Illustration Credit: Elad Lifshitz, Dov Abramson Studio
What's going on here? מַה זֶה?
On top of the אֲרוֹן (aron, ark) were two golden כְּרוּבִים (keruvim). The Torah explains that these keruvim had wings and faced each other. But what did they actually look like?
- Rashi (based on the Talmud) says they were angels that looked like children.
- Rashbam and Hizkuni say they were in the shape of large birds.
- Rabbeinu Bahya says that one of the keruvim looked like a child and the other looked like its parent. Facing each other, they symbolized God’s (the parent’s) love for Benei Yisrael (the child).
- The Ba’al Ha-Turim says they were like two friends who were study partners, having a back and forth conversation about Torah.
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