before Him that he would break them [immediately upon coming down the mountain]. And the meaning of the verse, and there they were, as the Eternal commanded me¹⁶⁷ is that the Tablets were there [in the ark] until the Tabernacle was made concerning which He commanded me, And thou shalt put the ark-cover above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee.¹⁶⁸ This is the good and correct [interpretation] of these verses.And Rashi wrote: “Now, this was not the ark which Bezalel made [for the Tabernacle], because they did not occupy themselves in the making of the Tabernacle until after the Day of Atonement, for it was only when he came down from the mountain that he commanded them concerning the construction of the Tabernacle, and it was Bezalel who made, first the Tabernacle, and afterwards the ark¹⁶⁹ and the vessels. Thus it follows that this [ark mentioned here] was a different one, and it was this [ark] that went forth with them to battle, while the one that Bezalel made did not go forth to battle except in the days of Eli¹⁷⁰ and they were punished for this and it was captured [by the Philistines].”¹⁷¹, Verse 17. This is the Rabbi’s language, quoting words of Agadah which he found written in the Tanchuma.¹⁷² 10.Now one may ask: “And after they removed the Tablets from this ark and placed them in the ark which Bezalel made, what happened to this ark? And why did this one go forth with the people to battle [since it was empty, the Tablets having been removed]?” Some say that the broken Tablets lay in that ark, and so in fact it is found in the Agadah, but these are the words of a single Sage, for thus we learned in Tractate Shekalim:¹⁷³ “We are taught [in a Beraitha]: Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Ilai says: Israel had two arks in the wilderness, one in which the broken Tablets lay etc. But the Rabbis say: there was only one, and once it went forth [to battle] in the days of Eli and it was captured [by the Philistines].” The opinion of our Rabbis throughout the Talmud is also not so [that there were two arks]; but that [both] the whole Tablets and the broken Tablets lay in the [same] ark. Besides, where was this ark containing the first [broken] Tablets to stay all the years in the wilderness? For in the Tabernacle, in the Holy of Holies beyond the Veil, there were no two arks, and Solomon also brought but one ark into the Holy of Holies [of the Sanctuary]!¹⁷⁴ Rather, [we must say] that this ark of Moses was stored away upon the completion of the ark of Bezalel, as is the law of implements of holiness [which must be stored away after having served their purpose].¹⁷⁵This is the correct interpretation in accordance with the opinion of our Rabbis, for, in line with the plain meaning of Scripture, it is possible that the verse here, and make thee an ark of wood, refers to the ark which Bezalel made. This [could be explained as follows]: First Moses was commanded regarding the making of the Tabernacle and its vessels, the first command being And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood,¹⁷⁶ for this [to contain the Tablets] was the main purpose of the entire Tabernacle — that the Eternal that sitteth upon the cherubim¹⁷⁷ be there. Afterwards they made the calf and when G-d was reconciled with Moses and told him that He would write on these Tablets according to the first writing,¹⁷⁸ He commanded him briefly that he should make for these [second] Tablets an ark of wood, this being the same one concerning which he was commanded for the first Tablets. Thus He mentioned to Moses [as narrated by Moses in the verse before us] the primary commandment regarding the Tabernacle, and [the one] upon which everything depended. It was from this [charge to build the ark] that Moses deduced [that he was] to make the Tabernacle and its vessels, as he had been commanded earlier. And in that case the interpretation of the phrase, and there they were, as the Eternal command me¹⁶⁷ is that they be there forever as the Eternal commanded me originally: and in the ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee. And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee etc.¹⁷⁹ Now when Moses came down from the mountain he placed the Tablets in [his personal] tent of meeting¹⁸⁰, 33:7. until he made the ark and the Tabernacle.¹⁸¹ For had he not broken the first Tablets, they would have been in [his] tent of meeting¹⁸⁰, 33:7. until Bezalel had made the ark. And so perforce we must also say that the broken tablets were there [in his tent of meeting], for he did not return them with him when he ascended the mountain. Proof for this [i.e., that the command for making the ark mentioned here is identical with the command mentioned in the Book of Exodus with the instructions to build the Tabernacle] is the fact that Moses did not mention this command in the section of Ki Thisa,¹⁸² for there He mentioned the ark of Bezalel expressly.¹⁸³, 31:7. — The section begins: See, I have called by name Bezalel (Verse 2). Now here he did not mention the Tabernacle and its vessels for the people saw it before them, and therefore he mentioned it only briefly [through the first command concerning the ark].Now, do not consider it difficult that he said, So I made an ark of acacia-wood, and hewed two Tablets of stone¹⁸⁴ [which would seem to indicate that Moses made the ark at once and then hewed the two Tablets of stone, and, if so, this could not be the ark of Bezalel], for he completed the narration of the subject of the ark at one time. For G-d had commanded him, Hew thee two Tablets of stone etc., and come up unto Me into the mount; and make thee an ark of wood, meaning that he should first come up with the Tablets and afterwards he should make an ark of wood; but He prolonged [the subject of the Tablets] in order to say, And I will write on the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets which thou didst break, and thou shalt put them in the ark,¹⁸⁵ that is to say that these second Tablets will be identical to the first ones in writing and, therefore, it is proper that they, like the first ones, be in the [previously] commanded ark, where I will meet with the children of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by My glory.¹⁸⁶ Therefore Moses finished the account by stating, So I made an ark,¹⁸⁴ in order to briefly complete the commandment and the deed. Afterwards he returned to speak at length on the subject mentioned before.