Commentary for Menachot 196:2
ומנלן דבדיו לפותיא דארון הוו יתבי דילמא לארכו דארון הוו יתבי אמר ר' יהודה תרי גברי באמתא ופלגא לא מסתגי להו
Perhaps they lay along the length of the ark? - Rab Judah answered, Because in the space of one cubit and a half two men could not stand.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' As the ark was one cubit and a half wide if, as suggested, the staves lay along the length of the ark, there would then have been only the space of one cubit and a half between the staves, and within this space two men could not have walked side by side carrying the ark.');"><sup>2</sup></span> And whence do we know that four persons carried it?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., that two Levites walking side by side carried the ark in front and two behind. Perhaps only two persons carried it, one carrying the two ends of the staves on one side, and the other the two ends of the staves on the other side.');"><sup>3</sup></span>
Explore commentary for Menachot 196:2. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.