Thank you for your answer to my previous question.
Now, on 16a the Gem. says the people go out to the town square to daven, with the idea that by exiling themselves, as it were, by leaving shul and going outside which is considered a form of humiliation, they will gain kapara.
The Gem. says they take out the Aron, and R' Yehoshua ben Levi says, we had a kli tzenua -- the aron -- and it has been degraded by being publicly exposed as a result of our sins. Artscroll quotes the Meiri who says the intent was to cause the people to tremble upon realizing their sins caused this degradation.
My question is, in this instance, the people themselves took the initiative to take the Aron out and publicly expose it. Who told them to take it out? If a person does a sin, does that allow him to do a second improper act in order to atone for the first? It seems akin to a transgression pulling along another transgression. To bring about a kaparah, why not require them to do something that doesn't seem to be questionable or problematic, as was the very deed they are trying to atone for.
Any light you can throw on this is appreciated.
Thank you,
Yosef Moses
Taking out the Aron is certainly not a sin. This is apparent from the many places where it is discussed that an Aron was taken to war (see Rambam Hilchos Melachim 6:15) and when the Aron had to be carried from one place to another. It is not considered improper. However, it is more respectful for the Aron to be inside and not outside, as the true treasure of a king is guarded indoors. Lessening this hightened respect is deemed a degredation. Chazal realized that this was necessary for a time when people are not able to carry out proper introspection of their deeds without actually seeing the impact of their actions. When the Aron is taken out into the street and people realize that the holy Aron has lost its hightened respect due to their sins, Chazal understood that this would arouse them to repent, and to therefore gain Heavenly mercy.
All the best,
Yaakov Montrose