Bava Batra 197

הא קא משמע לן למטה כלמעלה מה למעלה אין משמש כלום אף למטה אין משמש כלום

— It teaches us this: [The space] below<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The ten cubits from the ground where the Cherubim and the Ark were standing. ');">¹</span> [was] as [that] above. As [the space] above<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The space of twenty cubits from the Cherubim to the top. ');">²</span> served no [material] purpose.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' They were empty. ');">³</span>

מסייע ליה לר' לוי דאמר ר' לוי ואיתימא רבי יוחנן דבר זה מסורת בידינו מאבותינו מקום ארון וכרובים אינו מן המדה תניא נמי הכי ארון שעשה משה יש לו ריוח עשר אמות לכל רוח ורוח

so [the space] below served no [material] purpose.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Ark and the Cherubim, as stated infra, miraculously occupied none of the space of the Sanctuary. ');">⁴</span> This supports R. Levi; for R. Levi — others say. R. Johanan — said:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Cf. Yoma 21a; Meg. 10b. ');">⁵</span> We have this as a tradition from our fathers [that] the place of the Ark and the Cherubim is not included in the measured [space]. So, indeed, it has been taught:<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Meg. l.c. ');">⁶</span>

אמר רבנאי אמר שמואל כרובים בנס הן עומדין שנאמר (מלכים א ו, כד) וחמש אמות כנף הכרוב האחת וחמש אמות כנף הכרוב השנית עשר אמות מקצות כנפיו ועד קצות כנפיו גופייהו היכא הוו קיימי אלא שמע מינה בנס הן עומדין

The Ark which Moses made had a free space of ten cubits on every side.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though the entire area of the Holy of Holies was only twenty cubits by twenty. ');">⁷</span> Rabina said in the name of Samuel: The Cherubim [made by Solomon] stood by a miracle; for it is said, <i>And five cubits was the one wing of the Cherub,' and five cubits the other wing of the Cherub,' from the uttermost part of the one wing unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits</i>,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I Kings VI, 24. ');">⁸</span> where, [then] were their bodies standing?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Since the two pairs of wings alone occupied twenty cubits, there was no room left for their bodies. (Cf. n. 12 supra.) ');">⁹</span>

מתקיף לה אביי ודלמא בולטין כתרנגולין הוו קיימי מתקיף לה רבא ודלמא זה שלא כנגד זה הוו קיימי מתקיף לה רב אחא בר יעקב ודלמא באלכסונא הוו קיימי

Consequently it must be inferred that they stood by a miracle. Abaye demurred: They might have been standing [with their bodies] protruding [under the wings] like [those of] hens!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Whose wings touch each other on their backs, the entire bodies being covered by the wings. ');">¹⁰</span> Raba demurred: perhaps they did not stand opposite one another!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Their wings overlapping sideways. ');">¹¹</span>

מתקיף לה רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע ודלמא ביתא מעילאי רווח מתקיף לה רב פפא ודלמא מיכף הוו כייפי ידייהו מתקיף לה רב אשי ודלמא שלחופי הוו משלחפי

R. Aha b. Jacob demurred: They might have been standing diagonally.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The distance between the diagonally opposite corners of the Holy of Holies was, of course, greater than that between any two of its sides; consequently longer than twenty cubits. This would allow room both for the wings and the bodies of the Cherubim. ');">¹²</span> R. Huna the son of R. Joshua demurred: The house might have been wider from above!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' And, therefore, there was a distance of more than twenty cubits between the walls, allowing room for the wings as well as for the bodies of the Cherubim. ');">¹³</span> R. Papa demurred: Might not their wings have been bent?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that together with the bodies, no more than a length of twenty cubits was required. ');">¹⁴</span>

כיצד הן עומדין רבי יוחנן ור' אלעזר חד אמר פניהם איש אל אחיו וחד אמר פניהם לבית ולמ"ד פניהם איש אל אחיו הא כתיב (דברי הימים ב ג, יג) ופניהם לבית לא קשיא כאן בזמן שישראל עושין רצונו של מקום כאן בזמן שאין ישראל עושין רצונו של מקום

R. Ashi demurred: Their wings might have been overlapping each other!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So that together with their bodies they did not occupy more than twenty cubits. ');">¹⁵</span> How did they<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The Cherubim in the Holy of Holies. ');">¹⁶</span> stand? — R. Johanan and R. Eleazar [are in dispute on the matter]. One Says: They faced each other; and the other says: Their faces were inward. But according to him who says that they faced each other, [it may be asked]: Is it not written, And their faces were inward?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. III, 13. ');">¹⁷</span>

ולמ"ד ופניהם לבית הא כתיב (שמות כה, כ) ופניהם איש אל אחיו דמצדדי אצדודי דתניא אונקלוס הגר אמר כרובים (דברי הימים ב ג, י) מעשה צעצועים הן ומצודדים פניהם כתלמיד הנפטר מרבו:

— [This is] no difficulty: The former<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Facing each other, a sign of affection. Symbolic of the relationship between God and His people. ');">¹⁸</span> [was] at a time when Israel obeyed the will of the Omnipresent; the latter<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Turning inward, away from each other, symbolic of the unrequited love of God for Israel. ');">¹⁹</span> [was] at a time when Israel did not obey the will of the Omnipresent. According to him who says that their faces were inward [it may be asked]: Is it not written, With their faces one to another?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Ex. XXV, 20. ');">²⁰</span>

<big><strong>מתני׳</strong></big> מי שיש לו בור לפנים מביתו של חבירו נכנס בשעה שדרך בני אדם נכנסין ויוצא בשעה שדרך בני אדם יוצאין ואינו מכניס בהמתו ומשקה מבורו אלא ממלא ומשקה מבחוץ וזה עושה לו פותחת וזה עושה לו פותחת:

They were slightly turned sideways.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Partly facing one another and partly turning inward. ');">²¹</span> For [so] it was taught: <i>Onkelos</i> the proselyte said, 'The Cherubim were of image<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' [H] Others render, 'image of children', comparing it with [H] 'children'. The latter leads on naturally to the simile, 'As a pupil who takes leave of his master'. ');">²²</span> work<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' II Chron. Ibid. v. 10. ');">²³</span>

<big><strong>גמ׳</strong></big> פותחת להיכא אמר ר' יוחנן שניהם לבור בשלמא בעל הבור בעי לאשתמורי מיא דבוריה אלא בעל הבית למה ליה א"ר אלעזר

and their faces were turned sideways as a student who takes leave of his master.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' A student, on taking leave of his master, turns sideways for some distance, before turning his back completely on him. ');">²⁴</span> <b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. HE WHO OWNS A CISTERN WITHIN ANOTHER MAN'S HOUSE, GOES IN WHEN IT IS USUAL FOR PEOPLE TO GO IN, AND GOES OUT WHEN IT IS USUAL FOR PEOPLE TO GO OUT. HE MUST NOT BRING IN HIS BEAST [THROUGH THE OTHER'S HOUSE] TO GIVE IT DRINK FROM HIS CISTERN. BUT MUST FILL [HIS VESSEL] AND GIVE [THE BEAST] TO DRINK OUTSIDE. ONE OF THEM MAY MAKE FOR HIMSELF A LOCK, AND THE OTHER MAY [ALSO] MAKE FOR HIMSELF A LOCK. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Where [is] the lock [to be attached]? — R. Johanan said: Both<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The lock of the owner of the cistern and that of the owner of the house. ');">²⁵</span> to the cistern. This is right [in the case of] the owner of the cistern, [for] he has to protect the water of his cistern; but for what purpose does the owner of the house [require a lock]? — R. Eleazar said: